Chapter 4: The Woman Who Came Back
The woman standing in the doorway looked nothing like a ghost.
She was real.
She was breathing.
And Victoria looked at her as though she had just watched a grave open.
Rebecca took one slow step into the mansion.
She wore a simple black coat despite the warm California evening. Her hair was shorter than Samantha's, streaked with silver, and a thin scar ran from the corner of her left eyebrow toward her temple.
But there was something familiar in her face.
Something Samantha couldn't explain.
Rebecca looked directly at her.
Then her eyes filled with tears.
“Samantha.””
Samantha's breath caught.
“How do you know my name?””
Rebecca opened her mouth.
Victoria answered for her.
“She shouldn't be here.””
Nathaniel moved between them.
“You know her.””
Victoria's voice became almost a whisper.
“Rebecca died.””
Rebecca laughed bitterly.
“That's what you told everyone.””
The room went silent.
Eleanor gripped her cane so tightly her knuckles turned white.
“Rebecca Collins?””
Rebecca looked at her.
“Hello, Eleanor.””
Eleanor stared for several seconds.
Then she whispered, “I buried you.””
“No.””
Rebecca's eyes never left Victoria.
“You buried a box.””
Victoria flinched.
Samantha looked between them.
“What is happening?””
Nobody answered.
Rebecca finally stepped closer.
“I’m sorry.””
“For what?””
“For letting you grow up without knowing me.””
Samantha frowned.
“Who are you?””
Rebecca swallowed.
“Your aunt.””
Samantha's heart thudded.
“My aunt?””
Rebecca nodded.
“Your mother's younger sister.””
Victoria's face hardened.
“You need to leave.””
Rebecca turned toward her.
“You've been telling people what to believe for twenty years.””
Her gaze shifted to Samantha.
“You've been telling her lies for twenty years.””
Victoria took a step forward.
“Be careful.””
Rebecca smiled without warmth.
“I'm not afraid of you anymore.””
Nathaniel crossed his arms.
“Why did everyone believe you were dead?””
Rebecca looked at him.
“Because your grandfather helped make it look that way.””
Nathaniel's expression changed.
“What?””
Rebecca slowly removed a folded document from the inside of her coat.
“Your grandfather discovered the truth about Samantha.””
Eleanor whispered, “That isn't possible.””
Rebecca looked at her.
“He discovered Victoria had hidden the baby. He also discovered Marcus had tried to find them.””
Nathaniel frowned.
“My father searched for Samantha?””
“For years.””
Victoria snapped, “Enough.””
Rebecca ignored her.
“He hired private investigators. He visited hospitals. He checked adoption records. He even came to this house.””
Samantha stared at Victoria.
“You told me he never wanted me.””
Victoria's silence was answer enough.
Rebecca continued.
“Marcus came here the night before he died.””
Nathaniel went still.
“When?””
“October 14, 2017.””
“My father died October 15.””
Rebecca nodded.
“He knew something was wrong.””
Nathaniel's jaw tightened.
“What happened?””
Rebecca looked at Victoria.
“She knew he was coming.””
Victoria said nothing.
Rebecca's voice dropped.
“She gave him something to drink.””
Eleanor's face went pale.
“Rebecca.””
“I don't know whether she intended to hurt him,” Rebecca said.
“But he collapsed before he could leave.””
Samantha's eyes widened.
“Are you saying my father was poisoned?””
Victoria finally snapped.
“No!””
Everyone turned toward her.
Her breathing was uneven.
“I didn't poison him.””
Rebecca stared at her.
“Then tell the truth.””
“I tried to help him.””
“By hiding his daughter?””
“He was dying!””
Nathaniel stepped forward.
“What exactly happened to my father?””
Victoria looked at him.
“He had chest pain. He'd been under enormous stress.””
“You said he knew about Samantha.””
“Yes.””
“Then what happened?””
Victoria's eyes shifted.
“He asked me one question.””
“What?””
Victoria's voice trembled.
“He asked where his daughter was.””
Samantha pressed a hand to her mouth.
“And you told him?””
Victoria looked at Samantha.
“No.””
The word was almost inaudible.
“I told him she was dead.””
Samantha shut her eyes.
A tear rolled down her cheek.
Nathaniel's voice became dangerously quiet.
“And then?””
“He collapsed.””
“Did you call an ambulance?””
Victoria didn't answer.
Nathaniel's face changed.
“Did you?””
“I was afraid.””
“Afraid of what?””
Victoria's eyes filled.
“That if the Hayes family found out Samantha was alive, they'd take her away.””
Nathaniel stared at her in disbelief.
“So you let my father die without seeing his daughter?””
Victoria looked away.
“I thought he was already dying.””
Rebecca stepped forward.
“He wasn't.””
Victoria's head snapped around.
“What?””
Rebecca's voice shook with anger.
“He was alive when you left him.””
Nathaniel looked at her.
“How do you know?””
Rebecca held up the document.
“Because I was there.””
Everyone froze.
“What?””
Rebecca looked at Samantha.
“I was living in the guesthouse that night.””
Victoria's expression became terrified.
“You weren't supposed to be there.””
“I came because I knew something was wrong.””
Rebecca's hands trembled.
“I found Marcus on the floor.””
Nathaniel whispered, “And?””
“He was breathing.””
“Did you call for help?””
“I did.””
Victoria suddenly shouted.
“You promised me!””
Rebecca turned sharply.
“I promised to protect Samantha.””
“You promised never to tell!””
“I kept that promise for twenty years.””
Rebecca looked at the three sisters.
“But tonight, I'm done.””
Olivia began crying harder.
Charlotte whispered, “Mom…”
Victoria didn't even look at them.
Nathaniel took the document from Rebecca.
“What is this?””
“My statement.””
He scanned the first page.
Then the second.
Then the third.
His eyes stopped moving.
“What does this mean?””
Rebecca looked at Samantha.
“Your father wasn't killed that night.””
Nathaniel's head lifted.
“Then how did he die?””
Rebecca's voice broke.
“He was taken to the hospital.””
Samantha stepped closer.
“And?””
“He died three hours later.””
Nathaniel exhaled.
“That still doesn't explain why you're blaming Victoria.””
Rebecca's expression became grim.
“Because before the ambulance arrived, Victoria made one phone call.””
“To whom?””
Rebecca looked at Victoria.
“To your grandfather.””
Nathaniel's face hardened.
“What did he tell her?””
Rebecca hesitated.
“He told her to keep Samantha hidden.””
Samantha whispered, “Why?””
Rebecca answered carefully.
“Because Marcus had changed his will.””
Eleanor's face went still.
“He changed it?””
Rebecca nodded.
“He intended to leave Samantha the controlling share of Hayes Global.””
Nathaniel stared.
“That would have made her—”
“The most powerful beneficiary in the family,” Rebecca finished.
Samantha felt dizzy.
Nathaniel looked down at the papers.
“There has to be proof.””
“There is.””
Rebecca reached into her coat again.
She pulled out a small memory card.
“I made a copy before your grandfather destroyed the original.””
Victoria lunged.
Rebecca stepped back.
Nathaniel caught Victoria by the wrist.
“Don't.””
Victoria struggled.
“Give it to me!””
“No.””
“You don't understand what this will do!””
Nathaniel held her still.
“I understand exactly what it will do.””
He took the card from Rebecca.
“What is on it?””
“An audio recording.””
Victoria stopped struggling.
Samantha's heartbeat roared in her ears.
“Of what?””
Rebecca looked at her.
“The last conversation between your grandfather and your mother before Marcus died.””
Victoria's face had become completely white.
Nathaniel stared at the tiny card in his palm.
“Why didn't you release this before?””
Rebecca looked toward Samantha.
“Because I was afraid.””
“Of Victoria?””
“No.””
She shook her head.
“Of the Hayes family.””
Eleanor's eyes narrowed.
“What did my husband threaten you with?””
Rebecca swallowed.
“He said Samantha would disappear forever if I spoke.””
Samantha felt a chill move down her spine.
Nathaniel looked at his mother.
“Did Grandfather do that?””
Eleanor didn't answer.
But the silence was enough.
Nathaniel turned back to Rebecca.
“Where is the recording?””
Rebecca pointed toward his phone.
“I emailed you a copy five minutes ago.””
Nathaniel looked down.
His screen lit up.
New message.
One attachment.
He opened it.
The audio began with static.
Then an old man's voice filled the room.
“I don't care what happens to Victoria.””
Samantha stopped breathing.
The voice continued.
“Take the child away from Marcus.””
Victoria's voice followed.
“What about Samantha?””
“Make sure she never knows who she is.””
Nathaniel's eyes widened.
Then came the sentence that shattered everything.
The old man's voice said,
“If Marcus ever learns the truth, the girl won't be the only one who dies.””
The recording abruptly ended.
Nobody moved.
Then another sound came from the hallway.
A soft gasp.
Charlotte stood there, crying.
Olivia had one hand pressed against her chest.
But it was Victoria who looked the most terrified.
Samantha stared at her.
“You knew.””
Victoria shook her head.
“I didn't know he would go that far.””
Nathaniel stepped toward her.
“What didn't you know?””
Victoria's lips trembled.
“The threat wasn't about Samantha.””
Samantha felt the room grow cold.
Rebecca's eyes widened.
“Victoria…”
Victoria looked at Samantha.
“He threatened to kill one of your sisters.””
Olivia froze.
Charlotte whispered, “Which one?””
Victoria said nothing.
Nathaniel's phone suddenly rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Hello?””
A man's voice came through.
Old.
Calm.
And unmistakably familiar.
“You should have left the girl where she belonged.””
Nathaniel's face went rigid.
Samantha watched him.
“Who is it?””
Nathaniel slowly looked toward Eleanor.
His mother was already crying.
Then the voice on the phone spoke again.
“I've been waiting twenty years to see Samantha.””
And Nathaniel realized the impossible.
May you like
The voice belonged to his grandfather.
The man everyone believed had died nine years ago.
