Chapter 7: The Daughter My Mother Never Told Me About
For several seconds, my father couldn't speak.
He stood in the library, holding his phone against his ear, staring at the photograph of the woman he had married.
Vanessa Monroe.
Rebecca Hale.
Emily Miller.
Three names.
One woman.
And apparently, a daughter Sophia had spent years trying to find.
"Grace," my father finally said, "I need you to explain exactly what you just told me.""
The woman's voice trembled.
"I know this sounds impossible, Mr. Carter. But Vanessa is my daughter.""
"Then why did she use another name?""
"Because she was taken from me.""
My father gripped the edge of the desk.
"Who took her?""
Grace began crying.
"A woman who worked with a private adoption agency. She told me my baby had died during childbirth. I was nineteen. I had no money, no family support, and no reason to believe anyone would lie to me.""
"How did Sophia become involved?""
"Your wife discovered the adoption records were fraudulent. She contacted me after finding a connection between the agency and a financial consultant named Adrian Cole.""
My father glanced at Daniel.
Adrian.
The same man who had been meeting Vanessa.
"Did Sophia know Emily was Vanessa?""
Grace paused.
"Yes. She told me she had recognized my daughter in a photograph.""
"When?""
"About six months before she died.""
My father closed his eyes.
"Why didn't she tell me?""
"She was afraid.""
"Of whom?""
"Of Emily.""
The answer made no sense.
My father looked toward Evelyn.
"Why would Sophia be afraid of her own daughter's identity?""
Grace took a shaky breath.
"Because Emily had been told a different story. She believed her birth mother had abandoned her. She believed Sophia and your family were responsible for keeping her from the truth.""
My father sat down.
"Who told her that?""
"Adrian Cole.""
Grace explained that Emily had been raised by several foster families before being placed with a wealthy couple in Virginia.
The couple had died when she was a teenager.
She had been left with a modest inheritance and a collection of documents that identified her as an abandoned child.
Adrian Cole had approached her when she was twenty-three.
He claimed to have access to confidential adoption records.
He told her that her birth family was wealthy.
He also told her that the Carters had known about her existence and deliberately hidden it.
According to Grace, he convinced Emily that Sophia had stolen her inheritance.
But that wasn't the worst part.
"Adrian told her that if she married you, she could finally get what belonged to her," Grace said.
My father went silent.
"She knew who I was before we met.""
"Yes.""
"At the charity fundraiser?""
"She had been watching your family for months.""
My father looked at the photographs on the desk.
He remembered Vanessa's carefully chosen words.
Her sympathy.
Her offers to help him raise Lily.
Her promises to love his daughter.
Every smile now looked different.
"Why did she marry me?""
Grace answered without hesitation.
"Because she wanted access to the estate.""
My father stared at the phone.
"And why did she try to kill Lily?""
Grace's voice broke.
"Because Sophia refused to let her take what she wanted.""
My father stood.
"Tell me everything.""
Grace hesitated.
Then she said:
"Your wife discovered that Emily had been involved in a plan to take Lily's place as the primary beneficiary of Sophia's estate. She had documents proving it. She told Emily she would never allow her to hurt Lily.""
My father felt sick.
"So Emily killed her?""
"I don't know whether she physically harmed Sophia. But she was there that night.""
"At the hospital?""
"Yes.""
"And Adrian?""
"He arranged everything.""
My father looked at Daniel.
"Where is Vanessa now?""
Daniel answered quietly.
"At the airfield. The police are approaching.""
My father turned back to the phone.
"Grace, I need you to come to Charlotte.""
"I can't.""
"Why not?""
"Because I'm afraid she'll find me.""
My father softened his voice.
"She's already been found. And she's not going to hurt you again.""
There was a long silence.
Then Grace whispered:
"There's something else, Mr. Carter.""
"What?""
"Emily has a twin brother.""
At the airfield, Vanessa was sitting inside a private hangar.
She wore a black coat and dark sunglasses.
Adrian paced in front of her.
"You said Marcus didn't know.""
"He didn't.""
"Then why are the police here?""
Vanessa looked through the glass.
Two police vehicles had entered the property.
Her face hardened.
"Someone talked.""
Adrian grabbed her arm.
"Did you leave anything behind?""
"No.""
"Think!""
She pulled away.
"Don't touch me.""
Adrian lowered his voice.
"Emily, we've spent years building this.""
She looked at him.
"My name is Vanessa.""
He laughed bitterly.
"Your name was Emily before I found you.""
Her eyes flashed.
"You told me my mother abandoned me.""
"She did.""
"Then why was Sophia looking for me?""
Adrian stopped.
For the first time, he seemed uncertain.
Vanessa stepped closer.
"Answer me.""
"She found out the adoption was fraudulent.""
"And?""
"And she wanted to reunite you with Grace.""
Vanessa's face changed.
"She wanted to take me away from you?""
Adrian shook his head.
"She wanted to tell you the truth.""
Vanessa stared at him.
Then she laughed.
A cold, humorless sound.
"She should have minded her own business.""
Adrian looked toward the hangar doors.
"We need to leave.""
Vanessa grabbed her handbag.
"Where's the second passport?""
"With the driver.""
"Get it.""
Adrian shook his head.
"There's no time.""
She pulled a small pistol from her bag.
"Then make time.""
Adrian stared at the weapon.
"You said you weren't going to use that.""
Vanessa's expression remained blank.
"I said a lot of things.""
The police entered the hangar seconds later.
"PUT THE WEAPON DOWN!""
Vanessa turned.
Adrian immediately raised his hands.
But Vanessa didn't.
She pointed the weapon toward the officers.
Then she looked at Adrian.
And said something that made him turn pale.
"If I go down, you're coming with me.""
My father returned to the hospital shortly after the arrest.
I was sitting on the bed, coloring a picture of a golden dog.
Max was asleep beside my chair.
The moment I saw Daddy, I held up the paper.
"Look!""
He smiled.
"What's that?""
"Max.""
He studied the drawing.
The dog's body was enormous.
His legs were uneven.
And I had colored his tail bright yellow.
"That's beautiful, princess.""
I pointed toward the door.
"Mommy?""
My father sat beside me.
"Which mommy, sweetheart?""
I frowned.
"Mommy Sophia.""
His expression softened.
"Do you miss her?""
I nodded.
"Mommy come home?""
He swallowed.
"Not today, baby.""
I looked at the photograph on my bedside table.
It showed Sophia holding me as a newborn.
Then I asked:
"Other mommy?""
My father froze.
"Who told you that?""
I shrugged.
"Pink lady say she Mommy.""
My father stared at me.
I continued coloring.
"She say Lily not her baby.""
He gently took the crayon from my hand.
"Sweetheart, listen to Daddy.""
I looked up.
"You are Mommy Sophia's little girl. Nothing can ever change that.""
I smiled.
"Okay.""
He kissed my forehead.
And for the first time, I saw him cry without trying to hide it.
The police questioned Vanessa for six hours.
She refused to answer questions about the pool.
She denied knowing anything about Sophia's death.
She claimed Adrian had manipulated her.
But the investigators had more than enough evidence to keep her in custody.
They had the pool footage.
The hospital recording.
The financial transfers.
And now Grace Miller's testimony.
Adrian was questioned separately.
He immediately requested immunity.
He claimed Vanessa had orchestrated everything.
He claimed he had only helped her understand the inheritance documents.
But when detectives showed him the recording of their conversation at the hospital, his story changed.
He admitted that he had known Vanessa's real identity.
He admitted that he had arranged the fraudulent adoption.
And he admitted that he had been present at St. Mary's Hospital on the night Sophia disappeared.
However, he insisted that he had not killed her.
He claimed someone else had made that decision.
Someone whose name he refused to reveal.
Two days later, Grace arrived at the hospital.
She was a small woman with silver hair and tired eyes.
She stood outside my room for several minutes before entering.
My father greeted her.
"Grace.""
She nodded.
"Mr. Carter.""
He stepped aside.
"This is Lily.""
Grace looked at me.
Her eyes filled with tears.
"She's beautiful.""
I looked at her.
"Who you?""
Grace knelt beside the bed.
"I'm someone who knew your mommy.""
I smiled.
"Mommy Sophia?""
Grace nodded.
"Yes, sweetheart.""
She took a small photograph from her purse.
It showed two newborn babies lying side by side.
One wore a pink bracelet.
The other wore a blue bracelet.
Grace pointed toward the first baby.
"That's Emily.""
Then she pointed to the second.
"And that's her brother.""
My father looked at the photograph.
"Who is the boy?""
Grace lowered her eyes.
"His name is Daniel Miller.""
My father frowned.
"Where is he?""
"I don't know. Adrian separated them when they were babies. He arranged for Emily to be placed with one family and Daniel with another.""
"Why?""
Grace shook her head.
"He said keeping twins together would make the adoption harder to arrange.""
My father looked at the photograph.
Then at me.
"Did Sophia know about the boy?""
Grace nodded.
"She found him.""
My father went still.
"She found Daniel?""
"Yes.""
"Where?""
Grace reached into her purse again.
She removed a folded piece of paper.
On it was an address.
A small town in Tennessee.
And a name.
Daniel Miller.
My father stared at it.
"Why didn't Sophia tell me?""
Grace's voice became barely audible.
"Because she was going to surprise you.""
That night, Marcus sat in the library with Sophia's letters spread across the desk.
He had read them all.
One letter mentioned Emily.
Another mentioned Daniel.
But the final letter was different.
It was addressed to him.
Marcus,
I know you may never forgive me for keeping this from you.
I discovered that Grace had given birth to twins. One of the babies was taken through a fraudulent adoption arrangement.
I found Emily first.
She was already an adult, and I wanted to approach her carefully. I hoped that if she understood the truth, we could help her reconnect with her mother.
Then I found Daniel.
He was living with a foster family in Tennessee. I had arranged to meet him the week after my medical appointment.
But someone discovered what I was doing.
I believe Rebecca knows about the twins. I believe Adrian is helping her.
If something happens to me, please find both children.
They deserve to know where they came from.
Marcus lowered the letter.
He looked at the photograph of the twins.
Then he picked up his phone.
"Daniel?""
"Yes, sir?""
"I need you to arrange a trip to Tennessee.""
"Tomorrow?""
"Tonight.""
Daniel hesitated.
"Is something wrong?""
Marcus looked at the final sentence of Sophia's letter.
Please don't let the truth disappear with me.
"Yes," he said quietly.
"Something is very wrong.""
Then he glanced at another photograph.
It showed Sophia standing beside a young man.
The young man wore a silver ring.
The same black-stone ring Adrian Cole wore.
But there was something else.
The photograph had been taken at a Carter Development event.
And the young man standing beside Sophia was not Adrian.
It was someone Marcus knew.
Someone who had attended their wedding.
Someone who had been at Sophia's funeral.
Someone who had been helping Vanessa from the beginning.
May you like
His own brother.
Jonathan Carter.
