Chapter 10: The Daughter Who Blamed Her Father
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Grace stood in the hallway, holding the photograph of the wrecked car against her chest.
Her eyes were fixed on me.
“You ordered me to kill her,” she whispered.
I shook my head.
“No, sweetheart. I would never do that.””
“Don't call me that!””
Her voice cracked.
“You weren't there. You didn't even know I existed. Richard said you wanted Mom gone because she was going to take the company away from you.””
I took a step toward her.
Grace immediately backed away.
“Stay there.””
I stopped.
Margaret began crying.
“Grace, darling, that's not true.””
“Then why did you tell me he was dangerous?””
“Because Richard was dangerous.””
“You said he ruined our family!””
“He did.””
Grace threw the photograph onto the table.
“Then why did he show me the recording?””
My stomach tightened.
“What recording?””
She looked at me.
“The one from the night of the accident.””
James stepped forward.
“Do you still have it?””
Grace nodded.
She disappeared into the hallway and returned with an old tablet.
The screen was cracked, and the case was covered in faded stickers.
She opened a folder.
A video appeared.
The timestamp showed the night Claire's car crashed.
Grace pressed play.
The footage began with a dark road.
Rain covered the windshield.
A teenage girl was driving.
Grace.
She was crying, gripping the steering wheel.
A voice came through the car speakers.
Richard.
“Keep driving. Don't stop until you reach the bridge.””
Grace's voice trembled.
“Why are we doing this?””
“Because your mother needs to understand that she cannot keep secrets from me.””
“I don't want to hurt anyone.””
“You won't. Just follow my instructions.””
The video shook as Grace turned a corner.
Then headlights appeared.
A car came toward her.
Claire's car.
Grace screamed.
The two vehicles collided.
The screen went black.
Nobody spoke.
I looked at Grace.
“Where did you get this?””
“Richard gave it to me.””
“When?””
“Two years ago.””
I felt sick.
“He told you to keep it?””
Grace nodded.
“He said it proved you had arranged everything. He said Mom was in the other car because she wanted to destroy him.””
I looked at Margaret.
“Why didn't you tell her the truth?””
Margaret wiped her cheeks.
“Because I was afraid Richard would take her away too.””
Grace laughed bitterly.
“So everyone was lying to me?””
“Not everyone,” Margaret whispered.
I turned toward the tablet.
“Grace, can I see the video again?””
She hesitated.
Then she handed it to me.
I watched the final seconds.
The headlights.
The collision.
The black screen.
Then I noticed something.
The audio continued for another eleven seconds after the picture disappeared.
I increased the volume.
A door slammed.
Someone shouted.
Then came Richard's voice.
“Get the girl out of the car. Leave Claire.””
Another voice responded.
“What about the other one?””
Richard answered immediately.
“Take her too. We need both children.””
James froze.
I replayed the audio.
Both children.
Not one.
I looked at Margaret.
“Who was the other child?””
She covered her mouth.
Then Grace answered.
“Lily.””
I turned.
“What?””
Grace nodded.
“Richard told me there were two little girls in Claire's car. He said one was Sophia and the other was Lily.””
My mind raced.
“Where was Sophia?””
“Behind the passenger seat.””
“Then who was the other child?””
Grace shook her head.
“I don't know. I never saw her.””
Margaret walked toward the cabinet.
She removed another folder and opened it.
Inside were old photographs, hospital records, and a birth certificate.
She placed the certificate in front of me.
The name at the top was familiar.
*Sophia Claire Moretti.*
But the date of birth was wrong.
It was one year earlier than the date on her original documents.
I looked at Margaret.
“What is this?””
She closed her eyes.
“Richard changed Sophia's birth records.””
“Why?””
“Because the child in the accident wasn't Sophia.””
The room went silent.
I felt my heart pounding.
“Then who was in that car?””
Margaret looked at Grace.
“Your daughter was already at home that night.””
I stared at her.
“Which daughter?””
“Lily.””
I shook my head.
“This makes no sense.””
Margaret continued.
“Claire had arranged for Sophia to stay with a family friend. She took Lily with her because Richard had discovered where the baby was.””
I looked down at the photograph.
A second little girl.
A second child.
The name on the birth certificate had been changed.
James leaned forward.
“Are you saying Richard switched the identities of the children?””
Margaret nodded.
“He needed the authorities to believe Sophia had been involved in the accident. He wanted Daniel to believe his only daughter had survived but would never fully recover.””
My stomach turned.
“Then who was the girl in the hospital?””
Margaret's eyes filled.
“Lily.””
I stared at her.
The child I had believed was my daughter had been someone else's.
The baby I had believed belonged to Richard had been raised as my daughter.
And my real daughter, Sophia, had been hidden somewhere else.
I shook my head.
“No. I know Sophia. I've raised her.””
Margaret reached for my hand.
“Daniel, listen to me. The girl you raised is Sophia.””
“Then what are you saying?””
“Richard switched their hospital identities after the accident. The child he took was Lily. But Sophia was already safe.””
I looked at Grace.
She was crying.
“Then why did Richard say I hit Mom?””
Margaret answered softly.
“Because he wanted you to believe you were responsible. He needed you to remain silent.””
I sat down.
Three years.
Three years of wheelchair appointments, hospital visits, rehabilitation reports, and doctors telling me Sophia would never walk.
Had they been treating my daughter?
Or had Richard been keeping her dependent because he feared what she might remember?
James closed the folder.
“We need DNA testing. We cannot rely on documents Richard controlled.””
Margaret nodded.
“I agree.””
Grace suddenly stood.
“There's something else.””
She reached into her pocket and removed a small silver key.
“Richard gave me this before he disappeared.””
“What does it open?”” I asked.
“He said it was the key to Mom's room.””
My heart jumped.
“Where?””
Grace looked at Margaret.
Margaret whispered an address.
It was a private medical facility outside Boston.
Then Grace said something that made me feel physically sick.
“Richard told me Mom died in the fire.””
I looked at the tablet.
At the final audio recording.
At the woman I had buried without a body.
“Your mother may still be alive,” I said.
Grace began sobbing.
“Then let's find her.””
But as we gathered our things, James's phone rang.
He listened for several seconds.
Then his expression changed.
“Daniel, there's a problem.””
“What?””
“The police have issued a warrant for your arrest.””
“For what?””
James looked at me.
“Attempted murder.””
“Whose?””
May you like
He swallowed.
“Richard Hale's.””
