Chapter 8: The Daughter Nobody Told Me About
For a moment, I thought I had misheard her.
"What did you just say?""
Vanessa looked at Rebecca.
Rebecca's face had lost all color.
"Don't," Rebecca whispered.
I turned toward her.
"Is it true?""
She didn't answer.
"Rebecca!""
She lowered herself onto the couch.
"Yes.""
My ears began ringing.
I looked between them.
"Claire had another child?""
Rebecca nodded slowly.
"A daughter.""
I grabbed the back of a chair.
"When?""
"Before Noah.""
I stared at her.
"Why didn't she tell me?""
Rebecca's eyes filled with tears.
"Because she believed the baby had died.""
The room seemed to disappear around me.
I sat down.
"Start from the beginning.""
Rebecca opened the leather folder again.
She removed a photograph.
A young Claire stood in a hospital room holding a newborn baby girl.
Her face was exhausted but radiant.
On the back was a date.
Seven years before Noah was born.
I stared at the photograph.
"Where was this taken?""
"St. Mary's Hospital," Rebecca said.
"Why did Claire think the baby died?""
Rebecca swallowed.
"She was young. She wasn't married. Our father had already passed away, and our mother was struggling financially. Claire was frightened and didn't think she could raise a child alone.""
I shook my head.
"She never told me.""
"She met you years later. By then, she had built a life. She wanted to tell you, but she was afraid you'd think she had hidden something important.""
"Who was the father?""
Rebecca looked at me.
"She never told me.""
I stared at the photograph again.
The baby had a small silver bracelet around her wrist.
On it were the initials A.C.
"What's her name?""
"Amelia.""
The name felt strangely familiar.
Rebecca continued.
"Claire arranged a private adoption through a woman who claimed to be a licensed social worker. She was told the baby had been placed with a loving family. Then, several months later, she received a letter saying the child had died from a medical complication.""
"Was that true?""
"No.""
"How do you know?""
Rebecca pulled out another photograph.
This one showed a young girl standing in front of a birthday cake.
She looked about eight years old.
Her dark hair fell over one eye.
Around her neck was the same silver bracelet.
"Claire found this photograph six months before she died," Rebecca said.
"Where?""
"In a box of documents connected to Evelyn's charity.""
I looked at the photograph.
"Why would Evelyn have it?""
Rebecca's voice became quieter.
"Because Evelyn was involved in the adoption.""
My hands tightened around the chair.
"What?""
"She was the person who introduced Claire to the adoption agency. She arranged the paperwork.""
I turned toward Vanessa.
"Your mother knew where Claire's daughter was?""
Vanessa nodded.
"Yes.""
"Where is she?""
Vanessa hesitated.
"She's alive.""
The words struck me like a physical blow.
"Where?""
"I don't know.""
Rebecca stood.
"Stop lying!""
"I'm not lying!""
"You told Claire the child was dead!""
Vanessa's eyes filled.
"Evelyn told me that too!""
I stood.
"Why would she do that?""
Vanessa looked at the floor.
"Because the adoption wasn't legal.""
Rebecca pressed a hand against her mouth.
I felt as though I were drowning.
"What does that mean?""
Vanessa explained that Evelyn had been running an unlicensed adoption arrangement for years.
She found vulnerable mothers, promised them secure placements, and collected money from prospective families.
Sometimes the children were placed legally.
Sometimes they weren't.
And sometimes, according to Vanessa, the records were altered to hide where the children went.
"Your mother sold babies?"" I whispered.
Vanessa shook her head.
"She called it arranging private placements.""
"Don't dress it up.""
"I was young when I first learned about it.""
"You were old enough to understand that Claire's daughter was missing.""
Vanessa began crying.
"Evelyn said Amelia had a good family. She said Claire didn't need to know anything else.""
I looked at Rebecca.
"Did Claire ever try to find her?""
"She spent months searching. She hired investigators. She contacted the hospital. Every trail ended with falsified paperwork.""
Rebecca opened another envelope.
"Then she found this.""
Inside was a copy of an adoption payment record.
The receiving organization was one of Evelyn's companies.
The amount was substantial.
Beneath it was a name.
*Amelia Cole.*
I frowned.
"Why does she have your mother's surname?""
Vanessa looked up.
"Because Evelyn used her own family records.""
I felt sick.
"Was Amelia raised by your family?""
Vanessa didn't answer.
Rebecca stared at her.
"Was she?""
Finally, Vanessa nodded.
"Yes.""
I gripped the edge of the table.
"Where?""
"She lived with my aunt for a while. Then she was moved.""
"Moved where?""
"I don't know.""
"You're telling me Claire's daughter was in your family, and nobody told her?""
Vanessa covered her face.
"My mother said it was better that way.""
Rebecca slapped the folder against the table.
"Claire died believing her daughter was gone!""
Vanessa flinched.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Noah's voice came from the doorway.
"Did Mom have another baby?""
I turned.
He was standing there with Susan.
His eyes were fixed on the photograph.
I knelt immediately.
"Come here, buddy.""
He approached slowly.
I showed him the picture.
"This was your sister.""
He stared at the little girl.
"I have a sister?""
"Yes.""
"Where is she?""
I looked at Rebecca.
She shook her head.
"We're going to find her.""
Noah touched the photograph.
"Did Mom know?""
"Yes.""
"Did she miss her?""
I swallowed.
"Every day.""
He sat beside me.
"Then we have to find her.""
I hugged him.
"That's exactly what we're going to do.""
Rebecca placed another document on the table.
It was a photocopy of an old school registration form.
The child's name had been altered, but the date of birth matched Amelia's.
The address belonged to a residential property in a nearby county.
And the emergency contact was listed as Evelyn Cole.
"Is that where she lived?"" I asked.
Rebecca nodded.
"At least for a while.""
Vanessa suddenly stood.
"That address is no longer valid.""
"How do you know?"" I asked.
"Because Evelyn sold the property.""
"When?""
"Last year.""
Rebecca stared at her.
"Why?""
Vanessa's eyes moved toward the front window.
"Because Amelia came looking for Claire.""
I felt the blood drain from my face.
"When?""
"About six months ago.""
"Did she meet Claire?""
"No. Claire was already gone.""
"Did she meet you?""
Vanessa hesitated.
Then she nodded.
"What happened?""
Vanessa sat down.
"She asked me where her biological mother was. She had found some old documents and wanted answers.""
I leaned forward.
"What did you tell her?""
"I told her Claire had abandoned her.""
Rebecca gasped.
"You told her that?""
Vanessa began crying.
"I didn't know what else to say!""
"Where is she now?"" I demanded.
"I don't know.""
I reached for my phone.
Then Vanessa said something that stopped me.
"Wait.""
I turned.
"There's something else.""
She looked at Noah.
"Amelia didn't come alone.""
My stomach tightened.
"Who was with her?""
Vanessa lowered her voice.
"She was carrying a photograph of a man.""
"What man?""
May you like
Vanessa looked directly at me.
"Marcus, it was a photograph of you.""
