Chapter 11: The Girl in Rebecca's House
Daniel looked as though someone had knocked the air out of his lungs.
"My mother has Sophie?""
Vanessa nodded.
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because she wanted to keep her close.""
"Close to what?""
Vanessa wiped her tears.
"Close to the trust.""
Daniel turned toward Victor.
"Explain.""
Victor straightened his jacket.
"Your mother believed Sophie should be raised within the Carter family.""
"Then why was she living under a different name?""
"Because the circumstances surrounding her birth were complicated.""
Daniel laughed in disbelief.
"Complicated?""
He looked at Vanessa.
"You told me you had lost our baby.""
Vanessa stared at him.
"I know.""
"You told me she died.""
"I know.""
"And all this time, she was alive?""
Vanessa began crying harder.
"Yes.""
Daniel took a step backward.
He grabbed the back of a chair.
"Why would you do that?""
She couldn't answer.
I watched him carefully.
For the first time, I saw the same devastation I had felt when I discovered that my marriage had been built on lies.
But my sympathy had limits.
Daniel had been part of the arrangement.
He had signed hospital documents.
He had accepted Rebecca's explanation.
He had allowed a child to disappear.
"Where is Sophie?"" I asked.
Vanessa looked at me.
"At Rebecca's house.""
"Take us there.""
Victor immediately objected.
"Absolutely not.""
Jonathan stepped forward.
"Mr. Reed, the circumstances now warrant an immediate welfare assessment. We will be contacting the appropriate authorities.""
Victor looked furious.
"You're not taking that child anywhere.""
Martin picked up his phone.
"We're already arranging contact with the authorities.""
Daniel turned toward Vanessa.
"How old is she now?""
"Five.""
"Does she know who I am?""
Vanessa shook her head.
"No.""
Daniel covered his mouth.
Then he looked at me.
"Amara, I need to see her.""
I held his gaze.
"She's not a package you can collect because you suddenly discovered she exists.""
"I know.""
"Do you?""
He looked down.
I turned to Jonathan.
"Let's go.""
Within forty minutes, we were standing outside Rebecca's estate.
A police officer accompanied us, along with Martin and Jonathan.
Victor remained at Élan under questioning.
Vanessa sat in the back of the car, trembling.
Daniel drove separately.
I had never imagined returning to Rebecca's house under these circumstances.
The white stone columns looked exactly as they had the day she told me I wasn't good enough for her family.
But this time, I wasn't standing outside as her unwanted daughter-in-law.
I was standing there as a mother searching for the truth.
The housekeeper opened the door.
"Mrs. Shaw isn't expecting visitors.""
Martin showed his identification.
"We need to speak with her.""
The housekeeper stepped aside.
We entered.
A child's laughter came from the upstairs hallway.
I froze.
A small pair of shoes sat beside the staircase.
Pink sneakers.
A tiny yellow raincoat hung from a hook.
Then a little girl appeared at the top of the stairs.
Dark curls.
Brown eyes.
A dimple in her left cheek.
She was holding a stuffed rabbit.
"Grandma?""
Rebecca came out of the study.
She stopped when she saw us.
Her face lost all color.
"Amara.""
I pointed toward the little girl.
"Is that Sophie?""
Rebecca looked at the child.
Then at me.
"Yes.""
Sophie descended the stairs slowly.
"Grandma, who are these people?""
Rebecca forced a smile.
"Sweetheart, go to your room.""
The little girl frowned.
"But you said Mommy was coming.""
Vanessa began sobbing.
Rebecca closed her eyes.
"Please, not in front of her.""
I stepped forward.
"Who is her mother, Rebecca?""
She looked at me.
"Vanessa.""
"And who is her biological father?""
Rebecca hesitated.
Then she answered.
"Daniel.""
Daniel gripped the banister.
He looked at Sophie.
The little girl looked back.
"Are you Daddy?""
His face crumpled.
"Yes, sweetheart.""
Sophie tilted her head.
"Mommy said you were working far away.""
Daniel crouched.
"I'm sorry I wasn't here.""
She looked toward Vanessa.
"Is she coming home?""
Vanessa covered her face.
Rebecca stepped between them.
"That's enough. Sophie is confused.""
I looked at her.
"You're the one who confused her.""
Rebecca's expression hardened.
"I did what I believed was necessary.""
"Necessary?""
"Daniel was incapable of making good decisions. Vanessa was young. The family was facing financial difficulties. I needed to protect the children.""
I stared at her.
"You separated two newborn babies and lied to everyone.""
"I made arrangements.""
"You stole my daughter.""
Rebecca looked away.
"I never intended to hurt you.""
I laughed bitterly.
"You never intended to hurt anyone. You simply decided that everyone else's lives belonged to you.""
Jonathan stepped forward.
"Mrs. Shaw, we need to discuss the legal documentation concerning Sophie.""
Rebecca lifted her chin.
"She's my granddaughter. I've raised her for three years.""
"That doesn't give you legal authority to conceal her identity.""
Rebecca looked at the police officer.
"Are you going to arrest me?""
The officer replied calmly.
"That depends on the investigation and the evidence.""
Sophie tugged at Rebecca's dress.
"Grandma, why is everyone angry?""
Rebecca knelt.
"Nobody is angry with you, sweetheart.""
Sophie looked at me.
"Are you Lily's mommy?""
My throat tightened.
"Yes, darling.""
She smiled.
"I've seen Lily's picture.""
I froze.
"What picture?""
Rebecca looked sharply at Sophie.
The little girl continued.
"Grandma keeps it in her office. She said Lily was my sister.""
I looked at Rebecca.
"You told her about Lily?""
Rebecca nodded reluctantly.
"She asked questions.""
"What did you tell her?""
"That she had a sister.""
Sophie smiled again.
"Can I meet her?""
I felt tears sting my eyes.
"Yes. I hope you can.""
Daniel finally stood.
He approached Rebecca.
"Why did you keep my daughter from me?""
Rebecca looked at him.
"Because I knew what you were like.""
He stared.
"What?""
"You were reckless. You were selfish. You were destroying your father's business. I didn't want you influencing another child.""
Daniel's voice rose.
"So you decided to become her mother?""
"I raised her!""
"You lied to me!""
Rebecca slapped him.
The sound echoed through the hallway.
"Don't you dare judge me!"" she shouted.
"You were willing to abandon both children for your own comfort!""
Daniel stood motionless.
And for once, Rebecca had said something he couldn't deny.
The police officer intervened.
"Everyone needs to calm down.""
Jonathan spoke quietly to me.
"Amara, we need to leave before this becomes more difficult for Sophie.""
I nodded.
As I turned toward the door, Rebecca called my name.
"Amara, wait.""
I stopped.
She reached into a cabinet and pulled out a small wooden box.
Inside were hospital photographs, medical bracelets, and several folded documents.
"I kept the originals," she said.
Jonathan took the box.
"Why?""
Rebecca looked at me.
"Because I knew one day someone would come looking.""
I stared at her.
"Then why didn't you tell the truth?""
She began crying.
"Because I was afraid of losing everything.""
I looked at Sophie.
The little girl was standing beside Vanessa now, holding her hand.
"Some things should never have been yours to control," I said.
I left the house.
But as we reached the driveway, Martin opened the wooden box again.
He pulled out a final document.
It was a legal agreement dated five years earlier.
The agreement stated that Sophie would be raised by Rebecca until her fifth birthday.
After that, she would be transferred to another family.
I stared at the last page.
The receiving family had already been identified.
The name was printed in bold letters.
*The Reed Family Foundation.*
I looked at Martin.
"What is that?""
He shook his head.
"An adoption organization funded by Victor Reed.""
My stomach tightened.
"Was Sophie supposed to be sent away?""
Martin nodded.
"Apparently.""
I looked back at the house.
Rebecca had not simply hidden a child.
She had been preparing to give her away.
And suddenly I understood why Victor had appeared at my restaurant.
He hadn't come to threaten me.
He had come to recover something he believed belonged to him.
My phone rang.
Jonathan answered it.
He listened for several seconds, then looked at me.
"Amara, we have a serious problem.""
"What now?""
He lowered his voice.
"The DNA results from the independent preliminary test just arrived.""
I stared at him.
"Whose results?""
"Yours, Lily's, and Sophie's.""
My heart pounded.
"Tell me.""
Jonathan looked at the document.
"Lily is biologically yours and Daniel's.""
I nodded.
I had expected that.
Then he continued.
"But Sophie is not biologically related to Vanessa or Daniel.""
I felt the ground shift beneath me.
"Then whose daughter is she?""
May you like
Jonathan looked up.
"Amara, the DNA results show that Sophie is your biological daughter too.""
