Chapter 14: The Last Lie
Emma stepped away from Damien.
“Did you help my mother disappear?””
He looked as though she had struck him.
“No.””
“My mother just told me you did.””
“Emma, I swear to you—”
“Don't swear. Explain.””
Detective Morgan stood nearby, watching both of them.
Damien drew a slow breath.
“Eighteen months ago, my mother told me Isabelle had been found. She said Isabelle was dying and wanted to speak to me privately.””
Emma stared at him.
“You met her?””
“Yes.””
“Where?””
“At a house outside Portland. I was told Isabelle had asked for me because she wanted to make peace before she died.””
Emma felt sick.
“You saw my mother, and you never told me?””
“I didn't know who she was to you. Evelyn told me Isabelle had been her cousin, a woman who'd been estranged from the family for years.””
“But you knew the name.””
“I knew the name Isabelle Carter. I didn't know she was your mother until you showed me the photograph.””
Emma's anger sharpened.
“You expect me to believe that?””
“No. I expect you to check the evidence.””
He reached into his jacket and removed a folded receipt.
“I kept this because I suspected my mother was lying. It's from the house where I met Isabelle. I went back two weeks later, but the property had been emptied.””
Emma examined the paper.
A rental address in Maine.
The same town listed on the photograph.
“Why didn't you investigate?””
“I did. The owner said the house had been rented through a company that no longer existed. Then I received a message telling me to stop looking if I wanted Sophie to remain safe.””
Emma's anger faltered.
“Who sent it?””
“I don't know. But the message included a photograph of Sophie leaving school.””
Detective Morgan took the receipt.
“We'll verify the address. Mr. Carter, did you tell anyone about this meeting?””
“My mother. She arranged it.””
“Anyone else?””
Damien shook his head.
Emma looked at him for a long moment.
She wanted to believe him.
But wanting something had never made it true.
“I'm going to Maine,” she said.
Detective Morgan nodded.
“I'll arrange transport and notify the local authorities.””
Damien stood.
“I'm coming.””
“You're injured.””
“I can still walk.””
“You can barely stand.””
“Then I'll sit in the car.””
Emma almost smiled despite herself, but the expression disappeared as quickly as it came.
“Don't mistake this for forgiveness.””
“I wouldn't dare.””
They drove north before dawn.
The seaside cottage stood at the end of a narrow road overlooking a gray stretch of ocean. Its windows were boarded, and the garden had grown wild.
Emma climbed the steps and knocked.
No answer.
She tried the handle.
The door opened.
Inside, the cottage smelled of dust and salt. A chair stood beside the window, facing the sea. On a small table lay a teacup, a newspaper, and a photograph of three young women.
Emma recognized Isabelle.
Beside her stood Charlotte.
The third woman was Margaret.
They were laughing, their arms linked together, as though the world had never given them a reason to be afraid.
Emma picked up the photograph.
On the back, Isabelle had written:
The family we chose.
A floorboard creaked behind her.
She spun around.
A woman stood in the doorway.
Silver hair framed a face that looked older than the woman in the photograph, but her eyes were the same.
Emma's heart stopped.
“Mom?””
Isabelle covered her mouth.
For a moment, neither moved.
Then Emma crossed the room and threw herself into her mother's arms.
Isabelle held her desperately.
“My baby,” she sobbed.
“My beautiful baby.””
Emma clung to her.
“You're alive.””
“Yes.””
“You let me believe you were dead.””
“I know.””
“You let me believe you abandoned me.””
“I know, sweetheart.””
Emma pulled away, tears running down her face.
“Why?””
Isabelle looked at Damien, who stood silently near the door.
“Because I was afraid.””
“Of Evelyn?””
“Of Evelyn. Of Harris. Of what the Carters would do if they learned you were alive.””
“But Margaret raised me. She protected me.””
“She did more than protect you. She saved your life.””
Emma wiped her cheeks.
“Tell me everything.””
Isabelle sat down slowly.
She explained that she had been a young woman when she discovered Evelyn was secretly working with Dr. Harris to manipulate the Carter family inheritance. Evelyn had learned that Richard's trust would pass to his biological heirs, and she feared losing control of the fortune.
When Isabelle became pregnant, Evelyn saw an opportunity.
She wanted the twins separated before Richard could change the trust.
But there was another complication.
Evelyn had given birth to a daughter years earlier, fathered by Harris. The child had been adopted under a false identity. Evelyn feared that if the truth emerged, Harris would use it to blackmail her.
“She was trying to hide her own child while destroying ours,” Isabelle said.
“The twins were a convenient distraction.””
Emma sat opposite her mother.
“What happened the night we were born?””
“Evelyn arranged for the wristbands to be switched. She intended to have one twin declared dead and the other placed with a family she controlled. But Margaret realized what was happening. She took you and disappeared before Evelyn could reach you.””
“Why didn't you go with her?””
“Because Evelyn threatened Charlotte. She told me she would make sure your sister was blamed for the entire scheme. I stayed behind to give Margaret time to escape.””
“And the third baby?””
Isabelle looked toward the sea.
“Victoria was born prematurely at the private clinic. Evelyn wanted her kept secret because Harris was her father. When the clinic closed, she arranged for the child to be adopted. She told Harris that if he ever revealed the truth, she would destroy him.””
Emma shook her head.
“And Harris helped her separate us anyway.””
“He believed she would protect Victoria if he obeyed.””
Emma looked at Damien.
“Why did you meet my mother?””
Damien stepped forward.
“My mother told me Isabelle was dying. I thought I was helping her arrange a final reconciliation. I didn't know she had a daughter she was trying to protect.””
Isabelle looked at him sadly.
“You were a child when all this began, Damien. But as you grew older, you had opportunities to question your family. You chose not to.””
He lowered his eyes.
“I know.””
Emma looked at her mother.
“Why pretend you died eighteen months ago?””
Isabelle hesitated.
“Because I discovered that someone had begun searching for Charlotte again. I thought the only way to protect you both was to disappear completely.””
“But you're not dead.””
“No.””
“Then who died?””
Isabelle's face tightened.
“Evelyn arranged for a woman with no family to be buried under my name. She wanted everyone to believe the last witness was gone.””
Emma felt cold.
“And Charlotte?””
“She found me three days ago. She brought me the records Peter had copied. We planned to go to the police together.””
“Then why did she disappear?””
Isabelle looked toward Damien.
“Because someone inside the Carter household told Evelyn where she was.””
Damien's face paled.
“Who?””
Before Isabelle could answer, a car engine sounded outside.
Detective Morgan moved toward the window.
“Everyone stay back.””
A black SUV stopped in front of the cottage.
Two men stepped out.
One carried a briefcase.
The other held a gun.
Emma grabbed her mother's hand.
“Mom?””
Isabelle squeezed her fingers.
“There's something else I haven't told you.””
The front door rattled.
Isabelle's voice dropped to a whisper.
“The man who ordered the hospital records changed wasn't Evelyn.””
Emma stared at her.
“Who was it?””
Isabelle looked directly at Damien.
“Richard Carter.””
Damien staggered backward.
“No.””
“He knew Evelyn planned to separate the twins,” Isabelle said.
“He signed the orders because he believed one child would be safer away from the family. He thought he could undo it later.””
Damien shook his head.
“My father wanted to protect them.””
“He wanted to protect his fortune,” Isabelle replied.
“And when he realized what he had done, he hid the original records.””
A heavy blow struck the front door.
Detective Morgan drew her weapon.
“Police! Step away from the entrance!””
A gunshot shattered the window.
Everyone dropped to the floor.
Emma crawled toward Isabelle as glass rained across the room.
“Mom!””
Isabelle was clutching her side.
Blood spread beneath her fingers.
“No,” Emma cried.
“No, no, no.””
Damien dragged them behind the kitchen counter while Detective Morgan returned fire.
Isabelle seized Emma's wrist.
“Listen to me.””
“Don't speak. Help is coming.””
“Victoria knows where the last record is hidden.””
Emma shook her head frantically.
“Mom, please.””
Isabelle pressed something into her palm.
A small silver key.
“Find her. Bring all three of you together.””
Her eyes drifted toward Damien.
“And don't let Evelyn reach Sophie.””
The gunfire stopped.
Sirens rose outside.
Emma held her mother, sobbing, while Damien called for help.
Isabelle's breathing grew weaker.
“I'm sorry,” she whispered.
Emma pressed her forehead against hers.
“I forgive you.””
Isabelle smiled faintly.
Then her eyes closed.
For a terrible moment, Emma thought she had lost her again.
But Isabelle's chest still rose, shallowly.
Detective Morgan rushed to their side.
“She needs an ambulance now!””
As the paramedics arrived, Emma clutched the silver key.
On its surface was a tiny engraving.
*CARTER FAMILY VAULT — PRIVATE ACCESS.*
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And beneath it, in almost invisible letters, were the words:
Only the three daughters can open it.
