Chapter 5: The Daughter He Never Knew
Marcus couldn't hear anything for several seconds.
The ventilation system hummed overhead. A radio crackled near the door. Somewhere downstairs, an officer shouted instructions.
But all Marcus could hear was his son's voice.
She's my twin sister.
He stared at Ethan.
“Your mother never had twins.””
Ethan's face crumpled.
“She did.””
“No. Ethan, listen to me. Your mother gave birth to you.
I was there. I held you.””
“You were there when I was born,” Ethan whispered.
“But you weren't there when Sophie was taken away.””
Marcus felt the room tilt.
“Taken away by whom?””
Ethan shook his head.
“I don't know. Mom told me not to tell anyone because she said someone would take Sophie again.””
Marcus crouched in front of him.
“Son, where is Sophie now?””
“I don't know. I only saw her once.””
“When?””
“Last summer.””
Marcus's hands went cold.
Ethan described a rainy afternoon at the cemetery. He had been visiting his mother's grave with his grandmother when he noticed a girl standing behind a nearby tree.
She had the same dark eyes as his mother.
The same small scar beneath her chin.
And the same white ribbon his mother used to tie around his wrist when he was little.
Ethan had followed her toward the cemetery gate, but Victoria had appeared and dragged him back to the car.
“She told me I had imagined it,” he said.
“She said grief made children see things that weren't there.””
Marcus remembered that day.
Victoria had returned from the cemetery furious, insisting that Ethan was becoming dangerously obsessed with his dead mother.
She had demanded that Marcus send the boy to a therapist.
He had agreed.
Now he wondered whether Victoria had been trying to make Ethan doubt his own memories.
“Why didn't you tell me?”” Marcus asked.
“Because Mom made me promise.””
“Your mother?””
Ethan nodded.
“She told me before she died that if I ever saw Sophie again, I had to find you first. She said you were the only person who could protect us both.””
Marcus closed his eyes.
His first wife, Claire, had been the one person who knew him better than anyone else. She had been warm, stubborn, and fiercely protective of their son.
During her final weeks, she had suffered complications that the doctors struggled to explain. Marcus had spent most of that time at the hospital, but he had also been traveling constantly between medical specialists and company offices.
He had never questioned the hospital records.
He had never imagined there could be another child.
“Where did your mother say Sophie was born?”” he asked.
Ethan looked confused.
“She said the hospital.””
“Which hospital?””
“I don't remember.””
Marcus stood and called Eleanor Price.
She answered immediately.
“Marcus, I've contacted the authorities about the will. Have you found David?””
“Not yet. Eleanor, I need you to look into Claire's medical records.””
A pause.
“Why?””
“Because I think she may have given birth to twins.””
Silence filled the line.
Then Eleanor said, “Marcus, that isn't possible.””
“Why not?””
“Because the records I reviewed after Claire's death stated that she delivered one healthy baby.””
Marcus gripped the phone.
“Who prepared those records?””
“I don't know. The hospital provided them.””
“Then find out.””
“Marcus, there may be privacy restrictions.””
“I don't care what restrictions there are. Contact the hospital's legal department. Tell them this may involve an attempted abduction and a threat to a minor.””
Eleanor's voice sharpened.
“I'll handle it.””
He ended the call.
A police officer entered the room.
“Mr. Hale, we've located Mrs. Hale in the guesthouse. She says she went there to retrieve personal belongings.””
“Did she leave the house?””
“No. The footage indicates the woman in the SUV was someone else.””
“Then I want that vehicle found.””
“We're working on it.””
Marcus turned toward Ethan.
“Can you identify the girl if we show you more footage?””
Ethan nodded.
The officer brought up another recording.
This one showed the SUV approaching the east gate. The driver's face was obscured by the windshield glare, but the passenger leaned toward the glass.
The image was clearer now.
Ethan covered his mouth.
“That's Sophie.””
Marcus stared at the girl.
She looked eleven years old.
She had Ethan's dark eyes and Claire's chin.
But it was the white ribbon around her wrist that made his stomach twist.
He had seen that ribbon before.
Claire had worn an identical one on the day of her funeral.
Marcus had assumed it was a keepsake from her childhood.
He had never asked why she had been holding it.
“Can we track the vehicle?”” he asked.
The officer nodded.
“We've identified a partial plate number. A patrol unit is checking the highway exits.””
Marcus turned to Raymond.
“Get my car.””
Raymond hesitated.
“Sir, the police may need you here.””
“My daughter may be in danger.””
He had said the word before he could stop himself.
Daughter.
The truth had not been proven. The girl might be a relative, an accomplice, or someone deliberately chosen to resemble Ethan.
But something in Marcus recognized her.
Not her face.
The possibility of her.
He had spent four years grieving one childless marriage, believing that Claire's death had left him with only Ethan. If another child existed, then the last four years had been built on a lie.
Raymond returned with a phone in his hand.
“Sir, there's a call from the hospital.””
Marcus took it.
A woman introduced herself as Dr. Helen Morris, the administrator on duty at St. Catherine's Medical Center.
“Mr. Hale, your attorney has contacted us about your wife's delivery records. We are reviewing the archived files.””
“Tell me what you found.””
“I can't disclose protected records until we verify certain details.””
“My son may have a missing twin sister. A girl was just seen being taken from my property.””
The doctor fell silent.
Then she said, “Please remain on the line.””
Marcus heard muffled voices.
A door closing.
Someone asking for a supervisor.
When Dr. Morris returned, her voice had changed.
“Mr. Hale, our archive contains two birth registrations under your wife's name.””
Marcus's knees weakened.
“Two?””
“One for Ethan Hale. The other is listed under a temporary identity that was later amended.””
“Who amended it?””
“We're still checking the audit trail.””
“Was the second baby a girl?””
“Yes.””
Marcus pressed his free hand against the desk.
“Was she healthy?””
“Yes, sir.””
“Then why was I never told?””
“I can't answer that yet.””
“Doctor, I need the girl's full name.””
Another pause.
“The record lists her as Sophie Claire Hale.””
Marcus closed his eyes.
It was real.
His daughter had existed from the moment Ethan was born.
And someone had erased her from his life.
“Who signed the amendment?”” he asked.
Dr. Morris took a breath.
“The electronic record identifies the approving physician as Dr. Adrian Cole.””
Marcus recognized the name.
Adrian had been Claire's obstetrician.
He had attended family dinners. He had sent flowers after Claire's death. He had sat beside Marcus at the memorial service and told him that no father should have to bury his wife so young.
Marcus had trusted him.
“Where is Dr. Cole now?””
“He retired two years ago.””
“Do you have contact information?””
“We have an address on file.””
“Send it to my attorney and the police.””
“I will.””
Marcus ended the call.
For a moment, he stood perfectly still.
Then he turned toward the officer.
“Find David Hale. Find Victoria's phone. And find my daughter.””
The officer nodded and hurried out.
Ethan approached his father.
“Dad?””
Marcus knelt.
“I'm sorry.””
The boy frowned.
“For what?””
“For not seeing what was happening.””
Ethan's eyes filled with tears.
“You didn't know.””
Marcus pulled him into his arms.
“I should have asked more questions.””
Ethan held on tightly.
“Can we bring Sophie home?””
Marcus looked at the frozen image on the monitor.
“I will find her.””
His phone rang again.
This time, the caller ID displayed David's name.
Marcus answered without speaking.
His brother's voice came through, breathless and urgent.
“Marcus, listen to me. You have to stop the police from going after Victoria.””
“Where is my daughter?””
Silence.
Then David whispered, “So you finally know.””
Marcus felt every muscle in his body tighten.
“You knew about Sophie?””
“Yes.””
“Who took her?””
David exhaled shakily.
“Marcus, I didn't take her. But I know where she was kept, and if you want her alive, you need to listen carefully.””
“Tell me where she is.””
“I can't. Not over the phone.””
“David, I'm done playing games.””
“Then hear this. Victoria isn't the person who started it.””
Marcus stared at the monitor.
“Who did?””
May you like
His brother's answer came in a whisper.
“Your first wife.””
