Chapter 12: The Bloodline They Tried to Hide
I couldn't speak.
Daniel was my cousin.
The man who had proposed to me.
The man who had kissed me in front of our families.
The man who had spent three years telling me he wanted to build a life with me.
I looked at Samuel.
"Are you certain?""
He nodded.
"Michael had a relationship with Margaret years before your father became involved in the business. They had a son together.""
My mother covered her mouth.
"Why wasn't this ever mentioned?""
"Because Margaret told everyone the child had been adopted by another family.""
Richard opened his folder.
"Do you have documentation?""
Samuel removed another envelope.
Inside were copies of hospital records, a birth certificate, and a letter signed by Margaret.
The birth certificate listed Michael Carter as the father.
The mother's name was Margaret Whitmore.
And the child's name was Daniel.
I stared at it.
My stomach turned.
"Why did Daniel take my name?""
Samuel shook his head.
"He didn't know the truth. Margaret told him his biological father was a man named Victor Hayes.""
I looked at Richard.
"Then why would he be trying to marry me?""
Richard's expression was grim.
"Because Margaret wanted access to your inheritance. She may have believed that a marriage would create an opportunity to challenge the trust or recover assets she considered hers.""
"But she knew we were related.""
Samuel nodded.
"Yes.""
My mother stood.
"That's monstrous.""
I looked at the birth certificate again.
Daniel's entire life had been built on a lie.
But that didn't excuse what he had done.
He had still stolen documents.
He had still forged my signature.
He had still planned to use me.
And he had known something about my grandmother's death.
"Does Daniel know?"" I asked.
Samuel hesitated.
"I believe he discovered the truth recently.""
"How?""
"Margaret asked me to alter a medical record several months ago. Daniel found the original paperwork in her office.""
Richard leaned forward.
"What did he do with it?""
"He confronted her.""
I felt my heartbeat quicken.
"What happened?""
Samuel looked at me.
"She told him that his biological father had been responsible for the financial scandal. She said Michael had stolen money from your family and abandoned them.""
I shook my head.
"That's not true.""
"No," Samuel said.
"It isn't.""
He placed another document on the table.
"This is a letter Michael wrote to Eleanor before his death.""
Richard examined the envelope.
The date was twenty years old.
He unfolded the paper.
Mother,
I know Margaret has been speaking to Victor. I also know she believes she deserves part of the Carter estate because of our relationship.
I made a mistake by trusting her.
But I did not steal anything.
I found the account Victor has been using, and I know where the money is going.
If anything happens to me, please make sure Daniel knows the truth.
I looked up.
"Daniel was alive when Michael died?""
Samuel nodded.
"He was three years old.""
My mother began crying.
"He lost his father before he could even remember him.""
I looked at the letter.
There was another page.
Please don't let Margaret turn my son against the Carters. He deserves to know where he came from.
I closed my eyes.
Daniel had grown up believing that my family had taken something from him.
Margaret had used that resentment.
She had convinced him that marrying me was a way to reclaim what belonged to his father.
And she had hidden the fact that we were related.
I looked at Richard.
"Can this be proven?""
"With the birth records and additional testing, yes.""
I sat back.
"Then we need to tell the authorities everything.""
Richard nodded.
"We will.""
My phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number.
I know you found out.
I stared at the screen.
Another message arrived.
Meet me at the lake house. I have the original blue folder.
I looked at Richard.
"Who is it?""
He examined the number.
"Daniel.""
My mother immediately shook her head.
"No. Absolutely not.""
I read the next message.
You deserve to know what happened to your father. Margaret is going to destroy the evidence tonight.
Richard took my phone.
"He's trying to manipulate you.""
"Maybe.""
"Emily, you cannot go there.""
I looked at him.
"If the blue folder exists, it could contain the evidence we need.""
"We can arrange for the authorities to retrieve it.""
Another message appeared.
Come alone, or I'll burn everything.
My mother stood.
"He's threatening you now.""
I looked at the screen.
Then I noticed something strange.
Daniel had attached a photograph.
It showed the inside of my grandmother's lake house.
On the desk was the blue folder.
And beside it was a framed photograph of my father.
Someone had written across the glass in red marker:
THE FIRST BETRAYAL.
I looked at Richard.
"He's there.""
Richard immediately contacted the investigator and the police.
"We'll arrange a safe approach.""
I nodded.
But something else was bothering me.
Daniel had said he had the original blue folder.
Why had he waited until now?
Why had he suddenly decided to reveal the truth?
And why was he threatening to destroy it?
An hour later, we arrived at the lake house.
The property looked exactly as it had during my childhood.
White wooden railings.
A wide porch.
Tall maple trees lining the driveway.
But the windows were dark.
The front door stood slightly open.
Richard instructed me to stay behind him.
We entered.
The house smelled of dust and old wood.
A lamp was burning in the living room.
On the table sat the blue folder.
And beside it was Daniel.
He stood near the fireplace, holding a glass of whiskey.
He looked exhausted.
His eyes moved toward me.
"You came.""
Richard stepped forward.
"Put the glass down, Daniel.""
Daniel ignored him.
He looked at me.
"Do you know what your grandmother did?""
I stared at him.
"She protected me from people like you.""
He laughed bitterly.
"She protected herself.""
"You're my cousin.""
His face twisted.
"I know.""
The words hit harder than I expected.
"You knew?""
"I found the birth records two months ago.""
I took a step backward.
"And you still planned to marry me?""
Daniel looked away.
"Margaret told me the records were fake. She said Michael wasn't my father.""
"But you knew there was a chance.""
He didn't answer.
I felt sick.
"How could you?""
Daniel put the glass down.
"Because I wanted to know the truth. Because I wanted what my father lost.""
"Your father didn't lose anything. He was trying to protect us.""
Daniel laughed.
"That's what Eleanor told everyone.""
I looked at the blue folder.
"What's inside?""
He walked toward it.
"Everything.""
Richard moved closer.
"Don't touch it.""
Daniel ignored him.
He opened the folder.
Inside were bank statements, letters, photographs, and a small cassette recorder.
He picked up one of the documents.
"This is the original partnership agreement. The one Margaret altered.""
He handed it to me.
I read the first page.
Then I saw my father's signature.
And beneath it was another name.
Michael Carter.
My uncle had been listed as a co-investigator in the financial agreement.
I looked at Daniel.
"Your father was helping mine.""
Daniel nodded.
"Yes.""
"Then why did you believe Margaret?""
He stared at me.
"Because she was the only parent I had.""
For the first time, I saw something other than anger in his face.
Grief.
But before I could respond, the front door slammed.
A woman's voice echoed through the house.
"Daniel!""
Margaret.
She walked into the living room, followed by a man I didn't recognize.
He was carrying a leather briefcase.
Margaret looked at the folder in Daniel's hands.
Then she looked at me.
"Emily, step away from my son.""
Daniel turned.
"Don't call me that.""
Margaret froze.
He held up the birth certificate.
"I know who my father was.""
Her expression hardened.
"Put that down.""
"You lied to me.""
"I protected you.""
"You told me the Carters stole from my father.""
"They did.""
"No. They protected him.""
Margaret looked toward the stranger.
"Take the folder.""
The man stepped forward.
Richard immediately blocked his path.
"Nobody touches those documents.""
Margaret smiled coldly.
Then she reached into her handbag.
I heard a metallic click.
Daniel's face changed.
"Mom, don't.""
She raised her hand.
And I saw what she was holding.
A small silver pistol.
"Everyone," she said quietly, "is going to listen to me now.""
May you like
Then she pointed it directly at me.
And Daniel stepped between us.
