Chapter 5: The Girl Who Had My Face
The caller’s voice remained on speaker.
“But Claire is standing beside her.””
No one moved.
I stared at the photograph in my hands until the edges blurred.
Two little girls.
Same dark hair.
Same eyes.
Same narrow chin.
Same red coat.
One of them was me.
The other one looked exactly like me.
I heard myself whisper, “That’s impossible.””
The man on the phone said, “I thought so too.””
Marcus took the phone from Eleanor.
“Who are you?””
“My name is Daniel Price. I worked for your father.””
“You found the photograph?””
“Yes.””
“Where?””
“At your aunt’s house.””
Marcus glanced at me.
“What else did you find?””
A pause.
“Several letters.””
“Whose?””
“Your father’s.””
Eleanor’s face hardened.
“What do they say?””
Daniel hesitated.
“They were written to your mother.””
My fingers tightened around the photograph.
“What did they say?””
Daniel’s voice softened.
“They accused her of taking the wrong child.””
My stomach dropped.
Marcus stared at me.
“Wrong child?””
Daniel continued.
“Your father believed your mother had switched two babies at the hospital.””
A cold silence followed.
I shook my head.
“No.””
Daniel said, “I’m sorry.””
“No.””
My voice came out sharper.
“My mother would never do that.””
“I don't know what she did.””
“You don't know her.””
“I know what the documents say.””
I turned toward Marcus.
“Why are you letting him say this?””
“Because he found the files.””
“That doesn't make them true.””
“No.””
Marcus looked at me.
“But we need to know.””
I hated that he was right.
I hated even more that the truth was becoming something I was afraid to touch.
Eleanor took the photograph from my hands.
“Daniel, is there anything else?””
“Yes.””
“What?””
“There’s a name.””
She looked at Marcus.
“What name?””
“Lena.””
My heart stopped.
I had heard that name before.
Years ago.
My mother had been sick.
I was maybe eleven.
She had been sleeping on the couch, feverish, when I heard her whisper something.
“Lena.””
I had asked who Lena was.
She had opened her eyes and told me it was nothing.
I had believed her.
Now my skin prickled.
“Who is Lena?”” I asked.
Daniel answered.
“Your father believed Lena was the other child.””
I couldn't breathe.
Marcus stared at me.
“Claire…”
I stepped backward.
“No.””
“Claire.””
“No.””
My hand went to my stomach.
The baby moved again.
I focused on that movement.
Something real.
Something I knew belonged to me.
“My mother raised me.””
“Yes,” Eleanor said softly.
“She fed me.””
“Yes.””
“She taught me to read.””
“I know.””
“She was my mother.””
“No one is saying she wasn't.””
“But you are.””
My voice broke.
“You're telling me everything I remember might be a lie.””
Eleanor shook her head.
“Your childhood is real.””
“Then what isn't?””
She had no answer.
Daniel spoke through the phone.
“There’s another problem.””
Marcus closed his eyes.
“What now?””
“The hospital records.””
“What about them?””
“They don't match.””
“How?””
Daniel took a breath.
“The birth certificate says Claire Bennett was born on May 14th.””
My pulse quickened.
“That’s my birthday.””
“I know.””
“But?””
“The hospital record has two babies born on May 14th.””
I looked at Marcus.
“One is listed as Claire Bennett.””
“Yes.””
“And the other?””
“Lena Carter.””
Eleanor’s face went white.
“Carter?””
Daniel said, “Yes.””
I frowned.
“Who is Carter?””
Nobody answered.
“Who is Lena Carter?””
Marcus looked at his mother.
Eleanor's eyes remained on the photograph.
Finally, she whispered,
“Your father’s mistress.””
Everything inside me went still.
“No.””
Marcus looked shocked.
“My father had a mistress?””
“Yes.””
“When?””
“Before your parents married.””
“And she had a baby?””
Eleanor nodded.
“Apparently.””
I stared at the photograph.
Two babies.
Two names.
One father.
One mother.
And a secret everyone had buried for nearly three decades.
“So my mother stole his mistress’s baby?””
Daniel interrupted.
“That’s not what the letters say.””
“What do they say?””
“She tried to protect you.””
I swallowed.
“From what?””
“Your father.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“Why would my father want his own child?””
Daniel answered quietly.
“Because the other baby inherited something.””
My eyebrows pulled together.
“What?””
“Money.””
Eleanor looked at Marcus.
“Of course.””
He shook his head.
“No.””
“What?”” I asked.
Eleanor looked toward me.
“Your father’s father left an inheritance to the first male grandchild born to the Hale family.””
Marcus said nothing.
I stared at him.
“First male grandchild?””
He nodded.
“You?””
“No. My father's first son was me.””
“Then why would the baby matter?””
Eleanor swallowed.
“Because the inheritance was revised.””
My heart pounded.
“Revised how?””
“Your father discovered your grandfather had a second condition.””
“What condition?””
“The inheritance would pass to the biological child of his eldest son.””
Marcus looked confused.
“That was me.””
“Yes.””
Eleanor’s gaze moved to me.
“Until your father discovered one of the babies born that day might actually have been his biological child.””
My eyes widened.
“So Marcus—”
“No.””
Eleanor shook her head.
“This is different.””
Marcus looked at her.
“What are you saying?””
She pointed to the photograph.
“Your father believed one of those girls was not your father's child.””
Marcus frowned.
“Then whose?””
“Your uncle's.””
The room went silent.
I stared at her.
“You had another son?””
“No.””
“Then who?””
Eleanor's eyes filled with something I couldn't identify.
Fear.
“Your father had a younger brother.””
Marcus’s mouth opened.
“My uncle Gabriel?””
Eleanor nodded.
“He died before you were born.””
“Then what does he have to do with this?””
“He was the biological father of Lena.””
My knees weakened.
“Then why did my mother have me?””
Eleanor looked at the two little girls.
“That is what no one ever discovered.””
Daniel spoke again.
“I think I know.””
Everyone turned toward the phone.
“What?”” Marcus asked.
Daniel said, “I found a letter from your father to Gabriel.””
“Read it.””
“I can't.””
“Why?””
“Because it's handwritten in a way I'm not certain about.””
Marcus frowned.
“Meaning?””
“It doesn't look like your father wrote it.””
Eleanor stepped closer.
“Then who did?””
“I don't know.””
“Read it anyway.””
Daniel hesitated.
“Fine.””
Paper rustled.
Then his voice changed.
He began reading.
“You were right. She never meant to keep the child. She only wanted to hide the evidence. If Eleanor discovers what happened, the entire family will collapse.”
Eleanor closed her eyes.
“What happened?””
Daniel continued.
“The girl with the Hale blood must be found before the inheritance is transferred.”
My heart slammed against my ribs.
“Hale blood.””
Marcus looked at me.
“Which girl?””
Daniel said, “That's the problem.””
He paused.
“The letter doesn't say.””
I felt tears burn my eyes.
“I can't do this anymore.””
Marcus stepped toward me.
“Claire.””
I raised my hand.
“Don't.””
He stopped.
“I need to go somewhere.””
“Where?””
“Home.””
“You shouldn't be alone.””
I gave him a bitter smile.
“I've been alone for a long time.””
Eleanor gently touched my arm.
“You’re not going home.””
I looked at her.
“I need my mother's things.””
“They're already being brought to my house.””
“What?””
“I sent someone to retrieve them.””
“When?””
“While we were at the hotel.””
I stared at her.
“You did that without asking me?””
“I knew you would need them.””
For the first time all night, I appreciated something she had done.
“Thank you.””
She nodded.
Then Daniel spoke again.
“There’s one more thing.””
Marcus turned toward the phone.
“What?””
“I found a second envelope.””
“From your father?””
“No.””
“Then whose?””
“Your mother’s.””
My heart stopped.
“My mother?””
Daniel said yes.
“And it has Claire’s name on it.””
I stepped forward.
“Open it.””
Daniel went silent.
“Why?””
“Because there’s a problem.””
“What problem?””
“The letter is addressed to Claire.””
I felt a chill move down my spine.
“So open it.””
“I can't.””
“Why?””
Daniel’s voice dropped.
“Because it was written before Claire was born.””
The room went completely silent.
I felt the baby move beneath my hand.
Marcus stared at me.
Eleanor whispered my name.
But I could barely hear either of them.
“What's the date?””
Daniel answered.
“March 2nd.””
“What year?””
“1998.””
My breath caught.
I was born in 1998.
The same year my mother supposedly gave birth to me.
I looked at Marcus.
“Read it.””
Daniel inhaled.
Then began.
“To the daughter I may never raise…”
My eyes filled with tears.
Daniel continued.
“If they tell you I abandoned you, don't believe them. If they tell you I gave you away, don't believe them. And if a man named Marcus Hale ever tells you he loves you—”
He stopped.
I looked at Marcus.
He had gone completely pale.
“Keep reading,” I whispered.
Daniel's voice trembled.
“—ask him which family he belongs to before you trust him.”
Marcus stared at me.
“No.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
He shook his head.
“That date…”
“What about it?””
He looked toward his mother.
“My father died in March.””
Eleanor's face changed.
“What day?””
“March 6th.””
Four days after the letter was written.
Nobody spoke.
Then Daniel said something that made every hair on my arms stand up.
“There's a signature at the bottom.””
I whispered,
“Whose?””
He answered.
“Lena Carter.””
I stared at him.
Then at the photograph.
Two girls.
Two names.
One secret.
And a letter written to me four days before the woman everyone said was my mother died.
Daniel continued.
“And Claire…”
“Yes?””
“The envelope wasn't found in your mother's belongings.””
“Where was it?””
His answer came slowly.
“Inside Marcus Hale's father's safe.””
Marcus looked as though someone had struck him.
He whispered,
“That safe was opened only once.””
“When?””
Eleanor answered before Daniel could.
“The morning after Claire was born.””
The baby inside me kicked hard.
And suddenly I understood the most terrifying part.
My mother had written that letter before I was born.
She knew Marcus’s name.
She knew his family.
May you like
And somehow…
she knew I would marry him.
