Chapter 12: The Father Nobody Expected
I stared at Margaret.
"Your marriage certificate?""
She nodded slowly.
The archive seemed to grow colder.
I looked at the photograph again.
My mother holding baby Vanessa.
The note about her biological father.
And now Margaret telling me that the answer was hidden in her marriage certificate.
"What are you saying?""
Margaret sat down heavily.
"I was married before I met Thomas.""
I waited.
"His name was Robert Hayes. He worked for your grandfather.""
Mr. Collins looked up.
"Was he involved in the trust?""
Margaret nodded.
"He was the original financial administrator. Thomas replaced him after he disappeared.""
I frowned.
"Disappeared?""
"Robert was accused of stealing from the company. He denied it, but the evidence was overwhelming.""
"Was he guilty?""
Margaret shook her head.
"No. Thomas framed him.""
I looked at the photograph.
"Was Robert Vanessa's father?""
Margaret's eyes filled with tears.
"Yes.""
I couldn't speak.
Vanessa wasn't Thomas Reed's daughter.
She was Robert Hayes's daughter.
The man Thomas had supposedly driven out of the family business.
The man whose name had vanished from the records.
"Why did everyone believe Thomas was her father?""
"Because Robert died before Vanessa was born. Thomas had been having an affair with Vanessa's mother, and he used the situation to hide the truth.""
I shook my head.
"How could you know this and never tell anyone?""
Margaret looked at the floor.
"Because I was the person who helped him.""
I stared at her.
She continued.
"Thomas told me Robert had stolen money. He showed me bank statements and forged signatures. I believed him.""
"And you helped him take control of the trust?""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because I loved him. And because I thought he was protecting our family.""
I looked away.
"Did you know he had forged the documents?""
"Not until much later.""
"Then why didn't you go to the police?""
Margaret's voice broke.
"Because by then, I had signed papers that made me an accomplice.""
The police officer approached.
"Ma'am, we'll need you to provide a formal statement.""
Margaret nodded.
"I will.""
I turned toward Mr. Collins.
"Can we find Robert's original records?""
"Possibly. But we need to establish whether he left any surviving relatives or legal documents.""
Margaret looked at me.
"There's someone.""
I frowned.
"Who?""
"Robert's son.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Vanessa has a brother?""
Margaret nodded.
"An older half-brother. His name is Ethan Hayes.""
"Where is he?""
"I don't know. But he was the person who helped me contact your mother before she died.""
I looked at the officer.
"Can you locate him?""
"We can try.""
Before anyone could say more, my phone rang.
Daniel.
I stared at the screen.
I hadn't heard from him since he left my house.
Mr. Collins shook his head.
"Don't answer.""
But I did.
"Nia?""
His voice sounded strained.
"What do you want, Daniel?""
"I need to see you.""
"No.""
"Please. It's important.""
"Tell my attorney.""
"This isn't about the wedding.""
I looked at the photograph.
"Then what is it about?""
"Vanessa has disappeared.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"What?""
"She took something from my office.""
"What did she take?""
"The original loan agreement. And the recording.""
I looked at Margaret.
She had gone pale.
"What recording?"" I asked.
"The one she made before your mother died.""
I glanced at the recorder on the desk.
"What do you know about it?""
Daniel exhaled.
"Everything.""
I felt a chill.
"How?""
"Because I was there.""
The room went silent.
I turned away from the others.
"Where were you?""
"At your mother's house. The night she died.""
My fingers tightened around the phone.
"You're lying.""
"I'm not.""
"Why would you have been there?""
"Because Vanessa asked me to help her.""
I felt my stomach turn.
"Help her do what?""
Daniel's voice dropped.
"Your mother had discovered the truth about Robert Hayes. She was planning to expose Thomas and restore the original trust.""
I closed my eyes.
"Go on.""
"Vanessa wanted the documents. She believed they belonged to her family.""
"And you helped her?""
"Yes.""
I couldn't breathe.
"What did you do?""
"I drove Vanessa there.""
"To see my mother?""
"Yes.""
"What happened?""
Daniel was silent for several seconds.
Then he said, "I heard them arguing.""
I looked at Margaret.
She was listening.
"What did you hear?""
"Your mother told Vanessa that she knew who her biological father was. Vanessa didn't believe her.""
"And then?""
"Vanessa threatened to take the documents.""
I swallowed.
"Did she hurt my mother?""
"No.""
His answer was immediate.
"Then who did?""
Another silence.
"Thomas arrived.""
I closed my eyes.
I could hear the rain from that night in my memory, even though I hadn't been there.
"Did you see him?""
"Yes.""
"Did you see him leave?""
"Yes.""
"Then why didn't you tell the police?""
Daniel's voice cracked.
"Because he threatened me.""
"With what?""
"With evidence that I had helped Vanessa steal the trust records.""
I laughed bitterly.
"So you protected yourself.""
"I was twenty-eight. I was scared.""
"You're thirty-five now.""
"I know.""
"Did you know Thomas caused the accident?""
Daniel hesitated.
"I don't know what happened after I left.""
I stared at the photograph.
"Did you see my mother alive?""
"Yes.""
"Was she okay?""
"She was upset, but she was standing.""
My throat tightened.
"Then she was alive when you left?""
"Yes.""
I couldn't speak.
Daniel continued.
"Nia, I need you to understand something. Vanessa has been lying to everyone. She told me the original trust agreement gave her the right to the property. She told me your mother had promised it to her.""
"She was lying?""
"I don't know anymore.""
I looked at Margaret.
She was crying silently.
I turned back to the phone.
"Where is Vanessa?""
"I think she's going to meet Thomas.""
"Where?""
"At the old family estate.""
I felt a chill.
"Why would they meet there?""
"Because that's where your grandfather kept the original property deed.""
I looked at Mr. Collins.
He immediately began writing.
Daniel continued.
"There's something else. Vanessa has been asking questions about the original marriage certificate. She knows Robert Hayes was her father.""
I looked at Margaret.
She covered her mouth.
"How does she know?"" I asked.
"Because Thomas told her.""
My heart began pounding.
"What did he tell her?""
Daniel lowered his voice.
"He told her that Robert wasn't just her biological father. He told her Robert was murdered because of the Carter family.""
I stared at the photograph.
"That's not true.""
"I know.""
"How?""
"Because I found the original medical report.""
I froze.
"Where?""
"In Vanessa's apartment.""
"What did it say?""
Daniel took a shaky breath.
"Robert died in a car accident in 1997. But the driver wasn't Thomas.""
I looked at Margaret.
She had stopped crying.
Her face had gone completely white.
"Who was driving?"" I whispered.
Daniel answered.
"Your grandmother.""
The call ended.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then Margaret stood.
"No.""
I looked at her.
"What?""
"Your grandmother wasn't driving that night.""
Mr. Collins frowned.
"Are you certain?""
Margaret nodded.
"I was in the car with her.""
I felt my blood run cold.
"Then who was?""
Margaret looked at the photograph.
Her voice was barely audible.
"Your mother.""
I stared at her.
The room seemed to disappear around me.
My mother had been eighteen years old when Robert Hayes died.
If Margaret was telling the truth, she had been involved in the accident that killed Vanessa's biological father.
And Thomas had spent twenty years making sure nobody discovered it.
My phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number.
It contained a photograph of Vanessa standing outside an old stone building.
The caption read:
If you want to know who killed Robert Hayes, come alone.
A second message appeared.
Bring the original trust agreement.
I looked at Margaret.
She was staring at the photograph with tears running down her face.
Then she whispered the words that changed everything.
"Don't go, Nia. Your mother wasn't driving that night.""
I turned toward her.
"Then who was?""
Margaret looked directly into my eyes.
"Your grandmother.""
And suddenly, I understood why Thomas Reed had spent twenty years trying to destroy the Carter family.
May you like
He hadn't been seeking revenge for stolen money.
He had been seeking revenge for a death.
