Chapter 7: The Daughter Eleanor Hid
I read the hospital photograph until the words seemed to move.
*Baby A — Anna Hayes.*
*Baby B — Maya Ashford.*
My name was Maya Hayes.
I had spent twenty-eight years believing that Thomas Hayes was my father, that Sarah Hayes had died in a car accident, and that my grandmother had protected me from a terrible man.
Now I was being told that my biological name had once been Maya Ashford.
And the woman who had tried to destroy my competition cake might be my sister.
Chef Bennett stood across the kitchen, watching me.
"Maya, are you all right?""
I turned the photograph toward him.
"Do you know what this means?""
He examined it.
"That you and Brielle may be related?""
"Not just related. She might be Anna.""
He looked confused.
"Who's Anna?""
I explained everything Daniel had told me.
When I finished, Bennett slowly sat down.
"That's an extraordinary claim.""
"I know.""
"Have you spoken to your grandmother's lawyer?""
I shook my head.
"She never mentioned having one.""
"Everyone has legal documents somewhere. Especially someone who was involved in something this complicated.""
He took the photograph and examined the hospital stamp.
"St. Catherine's Medical Center. Boston.""
"Can you help me find out whether the records still exist?""
"I can try.""
My phone vibrated.
Another message from the unknown number.
*Come alone. Old Laurent Hotel. Service entrance. 7:00 p.m.*
Then another.
*And bring the eleven-cake photograph.*
I showed Bennett.
He immediately shook his head.
"No.""
"She might be my sister.""
"Or someone might be using that possibility to lure you into a trap.""
"I can't ignore it.""
"Then don't go alone.""
I looked at him.
"Would you come with me?""
He nodded.
"Of course.""
At 6:55 p.m., we arrived outside the old Laurent Hotel.
The building had been closed for renovations three years earlier. Its once-grand entrance was covered with wooden panels, and the gold lettering above the doors had faded.
The service entrance was at the back.
A single security light flickered above it.
Chef Bennett checked his phone.
"No signal.""
I tried mine.
Nothing.
Then the door opened.
A woman stood inside.
She was wearing a black coat and had her hair pulled into a tight bun.
Her face was older than Brielle's, but the resemblance was unmistakable.
The same eyes.
The same sharp cheekbones.
The same small scar above the left eyebrow.
Only this woman looked exhausted.
"Maya?""
I couldn't speak.
She stepped forward.
"Please. We don't have much time.""
I looked at her.
"Are you Anna?""
She nodded.
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then she reached into her coat and pulled out a photograph.
It showed two little girls sitting beside a Christmas tree.
One was holding a teddy bear.
The other had a blue ribbon in her hair.
"I've carried this for twenty years," she said.
"I was told the girl with the blue ribbon died.""
I stared at the picture.
The little girl holding the teddy bear was Anna.
The other was me.
"Who told you that?""
"Charles.""
I felt my throat tighten.
"Why?""
"Because he wanted me to believe I was his only daughter.""
I shook my head.
"But Brielle—"
"That's the name he gave me after he took me.""
The words landed like a physical blow.
Anna explained that she had been raised in the Ashford household after disappearing from Eleanor's care.
Charles had told her that her mother had abandoned her and that her sister had died shortly after birth.
He had changed her name, her school records, and eventually her entire identity.
"I grew up believing I was Brielle Ashford," she said.
"I believed my father had rescued me from a woman who didn't want me.""
"Then why did you try to sabotage my cake?""
Her face crumpled.
"I didn't know it was you.""
I stared at her.
"What?""
"I knew Charles wanted someone to fail the competition. He told me a contestant was threatening to expose old family secrets. He said she was dangerous.""
"You knew he wanted the refrigerator switched off?""
She looked down.
"Yes.""
I stepped backward.
"You did it?""
Anna began crying.
"I opened the control panel. I changed the temperature settings. I wrote the note.""
My hands went cold.
"You destroyed my cake.""
"I thought I was protecting my father.""
"Your father?""
She shook her head.
"I didn't know the truth. Not then.""
I looked at her for a long moment.
"You could have ruined my future.""
"I know.""
"You could have made me lose the only opportunity I've ever had.""
"I know.""
Her voice broke.
"I am sorry, Maya.""
I wanted to forgive her.
But I couldn't.
Not yet.
"Why did you contact me?""
Anna wiped her eyes.
"Because I found something in Charles's office. Something that proves he knew exactly who you were before the competition.""
She reached into her handbag and pulled out a small flash drive.
"These are recordings, financial documents, and a letter from Eleanor.""
I stared at the drive.
"How did you get my grandmother's letter?""
"Charles kept it in a locked drawer. He never realized I had found the key.""
"What does it say?""
Anna looked toward the dark hallway.
"It explains why Eleanor separated us.""
"Why?""
Before she could answer, a car engine started outside.
Anna grabbed my arm.
"He's here.""
Chef Bennett stepped toward the door.
"Who's here?""
"My father.""
I turned toward the entrance.
A black sedan had stopped beside the service entrance.
The headlights went dark.
Anna pushed the flash drive into my hand.
"Take this. Don't let him get it.""
"Come with us.""
"I can't.""
"You're coming with me.""
She shook her head.
"If he sees us together, he'll know I've betrayed him.""
A man's voice echoed from outside.
"Anna!""
She flinched.
I stared at her.
"That's not your name.""
She looked at me, tears running down her cheeks.
"Maybe it never was.""
Then she pushed me toward a narrow staircase.
"Go!""
We ran.
At the bottom of the stairs, I heard the service door slam open.
Charles's voice filled the corridor.
"Where is she?""
I turned.
Through the gap in the stairwell door, I saw him grab Anna's arm.
She struggled.
Then she screamed one sentence that made me stop breathing.
"YOU TOLD ME MY SISTER WAS DEAD!""
May you like
Charles slapped her.
And the lights went out.
