Chapter 11: The Daughter Who Was Never Buried
I stared at the photograph.
Two women.
Two identical faces.
One was me.
The other looked like my reflection.
“That's impossible,” I whispered.
Eleanor sat down heavily.
“I wish it were.””
Andrew rubbed his forehead.
“Dad never told me about a twin.””
I looked at him.
“Did Mom know?””
Eleanor nodded.
“She knew.””
My chest tightened.
“Then why did nobody tell me?””
Eleanor's voice trembled.
“Because your sister disappeared when you were babies.””
I looked at the photograph again.
There was a small handwritten date beneath it.
Thirty-eight years earlier.
“Where is she now?””
Eleanor looked at Andrew.
He hesitated.
“Her name is Olivia.””
I felt my throat close.
“Where is she?””
“We don't know.””
I stared at him.
“Andrew, you cannot keep doing this. Every time I ask a question, you give me another mystery.””
He took a breath.
“After you were born, Victor Kane discovered that Dad had secretly moved several assets out of their original partnership. He believed your father had stolen from him.””
“And my sister?””
“Victor found out Eleanor had given birth to twins. He believed one child could be used as leverage against Richard.””
Eleanor closed her eyes.
“He threatened to take Olivia.””
I looked at her.
“What happened?””
“I was told she had died.””
The words came out barely above a whisper.
“Who told you?””
“Richard.””
I felt a chill.
“Dad?””
Eleanor nodded.
“He said there had been a medical emergency. He showed me a hospital document. I believed him.””
“Did you ever see a body?””
“No.””
“Did you attend a funeral?””
She shook her head.
I looked at Andrew.
“Then how did you discover she was alive?””
He pointed to the photograph.
“Three months ago, I found this in Victor's private archive.””
I stared at the image.
“Why would he keep it?””
“Because he wanted Dad to know he still had access to the family.””
My phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number.
*You found the photograph. Good. Now you understand why you were never supposed to inherit everything.*
I showed Andrew.
He immediately grabbed his phone.
“Don't reply.””
Another message arrived.
*Come to the old Bennett estate tomorrow. Bring the ownership certificates. Come alone.*
I felt my hands go cold.
“Daniel?””
Andrew nodded.
“He knows what we found.””
I looked at the metal box.
“Then he knows the original trust is still valid.””
“Yes.””
“And he knows he can't take the shares unless he gets those documents.””
Andrew nodded again.
I placed the certificates back inside the folder.
“Then he won't get them.””
Eleanor stepped forward.
“Sophia, there's something else you should know about Olivia.””
I turned.
“What?””
“She was born with a small birthmark behind her left ear. A crescent-shaped mark.””
I touched the area behind my own ear.
There was a tiny pale mark there.
I had always assumed it was a childhood scar.
Eleanor noticed.
Her eyes filled.
“You have it too.””
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then she reached for me.
I let her hold my hand.
It was strange.
This woman was a stranger.
And yet something about her felt familiar.
Maybe it was her eyes.
Maybe it was the way she touched my fingers as if she had been waiting years to do it.
Or maybe it was simply the knowledge that the woman who raised me had loved me enough to keep a secret that had cost her everything.
“I want to find Olivia,” I said.
Eleanor nodded.
“So do I.””
Andrew closed the metal box.
“But first, we have to stop Daniel.””
We spent the next hour reviewing the documents.
The evidence was stronger than we had expected.
There were recorded conversations between Martin and Daniel.
There were financial transfers to Northbridge.
There was even a signed statement from Victor authorizing Daniel to obtain control of Bennett Capital through marriage.
But one document stood out.
It was an email from Daniel to Martin.
*If Richard dies before the transfer, we proceed with the original arrangement. If he survives, use the daughter as leverage.*
I read it again.
Then I looked at Andrew.
“Did Dad know they planned to kill him?””
Andrew's face hardened.
“I think he suspected.””
A terrible silence filled the room.
My father had died suddenly from a heart attack.
At least, that was what the family had been told.
“Was his death investigated?””
“Not beyond the medical report,” Andrew replied.
“Who signed the report?””
“Dr. Samuel Price.””
I recognized the name.
He had been our family physician for years.
I looked at the documents again.
There was a payment record from Northbridge to a medical consulting company.
The company was registered to Samuel Price.
My heart began racing.
“Andrew.””
He leaned over.
I pointed to the payment.
“Look.””
He read it.
His face changed.
“That's not possible.””
“Why?””
“Because Dr. Price died two years ago.””
I looked at the date.
The payment had been made six weeks ago.
Someone was using his identity.
My phone rang again.
This time, the caller ID displayed a name.
*Vanessa Reed.*
I answered immediately.
“Vanessa?””
Her voice was shaking.
“Sophia, I got out.””
“Where are you?””
“I'm at a gas station. I don't know what to do.””
“Are you hurt?””
“No. But Daniel knows I have the documents.””
“Which documents?””
“The original medical report from your father's death.””
I stood.
“What?””
Vanessa began crying.
“Daniel kept a copy. I found it in his office.””
“What's wrong with it?””
“He paid someone to alter the time of death.””
My blood ran cold.
“Why?””
“Because your father wasn't dead when the original transfer was approved.””
I looked at Andrew.
He had gone completely still.
Vanessa continued.
“Mrs. Carter, there's something else.””
“What?””
“The report says your father was poisoned.””
I couldn't breathe.
“Who signed the revised report?””
A pause.
Then Vanessa whispered:
“Your brother.””
I turned toward Andrew.
He was staring at me.
And for the first time since he had returned, I saw something in his expression that I couldn't explain.
Not fear.
May you like
Not grief.
Guilt.
