Chapter 8: The Daughter My Father Had Hidden
I read the message three times.
Your father.
Those two words made no sense.
My father had supposedly been involved in switching two babies.
He had allegedly helped Vanessa's mother alter hospital records.
And now Thomas was telling me there might be another daughter.
A daughter who was twenty-three.
A daughter who had inherited a house from Margaret Reed.
I called him immediately.
“Thomas, are you certain?””
“Not yet. I have a copy of the property transfer and an old birth record. The woman is listed as Charlotte Carter, but the date of birth suggests she is older than you.””
“Then why would she use Charlotte's name?””
“That is exactly what we're trying to establish.””
“Can I meet her?””
“Not until we've verified her identity.””
I paced my bedroom.
“Everyone keeps deciding what I can and cannot know.””
“Maya, I'm trying to protect you.””
“I don't need protection. I need answers.””
Thomas sighed.
“There's one more thing. The woman has agreed to meet me tomorrow.””
“I'm coming.””
He paused.
“Fine. But you must promise not to confront her until we've spoken.””
I agreed.
Then I hung up.
My phone buzzed again.
An unknown number.
If you want to know what your father did, come to the old train station tomorrow at noon. Come alone.
I stared at the message.
A second message appeared.
Ask him about the girl he called Emily.
Emily.
I had never heard that name.
The following morning, I found Evelyn in the kitchen.
She was reading a newspaper when I walked in.
“Did Dad ever have another child?””
The newspaper slipped slightly in her hands.
“Why would you ask that?””
“Because Thomas found a woman named Charlotte Carter who is twenty-three.””
Evelyn put the newspaper down.
“Your father had a daughter before he married Denise.””
I stared at her.
“What?””
“She was born when Daniel was very young. Her name was Emily.””
“Where is she now?””
“I don't know. Daniel rarely spoke about her.””
“Did Mom know?””
Evelyn nodded.
“Denise knew about Emily from the beginning. She told me Daniel had lost contact with her years before you were born.””
I swallowed.
“Why?””
“Her mother died. Daniel and the maternal grandparents disagreed about custody. The family eventually moved away.””
I thought about the message.
Ask him about the girl he called Emily.
“Did Mom ever mention a woman named Charlotte?””
Evelyn shook her head.
“No. Why?””
I showed her the message.
Her expression hardened.
“You're not going anywhere alone.””
“I have to find out.””
“Then we'll go together.””
I looked at the clock.
It was 10:45.
Thomas had arranged to meet the mysterious Charlotte at noon.
And someone else wanted me at the train station at exactly the same time.
I had a terrible feeling those meetings were connected.
Thomas drove us to the address listed on the property record.
The house was beautiful.
White columns framed the entrance, and a wide garden stretched toward the street.
A woman opened the door.
She had dark hair, green eyes, and a small silver necklace.
She looked at Thomas first.
Then at me.
“You must be Maya.””
I nodded.
“Who are you?””
She gave a sad smile.
“That's a complicated question.””
Thomas introduced himself and explained that we were investigating the estate of Margaret Reed.
The woman stepped aside.
“My name is Emily Carter.””
My stomach tightened.
The name from the message.
“Why does the property record call you Charlotte?””
She looked down.
“Because Margaret wanted it that way.””
“Why?””
Emily walked toward a small table and picked up an old photograph.
It showed a young man holding a baby.
I recognized him immediately.
My father.
The baby was wearing a pink knitted hat.
Emily turned the photograph around.
Daniel and Emily. First Christmas.
I stared at it.
“That's you?””
She nodded.
“I'm his first daughter.””
“Then why did Margaret leave you the house?””
“Because she was my grandmother.””
I felt my breath catch.
“What?””
Emily looked at me.
“Margaret was my mother's mother. My biological mother was Vanessa's older sister, Rachel.””
Thomas frowned.
“Rachel Reed?””
Emily nodded.
“She died when I was very young. My father couldn't take care of me, so Margaret raised me.””
I looked at the photograph again.
“Then why did she call you Charlotte?””
Emily hesitated.
“Because she believed I was the child who should have been named Charlotte.””
I stared at her.
“What does that mean?””
She sat down.
“Before my mother died, she had a baby with Daniel. That baby was supposed to be named Charlotte. But there was a problem with the hospital records.””
My mind raced.
“Another baby?””
Emily nodded.
“Margaret told me there had been a mix-up. She said Daniel had tried to correct it, but Denise Carter refused to cooperate.””
I shook my head.
“My mother never refused to cooperate with anything. She was trying to find out what happened.””
Emily looked surprised.
“Your mother knew?””
“She left documents.””
Emily's expression changed.
“Then perhaps you know more than I do.””
She walked toward a cabinet and removed a small wooden box.
Inside were several letters.
One was addressed to Daniel.
Another was addressed to Margaret.
The third had a name written across it.
Denise Carter.
I reached for it.
Emily stopped me.
“My grandmother told me never to open this unless someone from the Carter family came looking for Charlotte.””
I looked at her.
“I'm from the Carter family.””
She nodded.
Then she handed me the envelope.
Inside was a letter dated seventeen years earlier.
Denise,
I know you believe Daniel has made a terrible mistake. But the child you are raising is not the child he promised to bring home.
There are two girls. One belongs to Vanessa's family. The other belongs to Rachel.
If Daniel has told you otherwise, he is lying.
I read the sentence again.
One belongs to Vanessa's family.
The other belongs to Rachel.
Rachel was Vanessa's sister.
And Emily was Rachel's daughter.
I looked at Emily.
“Did you know my father had another child?””
She nodded.
“He told me about you when I was twelve.””
“What did he say?””
“That you were his only daughter.””
I stared at her.
“But I'm not.””
She shook her head.
“No.””
Thomas took the letter.
“This changes everything.””
Emily looked toward the window.
“There is something else.””
She opened the wooden box again.
Beneath the letters lay a small hospital bracelet.
It had a name written on it.
Maya Carter.
I looked at her.
“Why do you have my hospital bracelet?””
Emily's eyes filled with tears.
“Because my grandmother gave it to me when I turned eighteen.””
Thomas examined the bracelet.
Then he looked at the date.
It matched my birthday.
Emily whispered:
“She said I should give it to you if you ever came here.””
I reached for the bracelet.
My hands were shaking.
“Why?””
May you like
Emily's answer was almost inaudible.
“Because she believed you were the baby who was supposed to be mine.””
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