Chapter 10: The Daughter Nobody Knew
The words on the document felt heavier than the paper itself.
*Find my first daughter.*
Nia stared at the handwriting.
She knew that handwriting.
The same handwriting that filled birthday cards.
The same handwriting that signed permission slips when she was a child.
The same handwriting that had written letters when Arthur traveled for work.
Her father’s handwriting.
But the message made no sense.
First daughter.
Nia looked at Maya.
Her sister looked just as confused.
“What does that mean?”” Maya whispered.
Nobody answered.
Because everyone was asking the same question.
Marcus carefully held the document.
“This was written by Arthur.””
Nia looked at him.
“You’re sure?””
“I’ve reviewed thousands of his documents.””
Marcus looked at the signature.
“This is authentic.””
Calvin Carter stood near the aisle, watching them.
Nia turned toward him.
“You knew.””
Calvin didn’t deny it.
“Yes.””
The word cut deeper than she expected.
“You knew my father had another daughter?””
Calvin looked down.
“Not just that.””
The chapel became silent.
Nia’s voice dropped.
“What else?””
Calvin took a breath.
“I knew Arthur spent years trying to find her.””
Maya shook her head.
“No.””
She looked at the coffin.
“Our whole lives…”
Her voice broke.
“He never said anything.””
Calvin nodded.
“Because he was ashamed.””
Nia felt anger replace confusion.
“Ashamed of what?””
Calvin looked at Veronica.
But he didn’t answer.
That made Nia even more frustrated.
“Everyone keeps looking at her.””
She pointed toward Veronica.
“Everyone keeps avoiding the question.””
She stepped closer.
“What happened?””
Veronica remained quiet.
Then she said something unexpected.
“Arthur had a daughter before he met me.””
Everyone turned.
Nia stared.
“You knew?””
Veronica looked at her.
“Yes.””
Maya’s face twisted with disbelief.
“And you never told us?””
Veronica looked away.
“It wasn’t my secret to tell.””
Nia laughed bitterly.
“Nothing in this family is anyone’s secret anymore.””
Marcus placed the document down.
“We need facts.””
He looked at Calvin.
“Who is she?””
Calvin hesitated.
Then he answered.
“Her name is Lena.””
Nia repeated the name quietly.
“Lena.””
“She was born before Arthur built his company,” Calvin explained.
“Before the money. Before the reputation.””
Elaine stepped forward.
“And before he learned how powerful secrets could become.””
Nia looked at her.
“You knew too.””
Elaine nodded.
“Yes.””
The betrayal felt endless.
“How many people knew my father’s life except his own daughters?””
Nobody spoke.
That silence hurt more than any confession.
Marcus picked up the envelope again.
“There’s something else.””
Nia looked at him.
“What?””
He removed another piece of paper.
A bank receipt.
His expression changed.
“What is it?””
Marcus studied the details.
“Arthur was sending money.””
“To Lena?””
Marcus nodded.
“For twenty-seven years.””
Maya looked shocked.
“Twenty-seven?””
Nia felt her chest tighten.
Her father had secretly supported another child for almost three decades.
But why hide her?
Why hide them?
Marcus looked at the date.
“The last payment was made two days before Arthur died.””
Nia frowned.
“That means he was still trying to reach her.””
Calvin nodded.
“He was.””
“Did he find her?””
Calvin looked toward the entrance.
“I don’t know.””
A cold feeling moved through Nia.
“What does that mean?””
Calvin’s expression changed.
“It means Arthur found something else first.””
“What?””
Calvin looked at the red folder.
“The reason Lena disappeared.””
The room became quiet.
Veronica suddenly spoke.
“She didn’t disappear.””
Everyone looked at her.
Veronica seemed to realize she had revealed too much.
Nia stepped forward.
“What did you just say?””
Veronica looked tense.
“I mean…”
“No.””
Nia’s voice was firm.
“You knew something.””
Veronica shook her head.
“You don’t understand.””
“Then explain.””
For several seconds, Veronica said nothing.
Then she whispered:
“Lena wasn’t just Arthur’s daughter.””
Nia waited.
“She was the reason Arthur changed his entire will.””
Marcus immediately looked up.
“What?””
Veronica looked at him.
“Yes.””
The room shifted.
The inheritance.
The folder.
The secret daughter.
Everything connected.
Nia looked at Veronica.
“What did Dad leave her?””
Veronica’s face hardened.
“Everything.””
Maya stepped back.
“No…”
Veronica continued.
“Arthur planned to give Lena control of the company.””
Marcus shook his head.
“That doesn’t match the legal documents I prepared.””
Veronica looked at him.
“Because Arthur changed his mind.””
Marcus froze.
“What?””
Veronica smiled faintly.
“There are documents you never saw.””
The room went silent.
Nia stared.
“Where are they?””
Veronica looked at the red folder.
“Inside.””
Everyone looked at the folder.
The one Arthur had warned them about.
The one everyone wanted.
Marcus reached toward it.
Then stopped.
Because his phone rang.
He checked the screen.
His face changed.
“What?””
Nia looked at him.
“Who is it?””
Marcus slowly answered.
Nobody heard the voice on the other end.
But they saw his expression.
Concern.
Shock.
Fear.
He ended the call.
Nia stepped closer.
“What happened?””
Marcus looked at her.
“That was the hospital.””
“Why would the hospital call you?””
Marcus hesitated.
Then said:
“Because someone matching Arthur’s description was admitted the night he died.””
The chapel went silent.
Nia felt the floor disappear beneath her.
“My father?””
Marcus looked toward the coffin.
“No.””
May you like
He swallowed.
“Someone who claimed to be Arthur Carter.””
