Chapter 14: The Last Secret of Nia Carter
Dr. Ethan Cole was waiting in an interview room when I arrived.
His expensive suit was wrinkled.
His hair was uncombed.
The confident physician who had once walked into Nia's hospital room with a reassuring smile was gone.
He looked like a man who had finally run out of places to hide.
Officer Reynolds sat opposite him.
I took the remaining chair.
"Tell me what happened to my wife.""
Dr. Cole looked at his hands.
"I should have told the police everything years ago.""
"Start now.""
He swallowed.
"Thomas Carter came to me nine years ago. He wanted me to alter the newborn records.""
"Because of Vanessa?""
"Partly. He wanted to conceal the identity of his children.""
"His children?""
Cole nodded.
"Thomas had three children outside his marriage. Vanessa was one. Emily was another.""
I frowned.
"That's two.""
He looked up.
"There was a third.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Who?""
Cole slid a photograph across the table.
It showed a young woman standing beside Thomas.
She was smiling.
Her dark hair fell over one shoulder.
I recognized her immediately.
My mother.
But she looked much younger.
Beside her stood another woman.
Rebecca Miller.
And between them was a little girl.
I stared at the photograph.
"That's Vanessa.""
"No," Cole said.
I looked up.
"Then who?""
He pointed to the little girl.
"Your mother was holding Vanessa. Rebecca was holding the other child.""
I examined the photograph.
The second child had a small crescent-shaped birthmark behind her left ear.
My stomach dropped.
"Who is she?""
Cole hesitated.
"Your sister.""
I stared at him.
"I already have a sister.""
"Not Vanessa.""
He slid another document across the table.
It was an original birth record.
The mother was listed as Eleanor Carter.
The father was Thomas Carter.
The child's name was Rebecca.
I looked at him.
"Rebecca?""
He nodded.
"Your mother gave birth to a daughter before you were born. Thomas arranged for her to be raised under a different identity.""
I felt sick.
"Where is she?""
"That's what Thomas has been trying to find.""
"Why?""
Cole leaned forward.
"Because Rebecca inherited something.""
I stared at the paper.
"From whom?""
"Her biological mother.""
I frowned.
"Her biological mother was Eleanor.""
"No.""
He took a breath.
"Thomas had a previous relationship with another woman. Her name was Helen Miller. She died before Rebecca was born.""
I felt the pieces shifting.
Rebecca Miller.
The woman who had given birth to the twins.
But she had also been my father's daughter.
Cole continued.
"Thomas arranged for Eleanor to raise Rebecca as her own child. But the adoption was never legally completed. When Helen died, she left a trust fund for Rebecca.""
"How much?""
"Approximately twelve million dollars.""
I stared at him.
"And Thomas wants it?""
"He has been trying to locate the beneficiary for decades.""
"Why didn't he simply tell Rebecca?""
"Because he doesn't know where she is.""
I looked at the photograph again.
The little girl.
The woman beside Thomas.
The birth records.
Then something struck me.
"Wait. Rebecca Miller was the mother of Vanessa and Emily?""
Cole nodded.
"Yes.""
"But you just said Rebecca was also my mother's daughter.""
He looked at me.
"Those are two different women with the same first name.""
I closed my eyes.
I had been drowning in names, identities, and switched documents for days.
"Explain it clearly.""
Cole opened a folder.
"Your father had a daughter named Rebecca with Helen Miller. Your mother later gave birth to another daughter, also named Rebecca, with Thomas. The second Rebecca was given a different identity and raised away from the family.""
I stared.
"Then who gave birth to Vanessa and Emily?""
"The first Rebecca. Your father's daughter with Helen.""
My mind raced.
"And the second Rebecca?""
Cole looked directly at me.
"She's your biological sister.""
I felt my chest tighten.
"Where is she?""
Cole shook his head.
"I don't know. But Nia found her.""
I leaned forward.
"How?""
"She traced an old trust document. Then she discovered that the woman had been living under another name.""
"What name?""
Cole opened another page.
*Rachel Miller.*
My stomach dropped.
Rachel.
The nurse who had called me.
The woman who had brought the hospital records to my home.
The woman who had warned me about the person entering Nia's room.
I stared at Dr. Cole.
"Rachel is my sister?""
He nodded.
"Yes.""
I couldn't speak.
The woman who had been helping us uncover the truth had been part of the truth all along.
"Did she know?""
"Not at first. Nia told her shortly before her death.""
I stood abruptly.
"Why didn't she tell me?""
"Because she was afraid Thomas would find out.""
I paced the room.
"Then what happened the night Nia died?""
Cole's face crumpled.
"Thomas came to the hospital with Vanessa. They wanted the original medical records. Nia refused to hand them over.""
"Did they hurt her?""
Cole closed his eyes.
"Vanessa disconnected an alarm. Thomas removed a medication from the room.""
I gripped the table.
"What medication?""
"An emergency medication that Nia needed to keep her heart stable.""
My blood ran cold.
"Then why did she die?""
Cole began crying.
"Because I didn't stop them.""
The room went silent.
"You're telling me you watched my wife die?""
"I was afraid.""
I stood.
"You were her doctor!""
"I know.""
"You were supposed to protect her!""
He lowered his head.
"I know.""
Officer Reynolds stepped forward.
"Dr. Cole, did you administer anything to Mrs. Carter that night?""
He nodded.
"Yes.""
"What?""
"An injection.""
"Was it prescribed?""
"No.""
I felt my hands shaking.
"What was it?""
Cole looked at me.
"Something Thomas told me would make her unconscious.""
I stared at him.
"Did you know it could kill her?""
He began crying harder.
"Yes.""
I stepped backward.
The truth was finally clear.
Nia hadn't died because her illness had become too severe.
She had been murdered.
And the people responsible had stood beside me at her funeral.
Officer Reynolds ordered the detectives to secure the remaining evidence.
Then he turned to me.
"Marcus, we're issuing warrants for Thomas and Vanessa.""
"Where are they?""
"We have an address.""
I looked at Cole.
"Is there anything else?""
He hesitated.
Then he pulled out a final envelope.
"Nia left this for you.""
I opened it.
Inside was a photograph of Rachel holding a newborn baby.
On the back, Nia had written:
*The family secret ends with us. Find your sister. Tell her the truth. And never let Thomas choose which children deserve to live.*
I looked at the photograph.
Then I looked at the date.
It was taken the morning after Nia died.
Rachel had been holding the baby.
But the child wasn't Emily.
It was Lily.
I turned the photograph over again.
Beneath Nia's message was another line.
*Rachel knows what happened to the original baby.*
I immediately called her.
She answered on the second ring.
"Marcus?""
"Rachel, I know who you are.""
Silence.
Then she whispered:
"I was hoping you'd find out.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I needed to be certain.""
"Certain of what?""
Her voice cracked.
"That the baby Nia saved wasn't Lily.""
I felt my heart stop.
"What?""
Rachel began crying.
"Marcus, Nia didn't just save Emily. She saved another child.""
"Who?""
Rachel whispered:
"Vanessa gave birth to a baby six months ago.""
I froze.
"Where is the child?""
"Thomas took him.""
I gripped the phone.
"Why?""
"Because the baby is the only person who can inherit the Miller trust if Rebecca is declared legally dead.""
I closed my eyes.
Another child.
Another secret.
Another life being used as a weapon.
May you like
Then Rachel said:
"And Marcus, the baby's father is not who Vanessa claims.""
