Chapter 8: The Truth My Sister Buried
Emily ended the call without saying goodbye.
Nobody moved.
She stood in the middle of the study, holding her phone as though it had suddenly become something dangerous.
I approached slowly.
"Emily, sweetheart...""
"Don't call me that.""
I stopped.
She wiped her cheeks with the sleeve of her coat.
"Who are you really?""
"I'm your mother.""
"No. My mother is Vanessa.""
Vanessa began sobbing.
Emily turned toward her.
"Tell me she's lying.""
Vanessa shook her head.
"Emily, I love you.""
"That's not what I asked.""
"I've loved you since the day I brought you home.""
"Then why didn't you tell me?""
Vanessa covered her face.
I wanted to comfort her.
I wanted to scream at her.
Mostly, I wanted someone to explain how a family could become this cruel.
Emily picked up the photograph again.
"How old was I here?""
"Three days," I whispered.
She stared at the image.
"Where was this taken?""
"At the hospital.""
She looked at me.
"Did you hold me?""
I nodded.
"Yes.""
"Do you remember?""
I felt tears slide down my cheeks.
"I remember your little fingers wrapping around mine. I remember asking the nurse whether you had enough blankets. I remember singing to you.""
Emily looked down.
For a moment, I thought she might reach for me.
Instead, she placed the photograph on the table.
"Why did you give me away?""
The question broke something inside me.
"I didn't.""
She shook her head.
"Mom said you didn't want me.""
"I never knew you were alive.""
"Then why did everyone say you were?""
I looked at Vanessa.
"Tell her.""
Vanessa couldn't meet my eyes.
"I was told you had signed the papers.""
"Who told you?""
"Your mother.""
"My mother?""
Vanessa nodded.
"She said you were unstable after the procedure. She said you didn't want to see the baby.""
I shook my head.
"I was twenty-two years old. I was grieving. I was asking for my child every single day.""
Emily's expression softened slightly.
Then she looked at Margaret.
"Why are you involved?""
Margaret approached.
"Because I made a terrible decision.""
Emily frowned.
"What decision?""
Margaret sat down.
"Your biological father was searching for you before you were born. I knew what he was capable of. I believed removing you from that situation was the only way to protect you.""
"Then why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I was afraid.""
Emily laughed bitterly.
"Everyone was afraid. Nobody thought about me.""
Arthur looked toward the window.
"She's right.""
Margaret began crying.
Emily turned to me.
"Do you have other children?""
I hesitated.
"Yes. A little girl named Lily.""
"How old?""
"Five.""
Emily's expression changed.
"Does she know about me?""
"No.""
"Does she know who my father is?""
I swallowed.
"We're still trying to understand everything.""
Emily looked at the photograph.
"Is Ethan my father?""
I nodded.
She closed her eyes.
"I thought he was just a family friend.""
Vanessa stepped forward.
"He told me he only wanted to be part of your life.""
Emily turned sharply.
"How long have you been talking to him?""
Vanessa didn't answer.
"Mom!""
"Five years.""
Emily took a step backward.
"You let him send me money?""
"He said it was for your education.""
"You let him pay for my school?""
"He wanted to help.""
Emily's voice broke.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
Vanessa reached for her.
"Because I was afraid he'd take you away.""
Emily shook her head.
"You already took me away from someone.""
Vanessa began crying harder.
I couldn't stand watching my daughter hurt.
But I also knew I couldn't make her accept me.
"Emily," I said softly, "you don't have to decide anything today.""
She looked at me.
"Did you know about me?""
"No.""
"Would you have wanted me?""
I stepped closer.
"Every day of my life.""
She looked away.
Then something on the table caught her attention.
The black leather box.
She opened it.
Inside was Daniel's USB drive and several documents.
She picked up one sheet.
It was a bank transfer record.
The account belonged to Ethan.
The recipient was Vanessa.
There were monthly payments dating back five years.
But the final transfer was different.
It was for five hundred thousand dollars.
The date was two days before Daniel's accident.
Emily looked at Vanessa.
"What is this?""
Vanessa went pale.
"Put that down.""
"Why did he send you half a million dollars?""
"Emily, please.""
"WHAT DID YOU DO?""
Vanessa grabbed the paper.
I caught her wrist.
"Don't.""
She looked at me.
For a moment, I saw something in her eyes I had never seen before.
Fear.
Not guilt.
Fear.
Arthur picked up the document.
"Vanessa, what is this payment for?""
She shook her head.
"I didn't ask for it.""
"Then why did you accept it?""
"I was going to return it.""
Margaret stood.
"You're lying.""
Vanessa looked at her.
"You don't understand.""
"Then explain.""
Vanessa backed toward the door.
"Daniel found out about the money. He confronted me. He said he was going to tell Nia everything.""
I stared at her.
"What did you do?""
"I begged him to wait.""
"Did you threaten him?""
"No!""
"Did you tell Ethan?""
She began crying again.
"Yes.""
The room went silent.
I felt my stomach drop.
Arthur stepped forward.
"Vanessa, did you tell Ethan where Daniel would be that night?""
Vanessa covered her mouth.
I stared at my sister.
The sister who had held my hand at the funeral.
The sister who had cried beside me.
The sister who had told me that Daniel's death was a tragedy.
"Did you give Ethan Daniel's location?""
Vanessa shook her head.
"I didn't know what he was going to do.""
Arthur grabbed the table.
"Answer me!""
Vanessa finally whispered, "I sent him Daniel's schedule.""
I couldn't breathe.
My sister had given Ethan the information that might have led to my husband's death.
Before I could speak, Emily's phone vibrated.
A new message appeared.
She read it.
Then her face went white.
"What is it?"" I asked.
She turned the screen toward me.
The message was from Ethan.
*YOUR MOTHER IS NOT THE ONLY PERSON WHO KEPT SECRETS. ASK VANESSA WHY SHE CHANGED YOUR BIRTH RECORDS.*
Beneath the message was a photograph of another document.
A hospital record.
But this one showed two babies.
Two newborn girls.
One was identified as Emily.
The other was identified as Lily.
And beside Lily's name was a handwritten note:
*BIOLOGICAL MOTHER: UNKNOWN.*
I looked at the document.
Then at Emily.
Then at the sister who had just confessed to betraying my husband.
"What does this mean?""
Vanessa began shaking her head.
"Please don't read the next page.""
But Emily had already turned it over.
May you like
And the name written at the bottom belonged to someone neither of us had expected.
Arthur Whitmore.
