Chapter 10: The Daughter Vanessa Stole
By the time I reached Élan, Victor Reed had already made himself comfortable.
He was sitting at my private dining table, drinking a glass of my most expensive champagne.
Vanessa sat beside him.
Neither looked particularly worried.
Michael stood near the office entrance, while two security guards watched the hallway.
I walked straight toward them.
"Where did you get the bracelet?""
Victor smiled.
"Good afternoon, Amara. You look upset.""
"Answer the question.""
He placed the champagne glass on the table.
"Your manners haven't improved.""
"My patience has.""
Vanessa crossed her legs.
"Perhaps we should all calm down.""
I turned toward her.
"You've spent five years pretending your daughter was yours. I think you've had enough time to calm down.""
Her expression changed.
Victor raised one hand.
"Let's not make accusations we can't prove.""
I looked at the bracelet.
It was small, pale pink, and marked with a hospital identification number.
The same number Patricia had written in her notebook.
"Give it to me.""
Victor shook his head.
"Not so quickly.""
Martin entered behind me.
He had brought two investigators, and Jonathan was following close behind.
Victor glanced at them.
"Quite a gathering.""
Jonathan placed his briefcase on the table.
"Mr. Reed, you are currently in a privately owned establishment. If you have information relevant to an ongoing investigation, you can provide it through legal counsel.""
Victor laughed.
"Your legal counsel is precisely why we're here.""
He opened his briefcase and removed a sealed envelope.
Inside was a photograph.
A little girl stood in front of a white house, wearing a yellow dress.
She had dark curls.
Brown eyes.
And a small dimple in her left cheek.
My heart stopped.
It was Lily.
But the photograph was dated three years earlier.
And the background was unfamiliar.
"Where was this taken?"" I whispered.
Victor watched my reaction.
"At my daughter's home.""
I looked at Vanessa.
She stared at the table.
"Why was Lily at your house?""
Victor leaned back.
"Because the child you've been raising has a more complicated history than you understand.""
I gripped the edge of the table.
"Explain.""
Vanessa finally spoke.
"That photograph isn't Lily.""
I turned toward her.
"Don't lie to me.""
"I'm not.""
"Then whose child is she?""
Vanessa's eyes filled.
"Her name is Sophie.""
The name from the trust document.
The name Daniel had been paying millions of dollars to support.
I felt the room spin.
"Sophie is your daughter?""
Vanessa shook her head.
"She's not my biological daughter.""
Victor interrupted.
"Vanessa, enough.""
But she continued.
"Five years ago, I gave birth to a little girl. She was healthy, but there were complications with the other baby.""
I looked at her.
"Other baby?""
Vanessa nodded.
"The hospital had two newborn girls. One was yours. One was mine.""
I felt my hands go cold.
"Which one is Lily?""
Vanessa closed her eyes.
"The child you raised is biologically yours.""
I exhaled.
For a moment, relief washed through me.
Then she added:
"But she's also Daniel's.""
I stared at her.
"Then who is Sophie?""
Vanessa looked toward Victor.
"My biological daughter.""
Victor's jaw tightened.
"Vanessa, stop talking.""
She ignored him.
"Rebecca arranged for the babies to be switched in the hospital records. She wanted Daniel's biological daughter to remain with you because she believed you would raise her away from the family.""
I frowned.
"Why would she do that?""
"Because she knew Daniel was irresponsible. She thought you were the only person who could give Lily a stable life.""
I laughed bitterly.
"How generous of her.""
Vanessa lowered her head.
"But my father wanted something different.""
Victor finally spoke.
"My daughter was not going to raise a child in secrecy while another woman received the benefits of the Carter inheritance.""
I stared at him.
"So you took my daughter?""
Victor shook his head.
"We made an arrangement.""
"With whom?""
"Rebecca.""
I stepped closer.
"You bought a baby?""
His expression hardened.
"Watch your language.""
"You paid someone to take a newborn away from her mother.""
Victor stood.
"Your daughter was not taken. She was placed with a family capable of providing for her.""
I felt something inside me snap.
"She had a mother. She had a father. She had a family.""
Vanessa began crying.
"I didn't know everything at first.""
"How long did you know?""
She wiped her cheek.
"Six months.""
"Six months?""
"I found the original hospital records. I discovered that Sophie wasn't my biological daughter.""
I stared at her.
"Why didn't you come to me?""
"Because my father threatened me.""
Victor slammed his hand against the table.
"Enough!""
The security guards moved closer.
Martin raised his phone.
"Mr. Reed, I strongly recommend you remain seated.""
Victor looked around the room.
Then he slowly sat down.
Vanessa reached into her handbag and removed a small photograph.
It showed Sophie holding a stuffed rabbit.
On the back was a handwritten note.
To my little girl. Mommy will always find you.
I looked at Vanessa.
"Where is she now?""
"With my father.""
"Where?""
"His private estate.""
I felt sick.
"Does she know you're not her biological mother?""
Vanessa shook her head.
"She calls me Mommy.""
I closed my eyes.
Another little girl.
Another child who had been placed in the middle of adult lies.
Jonathan stepped forward.
"Mr. Reed, you need to hand over the bracelet and any original medical documents in your possession.""
Victor laughed softly.
"You think a bracelet proves anything?""
Martin placed Patricia's handwritten notes on the table.
"We have the original identification numbers, witness testimony, and evidence of altered records.""
Victor's smile disappeared.
Jonathan continued.
"We also have a recorded conversation in which you discuss the transfer of a newborn.""
Victor looked at Vanessa.
She lowered her eyes.
"You recorded me?""
"No," she whispered.
"Rebecca did.""
Victor stood again.
"This is ridiculous.""
He grabbed the envelope.
One of the security guards stepped forward.
"Sir, please.""
Victor released it.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then Vanessa reached into her purse and placed a small USB drive on the table.
"Everything is on here," she said.
Victor turned toward her.
"What have you done?""
She looked at him.
"Something I should have done five years ago.""
Jonathan picked up the drive.
"What's on it?""
Vanessa swallowed.
"The original hospital records. The payment receipts. And the adoption documents.""
I stared at her.
"Adoption?""
She nodded.
"My father arranged for Sophie to be adopted under a false identity.""
My heart pounded.
"Who adopted her?""
Vanessa looked at me.
"Someone connected to the Carter family.""
Before I could ask another question, the restaurant doors opened.
Daniel walked into the room.
He looked at Victor.
Then Vanessa.
Then the photograph of Sophie on the table.
His face changed.
"What's going on?""
Vanessa stood.
"Daniel, there's something you need to know.""
He looked at her.
"Not another secret.""
She swallowed.
"Your daughter...""
Daniel stepped closer.
"Which daughter?""
Vanessa's voice broke.
"Sophie.""
Daniel stared at her.
May you like
Then she said the words that silenced everyone.
"She's been living with your mother for the last three years.""
