Chapter 7: The Daughter Nobody Told Me About
For several seconds, I couldn't hear anything except the pounding of my own heart.
Lauren.
My stepsister.
The girl who had spent the last eight years living in the same house as my father.
The girl Vanessa had introduced as her daughter when they married.
The girl who had once borrowed my mother's pearl earrings without knowing they had belonged to her.
I looked at the birth certificate again.
Then at the photograph.
The little girl standing beside my mother had Lauren's eyes.
"That's impossible," I whispered.
Vanessa folded her arms.
"Is it?""
Dad stepped toward her.
"Don't play games with us. Lauren is your daughter.""
"Biologically, yes.""
"What does that mean?""
Vanessa looked at the photograph.
"It means Evelyn gave birth to her. It means Evelyn was her mother. And it means I've spent eight years raising a child who was never supposed to be mine.""
I felt sick.
"You're saying my mother was Lauren's mother?""
Vanessa nodded.
"She was.""
I turned toward Dad.
He looked devastated.
"Why didn't Evelyn tell me?""
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
"Because she was afraid you'd leave her.""
Dad's face hardened.
"That doesn't make any sense.""
"Your wife had an affair before you married her. She got pregnant. She didn't know what to do, so she arranged for the baby to be raised elsewhere.""
"By whom?""
Vanessa looked at him.
"By me.""
The room fell silent.
I stared at her.
"You knew Mom before you married Dad?""
Vanessa nodded.
"We were friends. Not close friends, but we knew each other.""
"Then why did you pretend Lauren was your biological daughter?""
"Because that's what Evelyn wanted.""
Dad shook his head.
"No. You're lying.""
Vanessa's eyes flashed.
"Am I? Ask Lauren. Ask her about the adoption papers.""
I remembered the little girl in the photograph.
The same eyes.
The same dimple.
The same smile Lauren sometimes gave when she was genuinely happy.
Suddenly, a thousand memories rearranged themselves in my mind.
Lauren had always been treated differently by Vanessa.
She had never been allowed to visit certain relatives.
She had never been shown photographs of herself as a baby.
And whenever anyone asked about her biological father, Vanessa changed the subject.
"Why would Mom give Lauren away?"" I asked.
Vanessa's expression softened.
"Because she couldn't raise two children. She was already struggling financially, and she was afraid of what people would say.""
Dad looked at the birth certificate.
"Who was Lauren's father?""
Vanessa didn't answer.
"Who?""
She stared at him.
"Marcus Hale.""
I felt the room tilt.
Dad grabbed the edge of the dresser.
"You're telling me Evelyn had a child with Marcus?""
"Yes.""
"And you knew?""
"I knew before you married her.""
Dad's voice became almost inaudible.
"Why would you marry me, knowing all this?""
Vanessa gave a small, bitter smile.
"Because I loved you.""
He shook his head.
"No. You loved what I had.""
She flinched.
For a moment, I thought he had finally said something that hurt her.
Then she looked at me.
"Your mother made me a promise. She said if I raised Lauren, she'd make sure I was financially secure.""
I frowned.
"What promise?""
"She promised me part of the inheritance.""
Dad looked furious.
"That money was placed in a trust for Maya.""
"Your wife changed her mind.""
"Then show me the documents.""
Vanessa didn't move.
"She was going to.""
"That's not an answer.""
I picked up the photograph.
"Why did Mom write that Lauren was my sister?""
Vanessa looked at me.
"Because she wanted you to know eventually.""
"Eventually?""
"She thought there would be time.""
I stared at her.
"Mom died eight years ago. You've had eight years.""
Vanessa's eyes hardened.
"Your father wasn't supposed to find out.""
Dad took a step toward her.
"You've lied to me every day of our marriage.""
"Don't pretend you were an innocent husband, Daniel. You barely noticed what was happening around you.""
He looked stunned.
Vanessa continued.
"You were so busy grieving Evelyn that you didn't even notice I was the one keeping this family together.""
Dad pointed toward the door.
"Get out.""
She laughed.
"You're throwing me out over a secret your dead wife created?""
"I'm throwing you out because you forged my signature, stole money from my daughter's trust, and apparently helped conceal a child from her own family.""
Vanessa looked at the birth certificate.
Then she said quietly, "You still don't understand.""
"Understand what?""
"Lauren isn't the only person who was lied to.""
Before Dad could respond, my phone rang.
Lauren.
I answered immediately.
"Lauren, where are you?""
Her voice sounded strange.
"At home.""
"Are you alone?""
A pause.
"Why?""
"Because we found something.""
"What?""
I looked at Vanessa.
"Your birth certificate.""
Silence.
Then Lauren whispered, "She told you?""
I felt my throat tighten.
"Is it true?""
Another pause.
"Yes.""
I sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I only found out six months ago.""
I closed my eyes.
"Lauren...""
"I didn't know how to tell you, Maya. I didn't even know who I was supposed to be angry with.""
Dad took the phone.
"Lauren, sweetheart, I need you to come home.""
She began crying.
"Please don't call me that.""
Dad froze.
"I'm sorry?""
"Please don't call me sweetheart like nothing has changed.""
He looked at the floor.
"Nothing changes how I feel about you.""
"But I'm not your biological daughter.""
Dad's eyes filled.
"That doesn't matter.""
"It matters to me.""
I took the phone back.
"Lauren, listen. We need to talk about Marcus.""
Her crying stopped.
"Why?""
"Because he was your father.""
"I know.""
I stared at her.
"You know?""
"Mom told me.""
"Since when?""
"Since I was sixteen.""
My hands went cold.
"Then you knew he was alive?""
"No.""
"Lauren, the hospital records—"
She interrupted me.
"Mom told me he died before I was born. She said he was dangerous and that I should never look for him.""
Dad leaned closer.
"Did she tell you why?""
Lauren's voice dropped.
"Because he wanted me.""
I looked at Vanessa.
She had gone completely still.
"What do you mean he wanted you?"" I asked.
Lauren took a shaky breath.
"Mom said Marcus had threatened to take me away from her. She said he came back after you married Dad and demanded money.""
Dad looked at Vanessa.
"That's why the trust was emptied?""
Lauren didn't answer.
Then she said something that changed everything.
"I found a letter from Marcus last month.""
"What did it say?""
"He said he didn't want money.""
"What did he want?""
Lauren whispered:
"He wanted his daughter to know the truth about what happened to Evelyn.""
The call ended.
I stared at the phone.
Vanessa was already walking toward the door.
Dad blocked her.
"You're not leaving.""
She looked at him.
"Move.""
"Where is Marcus?""
"I don't know.""
"Where is he, Vanessa?""
She looked at me.
Then she smiled faintly.
"Ask Lauren where she keeps the letters.""
And with that, she pushed past Dad and disappeared downstairs.
I looked at the photograph again.
My mother had written that we were her two girls.
For eight years, I had believed I was an only child.
For eight years, Lauren had believed Vanessa was her mother.
And now I understood something even more disturbing.
Vanessa hadn't simply hidden my sister from me.
She had made sure neither of us knew the other existed.
May you like
But why?
And what had Marcus discovered about our mother's death?
