Chapter 13: The Brother Who Bought My Family
For several seconds, I couldn't understand what my mother had just said.
Richard Cole was my biological brother.
The man who had manipulated my wife, stolen two newborn babies, threatened my daughter, and possibly caused Emily's death was related to me.
I stared at the photograph in my mother's hand.
“Explain.””
Margaret began crying.
“I was twenty-two when I met your biological father. His name was Thomas Cole. He was charming, wealthy, and already married. I didn't know that when we first started seeing each other.””
I looked at the photograph.
The man standing beside her had the same eyes as Richard.
“Richard is Thomas's son?””
“Yes. His first son.””
“And I'm his second?””
She nodded.
I felt sick.
“Why did you let another man raise me?””
“Because Thomas wanted nothing to do with you. His wife threatened to destroy me if I told anyone. Your adoptive father knew the truth, but he loved you. He agreed to raise you as his own.””
I swallowed.
“Does Richard know?””
“He found out when Thomas died.””
“When?””
“Six years ago.””
The room became silent.
Six years ago.
The same year Emily died.
I turned toward the documents.
“Why would Richard arrange the hospital switch?””
My mother wiped her cheeks.
“Because Thomas left behind a family trust. It was supposed to be divided among his biological children and their descendants.””
I stared at her.
“So Richard wanted control of the inheritance.””
“Yes. When he discovered that Emily and Vanessa were also Thomas's daughters, he realized the family trust could become much larger.””
I shook my head.
“Wait. Emily and Vanessa were Thomas's daughters too?””
Margaret nodded.
“Your father had relationships with several women. He hid them all.””
I looked toward Maya and Sophie.
“So Richard, Emily, Vanessa, and I all shared the same biological father?””
“Yes.””
My stomach turned.
The two girls were not simply sisters.
They were cousins through their mothers and second cousins through their biological father.
The family tree was a nightmare.
But one thing was clear.
Richard had spent years manipulating everyone to control the inheritance.
“Why did he need Maya and Sophie switched?””
Margaret looked at the documents.
“Because the trust contained a provision. Each biological child of Thomas Cole would receive an equal share through their descendants. Richard believed he could control the girls' shares if he controlled which family raised them.””
Rachel shook her head.
“That doesn't explain the medical switch.””
My mother looked at her.
“Richard wanted the girls raised in separate households. He believed they would never discover their relationship. If they remained unaware until they turned eighteen, he could manipulate their inheritance arrangements.””
I stared at her.
“And you helped him.””
Margaret lowered her head.
“Yes.””
Maya stepped closer.
“Grandma, did you know he was going to hurt Mom?””
Margaret looked devastated.
“No, sweetheart. I swear I didn't.””
“Did you know Mom wanted to see me before she died?””
My mother nodded.
Maya looked away.
“Then why didn't you help her?””
Margaret began sobbing.
“I was afraid.””
Maya took Sophie's hand.
“So was Mom.””
Nobody answered.
My phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number appeared.
*If you want to know what really happened to Emily, come to the old Cole estate tonight. Come alone.*
A second message followed.
*Bring the original DNA report.*
Rachel read over my shoulder.
“Don't go.””
I looked at her.
“Who sent it?””
She shook her head.
“Richard.””
Daniel, who had remained unusually quiet, suddenly stood.
“I know that estate.””
I turned toward him.
“Why?””
“Emily went there once. A few weeks before she died.””
“What was she doing?””
“Meeting someone.””
“Who?””
Daniel hesitated.
“Thomas Cole.””
My mother gasped.
“That's impossible. Thomas was dead.””
Daniel shook his head.
“He wasn't.””
I stared at him.
“What?””
Daniel looked toward the photograph.
“Thomas disappeared after his heart surgery. Richard told everyone he had died. But Emily found him living under another name.””
My head spun.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because I didn't know if it was true.””
Rachel opened her laptop.
“Wait.””
She typed something into a search engine.
Then she turned the screen toward us.
An obituary appeared.
*THOMAS COLE, 78, PASSES AWAY AFTER LONG ILLNESS.*
The date was six years earlier.
But the photograph attached to the obituary showed a man who looked exactly like the one in my mother's photograph.
Rachel examined the publication details.
“This obituary was published three weeks after Emily died.””
I stared at the date.
Three weeks.
Richard had announced his father's death after Emily was gone.
“Who signed the death certificate?””
Rachel scrolled down.
Then she stopped.
“Dr. Samuel Whitmore.””
I felt my jaw tighten.
“Of course.””
My phone rang.
This time, it was Richard.
I answered.
“Marcus.””
“Are you coming?””
“No.””
He laughed.
“Then you'll never know what Emily discovered.””
“I know enough.””
“Do you?””
His voice became colder.
“Ask your mother why she received a payment of two hundred thousand dollars the week Maya was born.””
I turned toward Margaret.
Her face collapsed.
“Ask her why she kept the money.””
I ended the call.
My mother covered her mouth.
“Marcus, I can explain.””
I stared at her.
“Did he pay you?””
She nodded.
“Thomas left me money. He said it was for you.””
“Two hundred thousand dollars?””
She looked down.
“Yes.””
“And you kept it?””
“I used it to pay for your education. Your home. Your future.””
I stepped backward.
“Did you know the money came from the trust?””
She shook her head.
“No.””
Rachel looked at the document again.
“There's something else.””
She pointed to a paragraph at the bottom.
The payment had been made in exchange for Margaret's agreement to remain silent about the hospital records.
I looked at my mother.
She began crying.
“I didn't know the babies would be switched.””
“But you knew something was wrong.””
She nodded.
I couldn't speak.
Maya stepped beside me.
“Dad, what do we do now?””
I looked at the girls.
Then at the documents.
“Now we stop letting these people decide what happens to our family.””
I called Officer Reynolds.
I gave him the message from Richard, the original DNA report, and every document Rachel had preserved.
He told me an investigator would meet us at the estate if we decided to go.
I agreed to cooperate.
But before we could leave, my phone received another message.
This one contained a video.
I pressed play.
The screen showed Emily sitting in a hospital room.
She looked directly into the camera.
“Marcus, if you ever find Thomas, ask him why Richard was adopted.””
The video ended.
I looked at my mother.
“Adopted?””
Margaret nodded slowly.
“Thomas wasn't Richard's biological father either.””
I stared at her.
“Then who was?””
My mother looked toward the photograph.
“Your father had one more secret.””
She swallowed.
“Richard's biological father was the doctor who delivered all three of you.””
I felt the room go cold.
Dr. Whitmore.
The man who had switched the babies.
The man who had signed Emily's death certificate.
The man who had controlled the medical records.
And suddenly, the reason Richard had protected him became painfully clear.
They weren't simply business partners.
May you like
They were father and son.
And the man who had helped create this entire nightmare was still alive.
