Chapter 3: The Name on the Birth Certificate
The following morning, Edward picked me up at seven thirty.
I hadn't slept.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the photograph of the woman holding the newborn baby.
I wondered whether she had cried when someone took me away.
Whether she'd searched for me.
Whether she'd spent birthdays wondering if I was alive.
And whether my father had spent the rest of his life knowing he had failed to bring me home.
Richard hadn't come to bed.
At midnight, he'd sent me a message.
Don't make any decisions without talking to me. Remember, everything we have is shared.
At two in the morning, another message arrived.
Your mother is having a breakdown because of you. Stop this nonsense.
I didn't reply.
When I entered the kitchen, Lily was sitting at the breakfast counter eating cereal.
Richard stood behind her, scrolling through his phone.
"Where are you going?"" he asked.
"To meet Edward's attorney.""
He put his phone down.
"You're not going anywhere.""
I picked up Lily's backpack.
"She's staying with my neighbor.""
Richard laughed.
"You're taking my daughter away from me?""
"I'm taking her to preschool.""
"Don't twist my words.""
Lily looked between us.
"Daddy, are you angry?""
Richard immediately changed his expression.
"No, princess. Mommy's just being difficult.""
I kissed Lily's forehead.
"Have a good day, baby.""
As I walked toward the door, Richard followed me.
"Emily, wait.""
I turned.
He held out his hand.
"Give me the necklace.""
I stared at him.
"What?""
"That necklace. If it belonged to some missing woman, it could be evidence. Edward might try to take it.""
I touched the pendant.
"No.""
His expression hardened.
"Don't be childish.""
"It's my father's necklace.""
"Your father is dead. Stop acting like he can protect you.""
I looked at him for several seconds.
Then I opened the door.
Behind me, Richard said something that made me stop.
"If you walk out, don't expect me to let you come back.""
For the first time, I didn't feel afraid.
"That's the first thing you've said that sounds like a promise.""
I left.
The law office occupied the top floor of an old brick building downtown.
Edward was waiting beside a woman in her late fifties with short gray hair.
"Emily, this is Margaret Collins. She handled your biological mother's estate.""
Margaret shook my hand.
"Thank you for coming. I know yesterday was overwhelming.""
I sat across from her.
"I need the truth.""
Margaret opened a leather folder.
"Then let's begin with the documents.""
She showed me a birth certificate.
My name was there.
Emily Eleanor Hayes.
Mother: Eleanor Grace Hayes.
Father: Daniel Thomas Bennett.
My hands began to shake.
"But I was told my mother was Patricia Bennett.""
Margaret nodded.
"Patricia raised you, but she was never listed as your biological mother on the original birth record.""
I stared at the document.
"How did she get custody?""
"That is precisely what we're investigating.""
Margaret placed another document on the table.
It was a temporary guardianship order dated October 2006.
Patricia's signature appeared at the bottom.
"Your father signed this?""
"No," Margaret replied.
"He was hospitalized after a serious accident at the time. The document was submitted by Patricia using a power of attorney that was later challenged.""
Edward leaned forward.
"Daniel was unconscious when it was signed.""
I looked at him.
"Then why didn't he stop her?""
"He tried.""
Edward's voice became quieter.
"Your father spent years trying to locate you. He hired investigators. He contacted hospitals. He even filed a missing-child report.""
"Why didn't anyone tell me?""
"Because Patricia reported that you had been legally adopted and that Daniel had no parental rights.""
Margaret slid another page toward me.
"But that's not the only irregularity.""
I looked down.
There were bank statements.
Large transfers.
A series of withdrawals made from an account belonging to Eleanor Hayes.
The dates began just weeks before her disappearance.
"Who took this money?""
Margaret pointed to the authorization line.
"Patricia Bennett.""
I felt sick.
"How much?""
"Approximately $2.4 million over several years, including funds transferred into a company Richard now partially owns.""
I looked up.
"Richard?""
Edward exchanged a glance with Margaret.
Margaret opened another folder.
"Your husband's company, Bennett Development Group, acquired several properties through a holding company that received money from an account connected to your mother's estate.""
I couldn't breathe.
"My husband knows about this?""
"We don't know how much he knows," Margaret said carefully.
"But there is something else.""
She placed a printed document in front of me.
It was an email.
The sender was Richard.
The recipient was Patricia.
The date was six weeks earlier.
I read the first line.
I need you to confirm that Emily never gets access to the original trust documents.
My stomach dropped.
I kept reading.
If Edward finds her, we have a problem. The money has been moved, but I need to make sure she doesn't start asking questions.
At the bottom was my mother's reply.
Don't worry. She still believes everything I tell her.
I put the paper down.
For a moment, the room seemed to tilt.
My husband and my mother had been working together.
Not for a few days.
Not because of yesterday's birthday party.
For years.
Margaret quietly pushed a glass of water toward me.
"Emily, there's something we need to discuss before you confront either of them.""
I stared at the email.
"What?""
She opened a final envelope.
Inside was a photograph of a woman standing outside a small house.
The woman was older than the person in my father's photograph, but I recognized her eyes immediately.
My eyes.
Underneath the photograph was a handwritten note.
To my daughter, Emily. If you ever find this, please know I never stopped looking.
I covered my mouth.
"Is she alive?""
Edward nodded slowly.
"We believe she is.""
My chair scraped against the floor as I stood.
"Where is she?""
Margaret looked at Edward.
He took a deep breath.
"She's been living under another name in a small town in Connecticut. We located her three months ago.""
"Three months?""
I stared at him.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because she asked us not to contact you until we could establish what happened to you and whether you were safe.""
I felt tears spill down my cheeks.
"Does she know about Lily?""
Edward nodded.
"She knows you have a daughter.""
I looked at the photograph again.
"Does she want to see me?""
Edward hesitated.
"She does.""
Then Margaret reached into the folder and placed one final document in front of me.
It was a letter dated three weeks earlier.
The handwriting was unfamiliar.
But the first sentence made my blood run cold.
Emily, if you are reading this, Patricia has already discovered that I am alive.
I looked up.
Margaret continued reading.
I have spent twenty years protecting you from a man who was supposed to love you.
My fingers tightened around the paper.
"Which man?""
Edward's face had gone pale.
He looked at the photograph, then directly at me.
"Your biological mother believes the man responsible for her disappearance is still close to your family.""
I whispered, "Who?""
Edward took a long breath.
"Your mother's letter names Richard Bennett.""
I stared at him.
My husband.
The man who had shoved my face into our daughter's birthday cake.
The man who had spent six years convincing me I was worthless.
The man who had just tried to take my father's necklace.
And suddenly, my phone began vibrating.
A message appeared on the screen.
It was from Richard.
Come home immediately. Your mother is here. We need to talk about the woman in Connecticut.
May you like
A second message followed.
And Emily, don't believe anything she tells you. She wasn't the only one who disappeared twenty years ago.
