Chapter 10: The Sister They Erased
I read Tiana's message until the words stopped looking like words.
Ethan, you had a twin sister.
I called her immediately.
She answered after one ring.
"Where did you get that photograph?""
"From Adrian's files.""
"Who is Charlotte?""
There was a pause.
"Your twin sister.""
I gripped the edge of the table.
"That's impossible. My mother told me I was an only child.""
"She lied.""
"Why would she do that?""
"Because Charlotte was taken away shortly after your birth.""
I closed my eyes.
"Taken by whom?""
"Richard.""
I stood.
"Why?""
Tiana exhaled.
"Because Charlotte wasn't Daniel's biological child either. She was Richard's daughter. And unlike you, she was never raised by Daniel.""
I struggled to process the information.
"Where is she now?""
"I don't know.""
"Then why are you telling me this?""
"Because Adrian knows.""
I looked toward the interview room door.
"How?""
"He's been looking for her.""
"Why?""
"Because she's the person your father left the original ledger to.""
I almost dropped the phone.
"That makes no sense. Dad left the ledger to Adrian.""
"He told everyone that. But it wasn't true.""
"How do you know?""
"Because I saw the original documents.""
I lowered my voice.
"Tiana, listen carefully. I need you to tell me everything.""
She went quiet.
Then she said:
"Meet me at the address I'm sending you. And please, Ethan, don't tell Margaret.""
The call ended.
A location appeared on my screen.
An abandoned office building near the river.
I showed the message to Detective Bennett.
She studied it.
"You're not going there alone.""
"I wasn't planning to.""
She called two officers.
Within twenty minutes, we were driving through the city.
The building had once been a small medical records facility.
Most of its windows were covered with plywood.
A faded sign hung above the entrance.
Tiana was waiting beside a silver car.
She looked frightened.
When she saw me, she hurried forward.
"Ethan.""
"Where is the evidence?""
She glanced at the detectives.
"Inside.""
We followed her through a narrow corridor.
The smell of dust and damp concrete filled the air.
She unlocked a metal door.
Inside was a small office containing a desk, several filing cabinets, and a computer.
Tiana walked to the desk.
"Adrian used this place to store documents he didn't want the company to discover.""
She opened a drawer.
Inside were several folders.
She handed me one.
The label read:
*HAYES FAMILY — PRIVATE RECORDS.*
I opened it.
The first document was a hospital birth record.
Two babies.
Two names.
Baby A: Ethan Daniel Hayes.
Baby B: Charlotte Helen Coleman.
I stared at the second name.
"Why Coleman?""
Tiana shook her head.
"Because Richard insisted she carry his surname.""
"But we were twins.""
"Yes.""
"Then why did my mother take me home and leave her?""
Tiana lowered her eyes.
"Your mother didn't leave her willingly.""
I looked at her.
"What happened?""
She took a deep breath.
"Richard threatened to expose your mother's involvement in an earlier financial crime. He told her that if she wanted to keep you, she had to give him Charlotte.""
My stomach tightened.
"That's monstrous.""
"I know.""
"Did Daniel know?""
"Yes.""
I looked at the papers.
"Then why didn't he stop him?""
Tiana pointed to another document.
It was a legal agreement signed by Richard and Helen.
The agreement stated that Richard would receive custody of Charlotte in exchange for a financial settlement.
But at the bottom, someone had written a note.
Daniel Hayes will retain no legal responsibility for the second child.
My father had refused to sign it.
Instead, he had written across the page:
*Both children deserve a family.*
I felt tears gathering in my eyes.
He had tried.
Whatever happened afterward, he had tried.
"Where is Charlotte?""
Tiana pulled out another folder.
"This is the most recent record I found.""
It contained an old photograph of a young woman.
She looked approximately my age.
Dark hair.
Brown eyes.
A small scar near her left eyebrow.
I stared.
Something about her face felt familiar.
The document beneath the photograph listed her current name.
*Charlotte Reed.*
Last known employment: Hayes Global Holdings.
Position: Senior Financial Compliance Officer.
I looked up.
"She's working at the company?""
Tiana nodded.
"She joined six months ago.""
"Does she know who she is?""
"Not according to the records.""
I stared at the photograph again.
My sister had been working inside my father's company.
Possibly sitting in meetings with the people who had stolen from him.
And none of us knew.
"Why didn't she contact me?""
"Because she was told you were dead.""
I froze.
"What?""
Tiana pulled out a letter.
It was addressed to Charlotte.
Your brother Ethan died in an accident when he was nineteen. Your father Richard has arranged for you to inherit certain family assets. Do not contact the Hayes family.
The letter was signed by Richard.
I looked at Tiana.
"She believes I'm dead?""
"Yes.""
I placed the letter down.
"Then we need to find her.""
Before Tiana could answer, the office lights went out.
A door slammed somewhere in the corridor.
Detective Bennett immediately drew her weapon.
"Police! Nobody move!""
Footsteps echoed outside.
One of the officers ran toward the entrance.
Then we heard a crash.
Tiana grabbed my arm.
"Ethan, we need to leave.""
"Where's Charlotte's file?""
I picked up the folder.
A shadow appeared beneath the office door.
Someone was standing outside.
Then a familiar voice spoke.
"Give me the folder, Ethan.""
Adrian.
Detective Bennett stepped forward.
"Adrian Coleman, stay where you are!""
A gunshot shattered the silence.
The office window exploded.
Everyone dropped to the floor.
When I looked up, Adrian was gone.
But the folder was still in my hands.
And one document had fallen out.
It was a recent company access record.
Charlotte Reed had entered the executive archive at 6:42 that morning.
The archive containing my father's original ledger.
I looked at the time.
It was almost nine.
May you like
My sister had been there less than three hours ago.
And someone had been following her.
