Chapter 7: My Daughter Was Coming Home
"Where is she?""
My voice sounded unfamiliar, even to me.
Ethan chuckled softly on the other end.
"You're asking the wrong question, Nia.""
"Where is my daughter?""
"She's safe.""
"Don't you dare tell me she's safe. You have no right to contact her.""
A brief silence followed.
Then he said, "You have no idea what your sister has done.""
I looked at Vanessa.
She was standing beside the study door, crying silently.
"Whatever happened between you and Vanessa has nothing to do with me," I said.
"Everything has to do with you. That's what Daniel never understood.""
I tightened my grip on the phone.
"Daniel understood enough to know you were dangerous.""
His voice became colder.
"Daniel was a sentimental fool.""
"He's dead.""
"I know.""
Two words.
No grief.
No hesitation.
Just a cold acknowledgment.
I looked at Arthur.
He was watching me carefully.
"Did you kill my husband?"" I asked.
Ethan didn't answer.
Instead, he said, "Meet me at the Whitmore estate tomorrow morning. Come alone. Bring the silver key.""
"Why?""
"Because I have something that belongs to you.""
"What?""
"Your daughter.""
The call ended.
I lowered the phone.
Vanessa immediately stepped toward me.
"Nia, you cannot go.""
I turned on her.
"You don't get to tell me what I can and cannot do.""
"I know what Ethan is capable of.""
"Then why did you give him access to Emily?""
Vanessa flinched.
"Because he found us.""
"When?""
"Five years ago.""
I stared at her.
"Five years?""
She nodded.
"He appeared outside my house. He knew everything. He knew Emily's real name, her birth date, and where she had been born.""
"And you didn't tell me?""
"He threatened to take her.""
I felt my chest tighten.
"So you gave him money?""
"At first, yes. He said he only wanted to know that she was being cared for.""
"He's her biological father.""
Vanessa looked at me.
"That's what he told me.""
"What do you mean?""
She swallowed.
"There's something Daniel discovered. Something he never got to explain.""
Arthur moved closer.
"Vanessa, tell her.""
My sister wiped her cheeks.
"Emily wasn't conceived the way everyone believes.""
I felt my stomach turn.
"What does that mean?""
Vanessa looked toward Margaret.
"Mother?""
Margaret closed her eyes.
"Tell her.""
Vanessa took a trembling breath.
"Your first pregnancy happened after you were given medication at a private clinic. You were told you had undergone an emergency procedure. But the records show that the clinic was conducting an unauthorized fertility experiment.""
I stared at her.
"That makes no sense.""
"They were using stored reproductive material from patients without their knowledge.""
"Whose material?""
Vanessa looked at the floor.
"Ethan's.""
The room seemed to shrink.
"You're telling me someone used his genetic material without my consent?""
"Yes.""
I gripped the back of the chair.
"Why?""
"Because Ethan had been diagnosed with a condition that meant he might never have biological children. He was desperate to have an heir.""
I stared at Margaret.
"Did you know?""
She nodded slowly.
"I found out years later. By then, your daughter was already gone.""
My hands began shaking.
"And Daniel?""
"Daniel discovered the truth after he found Ethan's medical records.""
I remembered the video.
Daniel saying he had found his brother.
Daniel saying the missing child was alive.
But none of it explained why my husband had hidden everything from me.
"Why didn't he tell me?""
Arthur answered quietly.
"Because he was trying to establish who had authorized the procedure. He believed there were other people involved.""
"Who?""
Before anyone could answer, a car horn sounded outside.
Vanessa looked through the window.
Her face drained of color.
"Oh, God.""
A black sedan had stopped at the gate.
A young woman stepped out.
She wore a long beige coat, carried a leather backpack, and had dark hair falling over her shoulders.
I recognized her immediately.
The girl from the photograph.
Emily.
My daughter.
For eighteen years, I had imagined what my first child might have looked like.
Would she have my eyes?
Would she have Daniel's smile?
Would she have inherited my stubbornness?
I had never imagined meeting her like this.
Through a window.
In a house full of secrets.
"Emily!"" Vanessa shouted.
The young woman looked up.
Then she walked toward the front door.
I rushed into the hallway.
Vanessa grabbed my arm.
"Please, Nia. Let me talk to her first.""
I pulled away.
"No more secrets.""
I opened the door.
Emily stood on the steps.
Up close, the resemblance was overwhelming.
She had my mother's nose and my exact smile.
But her eyes were Daniel's.
For a second, I forgot how to speak.
She looked from me to Vanessa.
"What's going on?""
Vanessa stepped forward.
"Sweetheart, I can explain.""
Emily frowned.
"Why did you tell me to come here?""
Then she looked at me again.
"Who are you?""
My throat tightened.
I wanted to reach for her.
I wanted to hold her.
I wanted to tell her that I had never stopped loving her, even though I hadn't known she was alive.
But she was eighteen.
A stranger with my face.
I couldn't force my way into her life simply because I had finally discovered the truth.
"My name is Nia," I said gently.
She nodded.
"I know.""
I blinked.
"What?""
Emily glanced at Vanessa.
"Mom told me about you.""
Vanessa closed her eyes.
Emily continued.
"She said you were a woman who couldn't take care of me.""
The words hit harder than any accusation could have.
I looked at Vanessa.
"Is that what you told her?""
Vanessa began crying.
"I was trying to protect her.""
Emily stepped between us.
"Why are you all crying?""
Nobody answered.
Then she noticed the photograph on the table.
The one showing her as a baby.
She picked it up.
"Where did you get this?""
I moved closer.
"That's you.""
Emily stared at me.
"No, it's not.""
I swallowed.
"Yes, sweetheart. It is.""
She turned toward Vanessa.
"Mom?""
Vanessa's lips trembled.
"Emily...""
"Why does this woman have a picture of me as a baby?""
I took a deep breath.
"Because I'm your biological mother.""
The silence that followed was unbearable.
Emily looked at me.
Then at Vanessa.
Then back at me.
She laughed once, nervously.
"That's not funny.""
"I know.""
"Stop.""
"Emily—"
"STOP!""
She dropped the photograph.
Her eyes filled with tears.
"You're saying my whole life is a lie?""
Vanessa reached for her.
Emily stepped away.
"Don't touch me.""
Then her phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
Her expression changed.
"Ethan?""
I froze.
She answered.
"Hi. I'm here.""
A man's voice came through the speaker.
I couldn't hear the words, but Emily's face became increasingly confused.
Then she said, "You told me she was dead.""
My heart stopped.
May you like
She slowly looked at me.
"Why did he say you were supposed to be dead?""
