Chapter 8: The Sister Nobody Told Me About

I didn't speak for several seconds.

“My sister?””

Tiana nodded.

“Her name is Rebecca.””

I stared at her.

“That's impossible.””

“Your mother had a daughter before you were born.””

I shook my head.

“My mother never mentioned another child.””

“She wasn't supposed to.””

“Who is Rebecca?””

Tiana glanced toward the elevators.

“Someone Daniel has been paying for years.””

Margaret stepped forward.

“Where is she now?””

Tiana shook her head.

“I don't know.””

I grabbed the edge of the reception desk.

“You expect me to believe that my entire family hid a sister from me?””

“I'm telling you what I know.””

“Then tell me everything.””

Tiana looked toward the reporters.

“Not here.””

Margaret immediately intervened.

“We're not going anywhere without a formal statement.””

Tiana laughed bitterly.

“You lawyers think everything can be solved with paperwork.””

“And you seem to think everything can be solved by stealing houses,” Margaret replied.

Tiana flinched.

I took the envelope and placed the letter inside my jacket.

“Where did you meet Rebecca?””

“Three years ago. Daniel introduced us.””

“What did she look like?””

“Dark hair. Green eyes. A small scar near her left eyebrow.””

I felt my stomach tighten.

My mother had a photograph of a little girl with dark hair and green eyes.

I'd seen it once when I was young.

When I asked who the girl was, my father told me it was a distant cousin.

“Did she know who I was?””

Tiana nodded.

“She knew everything.””

“Did she know we were married?””

“She attended your wedding.””

I closed my eyes.

I remembered the wedding photographs.

Hundreds of people.

Friends, colleagues, distant relatives.

A woman in a blue dress had stood near the back of the church.

I had never recognized her.

“Why would she help you?””

Tiana looked down.

“Because she believes your father stole her inheritance.””

I turned toward Margaret.

“Take me to Eleanor.””

We left the building through the underground parking garage.

The entire drive to the estate, I kept looking at the letter.

My mother had a daughter.

My father had hidden her.

My grandmother had known.

And somehow, Daniel had used her to destroy my marriage and nearly ruin my company.

When we arrived, Eleanor was waiting in the library.

I placed the letter on the table.

“Who is Rebecca?””

My grandmother's face went pale.

She didn't ask how I knew the name.

She simply closed her eyes.

“I was hoping we would never have to discuss her.””

“That's not an answer.””

Eleanor looked at Margaret.

“Leave us.””

Margaret hesitated.

“Mrs. Sterling—”

“Please.””

Margaret stepped outside.

I remained standing.

“Was she my mother's daughter?””

“Yes.””

“Why did you hide her?””

Eleanor looked toward the fireplace.

“Because your mother made a terrible decision when she was young.””

She explained that my mother, Catherine, had given birth to a daughter before marrying my father.

The girl's biological father was a man named James Holloway, a young accountant who had worked for the Sterling family.

When Catherine discovered she was pregnant, her parents pressured her to place the child for adoption.

But Catherine refused.

She kept the baby for nearly two years.

Then James died in a car accident.

Without financial support, Catherine eventually agreed to let Eleanor arrange a private guardianship.

The girl was raised by a family in Connecticut.

“Did my mother ever see her again?”” I asked.

Eleanor nodded.

“Several times.””

“Did Dad know?””

“He knew.””

“Then why didn't he tell me?””

“Because Rebecca's adoptive family wanted privacy. Your mother agreed to respect that until Rebecca was old enough to decide whether she wanted contact.””

I shook my head.

“That explains her childhood. It doesn't explain why she's working with Daniel.””

Eleanor looked down.

“Rebecca returned to the family six years ago.””

“When?””

“Three months before your wedding.””

I stared at her.

“You knew she was here?””

“Yes.””

“And you let me marry Tiana without telling me?””

Eleanor's voice trembled.

“I didn't know what Tiana was planning. But I knew Daniel had approached Rebecca.””

“Why?””

“Because Rebecca believed she had a claim against the family estate.””

I walked toward the window.

“What claim?””

Eleanor opened a drawer and removed a document.

It was an old estate distribution agreement.

My grandfather had established a separate inheritance fund for Rebecca, worth several million dollars.

But there was a condition.

She would receive the funds only after the family had verified her identity and established that she had no involvement in fraudulent claims against the estate.

Daniel had convinced her that my father had deliberately withheld the inheritance.

“He told her your father stole her money,” Eleanor said.

“Did he?””

“No.””

She placed another document beside the first.

“Your father had transferred the funds into a protected account. But Daniel diverted the account's records and made it appear that the money had disappeared.””

I stared at the figures.

Rebecca had been robbed.

But not by my father.

By Daniel.

“Then why is she helping him?””

“Because Daniel showed her forged documents.””

I looked at my grandmother.

“You could have told her the truth.””

“I tried.””

“What happened?””

Eleanor's expression darkened.

“She accused me of lying. Then she disappeared.””

I sat down.

For a moment, I felt sorry for Rebecca.

She had grown up believing her own family had abandoned her.

Then I remembered Tiana's confession.

She had helped steal my house.

She had helped destroy my company.

And she had apparently known about my sister long before I did.

My phone rang.

An unknown number.

I answered.

“Hello?””

A woman's voice spoke.

“Ethan?””

“Who's this?””

“Rebecca.””

I stood.

“Where are you?””

“I don't have much time.””

“Are you working with Daniel?””

There was a pause.

“I'm trying to get away from him.””

“Why should I believe you?””

“Because I have the original agreement.””

My heart began pounding.

“What agreement?””

“The one your father hid. The one that proves who actually owns Sterling Industrial Solutions.””

I looked at Eleanor.

She was watching me carefully.

“Where are you?””

“I'm at the old Sterling warehouse.””

I remembered the building.

It had been closed for nearly a decade.

“Stay there. I'm coming.””

“No.””

Her voice became urgent.

“Listen to me. Daniel knows I have the document. He's already sent someone.””

“Then call the police.””

“I can't.””

“Why?””

She whispered something.

“Because the person coming after me is wearing a police badge.””

The call ended.

I looked at Eleanor.

“Grandma, I need to go.””

She reached for my hand.

“Ethan, don't make the same mistake your father made.””

“What mistake?””

“Believing that everyone wearing a uniform is on your side.””

She pressed a small black key into my palm.

“Your grandfather's warehouse office has a private entrance. Use this key. And whatever happens, don't let anyone take that document.””

I looked at her.

“What exactly is in it?””

Eleanor swallowed.

“Proof that the company you've been fighting to save was never owned by your father.””

I stared at her.

“Then who owned it?””

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She looked toward the door.

“Your mother.””