Chapter 11: The Sister Waiting in the Chapel
The old chapel stood behind the country club, hidden among tall pine trees.
It had once been part of a private estate. Its wooden doors were weathered, and the stained-glass windows had lost some of their color.
I arrived at 8:15 p.m.
Olivia waited in the car with Samuel.
Eleanor had insisted that I carry a small recording device and keep my phone connected to her.
I didn't like the idea of going alone.
But if the message really came from Grace, I couldn't risk frightening her away.
I pushed open the chapel door.
The hinges groaned.
Inside, a single candle burned near the altar.
A woman stood beside the front pew.
Dark hair.
Cream-colored coat.
A delicate silver bracelet around her wrist.
She turned.
My breath caught.
She looked like my mother.
Not exactly.
But enough that my chest tightened.
“Nia?””
I nodded.
“Grace?””
She looked down.
“That's what they call me.””
I took a slow step forward.
“I've been looking for you.””
She gave a small, bitter laugh.
“Funny. I've spent my whole life wondering why nobody ever looked.””
I stopped.
“Your father looked.””
Her expression hardened.
“Don't.””
“Grace, please.””
“Don't call him my father. I grew up believing he abandoned me.””
I swallowed.
“I know what Diane told you.””
“You don't know anything about my life.””
She walked toward the altar and picked up a photograph.
It showed my father holding a baby.
I recognized it immediately.
“Where did you get that?””
“From Diane's study.””
Grace looked at the picture.
“She told me he was a man who wanted nothing to do with me.””
“He searched for you for years.””
“Then why didn't he find me?””
I had no answer.
Because no matter how many explanations we uncovered, the years remained missing.
Grace wiped her eyes.
“Do you know what it's like to grow up believing your own mother didn't want you?””
I stepped closer.
“My mother wanted you more than anything.””
“Then why did she let me go?””
“She didn't.””
Grace stared at me.
I took the hospital report from my handbag.
“Diane took you.””
She shook her head.
“No.””
“There's a witness statement.””
“No.””
“There's a photograph of Diane leaving the hospital with you.””
Grace stepped backward.
“Stop.””
I placed the documents on the pew.
“You don't have to believe me immediately. But you deserve to know the truth.””
She stared at the photograph.
Her hands began shaking.
“That's Diane.””
“Yes.””
“She told me she was my mother.””
“I know.””
Grace looked at me.
“Then who am I?””
I felt tears rise.
“You're Grace Carter. You're my older sister.””
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then she began crying.
I wanted to embrace her, but I didn't know whether she would allow it.
Instead, I stood quietly.
Finally, she whispered, “I have a sister?””
I nodded.
“Yes.””
She covered her mouth.
“My whole life, I thought I was an only child.””
“So did I.””
Grace laughed through her tears.
Then she looked at the photograph again.
“Why would Diane do this?””
I sat beside her.
“Because she wanted something from our father.””
“The company?””
“And more.””
I explained the stolen money, the forged documents, and Marcus's involvement.
Grace listened without interrupting.
When I mentioned Marcus's wedding plans, her face changed.
“Marcus loves me.””
I looked at her.
“Grace—”
“No. You don't understand. He's been with me for two years.
He helped me when Diane started acting strangely. He told me he wanted to marry me because I was the only person who understood him.””
I felt a painful familiarity.
Those were almost the exact words Marcus had used with me.
“He told me the same thing,” I said.
Grace looked away.
“He said you were dangerous.””
I closed my eyes.
“Of course he did.””
“He said your father stole my inheritance and that you were planning to keep everything.””
“That's not true.””
“He showed me documents.””
“What documents?””
She reached into her handbag and removed a folded packet.
I opened it.
The first page was a copy of my father's will.
But it wasn't the version I had seen.
This document stated that Grace had been excluded from the inheritance because she had been declared deceased.
I examined the signature.
It was my father's.
But something looked wrong.
“The date,” I whispered.
Grace leaned closer.
“What?””
“This will was supposedly signed six months after my father died.””
She stared at me.
I turned the page.
A notarized statement followed.
The notary's name was Daniel Brooks.
My stomach tightened.
“Daniel created this?””
Grace nodded.
“Marcus said Daniel was handling the legal process.””
I looked at her.
“Did Marcus ask you to sign anything?””
She hesitated.
“Not yet.””
“Good. Don't sign anything.””
Grace suddenly looked frightened.
“He said there was one document I needed to sign tomorrow morning. Something about confirming my identity before the wedding.””
My pulse quickened.
“Tomorrow?””
She nodded.
“After the ceremony.””
I took her hands.
“Grace, listen to me. Don't marry him.””
She pulled away.
“You can't tell me who to marry.””
“I'm not trying to control you. I'm trying to keep you from making the same mistake I almost made.””
Her eyes filled.
“You don't know him.””
“I know exactly what he said about me when he thought I couldn't hear.””
I showed her the recording from my wedding day.
Marcus's voice filled the empty chapel.
“She trusts me. She thinks this wedding is about love.””
Grace listened without moving.
Then came Diane's voice.
“After the wedding, she will sign whatever you put in front of her.””
Grace began shaking.
I stopped the recording.
“He was planning to do the same thing to both of us.””
She looked at me.
“Did he ever love you?””
I couldn't answer.
Because I had asked myself that question a thousand times.
Before I could speak, the chapel door opened.
A woman's voice came from behind us.
“Grace, sweetheart.””
Diane stood in the doorway.
She wore a long black dress and carried a small handbag.
Her expression was almost gentle.
Almost.
Grace immediately stood.
“Mom?””
Diane looked at me.
“I wondered how long it would take you to find her.””
I rose slowly.
“You stole my sister.””
Diane sighed.
“I gave her a home.””
“You kidnapped a baby.””
“I raised her. I fed her. I paid for her education. I was there every time she cried.””
“You told her our parents abandoned her.””
Diane's face hardened.
“Your father was a selfish man. He cared more about his company than his family.””
Grace looked between us.
“Mom, is it true?””
Diane turned toward her.
“Grace, darling, you don't need to listen to this.””
“Am I Richard Carter's daughter?””
Diane didn't answer.
Grace stepped closer.
“Am I?””
Diane's eyes filled with tears.
Then she said something I hadn't expected.
“Yes.””
Grace covered her mouth.
Diane continued.
“But your father never wanted you.””
I stepped forward.
“That's a lie.””
Diane's voice sharpened.
“Your father was going to destroy everything. He chose a company over his own daughter. I did what I had to do.””
Grace shook her head.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because I loved you.””
“No,” Grace whispered.
“You loved having control over me.””
Diane's expression changed.
For the first time, her carefully constructed kindness disappeared.
“You have no idea what I've sacrificed for you.””
Grace took a step backward.
“I want you to leave.””
Diane looked at me.
“This is not over, Nia.””
She turned toward the door.
Then she stopped.
“One final thing. Ask Eleanor why your father didn't tell you that Grace wasn't the only child he had hidden.””
I froze.
“What?””
Diane smiled.
“Your father had another secret. One that could destroy everything you've just learned.””
Then she walked out.
Grace sat down, trembling.
I looked at her.
“What did she mean?””
Grace shook her head.
“I don't know.””
My phone vibrated.
A message from Eleanor.
*Nia, get out of the chapel immediately. We found the original birth records. There's a problem with your identity.*
I stared at the screen.
May you like
Another message appeared.
*Your mother gave birth to twins.*
