Chapter 7: The Daughter Vanessa Buried
The woman on Eleanor's phone was crying too hard to speak.
I stood beside the desk, gripping the edge so tightly that my fingers hurt. The original cassette lay between us, beside the trust agreement that could change everything I knew about my family.
"Who are you?"" I asked.
The woman drew a shaky breath.
"My name is Margaret Ellis. I was a nurse at St. Mary's Hospital eighteen years ago. I helped deliver Vanessa's baby.""
"Vanessa told everyone her daughter died.""
"She told everyone the baby was stillborn.""
"Was she?""
"No, sweetheart. She was alive. She was healthy. She cried the moment she was born.""
My knees weakened.
"Then what happened to her?""
Margaret was silent for so long that I thought the call had disconnected.
Finally, she whispered, "Your stepmother signed papers surrendering the child. But the papers weren't what they appeared to be.""
Eleanor leaned closer to the phone.
"Margaret, you promised Catherine you would protect the child. What happened?""
"I was afraid.""
"Of whom?""
"Richard Hart.""
My father's name seemed to poison the air.
Margaret continued, her voice breaking.
"He came to the hospital that night. He told Vanessa that the baby would destroy their plans. He said she couldn't raise a child and maintain the life they'd arranged for themselves.""
"What plans?"" I demanded.
"I don't know everything. I only heard pieces. Money.
A business. A marriage that was supposed to solve their problems.""
Eleanor closed her eyes.
"Did Richard take the baby?""
"No. Catherine did.""
The room went silent.
I stared at the phone.
"My mother took Vanessa's baby?""
"She didn't steal her, Amelia. Vanessa begged Catherine to help. She was terrified that Richard would abandon her if the baby remained part of their lives. Catherine arranged for the child to be placed with a family who could give her a safe home.""
"Then why did Mom write that Vanessa's daughter was the only person who could prove who owned the company?""
"Because Catherine discovered something in the original trust documents. The child had been named as a contingent beneficiary. If Catherine's ownership was challenged and her own daughter couldn't inherit, the shares would pass to the child she had protected.""
I looked at Eleanor.
She was staring at the trust agreement as though she'd only just understood its significance.
"Who adopted the baby?"" I asked.
Margaret hesitated.
"I can't tell you that over the phone.""
"Why not?""
"Because I made a promise to Catherine. She said I should reveal the truth only when the girl was old enough to decide what she wanted to do with it.""
"She's eighteen now.""
"Yes.""
"Then tell me where she is.""
A sharp sound came through the phone.
Someone had opened a door on Margaret's end.
"Margaret?"" Eleanor said.
A man's voice interrupted.
"Who are you talking to?""
Margaret gasped.
Then the call ended.
I stared at the screen.
"Call her back.""
Eleanor tried twice.
Both calls went straight to voicemail.
"She might be frightened," Eleanor said.
"Or someone might be standing right beside her.""
I grabbed the photograph of Vanessa outside the design house.
"Does my father know where this girl is?""
Eleanor didn't answer.
I turned toward her.
"Does he?""
"Richard knew about the pregnancy. I can't say whether he knows what happened afterward.""
"That's not good enough.""
"No," she admitted.
"It isn't.""
I took a breath.
For eighteen years, Vanessa had lived under the same roof as me. She'd chosen my clothes, criticized my grades, and told my father that I needed stricter discipline whenever I disagreed with her.
She'd watched me grow up while hiding an entire child from the world.
And somehow, my mother had been involved.
I couldn't make the pieces fit.
"Why would Mom help Vanessa?"" I asked.
"They weren't friends.""
Eleanor looked at the photograph.
"They were once.""
"What?""
"Before your father married Catherine, Vanessa worked at the studio. She was young, ambitious, and talented at recognizing opportunities. Catherine took her under her wing.""
I remembered the photograph of them holding hands.
"Then what happened?""
"Vanessa fell in love with Richard while he was still married to your mother.""
My stomach twisted.
Eleanor continued carefully.
"By the time Catherine discovered the affair, Vanessa was pregnant. Richard promised to leave his marriage. Instead, he persuaded Vanessa to wait until the financial dispute at the company was resolved.""
"Why?""
"Because Catherine owned the controlling shares. If Richard divorced her before the business arrangement was settled, he stood to lose everything he'd hoped to gain.""
I thought of the documents in the envelope.
The transfers.
The missing money.
The signature my father had tried to hide.
"So he used Vanessa to steal from Mom.""
"That's what Catherine believed.""
"And Vanessa agreed?""
"I don't know whether she understood the full arrangement at the time.""
I laughed bitterly.
"She understood enough to pour silver paint over my dress.""
Eleanor didn't smile.
"Amelia, your mother was trying to save more than a company. She was trying to protect you and another child from the people who should have protected them.""
A knock sounded at the mansion's front door.
Eleanor turned toward the hallway.
A moment later, her housekeeper appeared.
"Mrs. Whitmore, Mr. Hart is here.""
My blood ran cold.
"Did you tell him I was here?""
"No," Eleanor replied.
The housekeeper looked uncomfortable.
"He said he had an urgent family matter to discuss.""
Eleanor stood.
"Tell him I'm unavailable.""
"He says it concerns Amelia.""
I looked at the door.
My father had found us.
And I suddenly understood why Margaret had been so afraid.
"Don't let him in," I said.
But Eleanor was already walking toward the hallway.
"Richard and I have avoided this conversation for eighteen years," she said.
"It's time we finished it.""
I followed her.
My father stood in the entrance hall, wearing a dark suit and holding a leather briefcase. Vanessa was beside him.
When she saw me, her expression hardened.
"There you are.""
I didn't answer.
Richard looked at Eleanor.
"You've gone too far.""
Eleanor folded her arms.
"That's an interesting statement from a man who told his daughter that her dead mother was penniless.""
Vanessa stepped forward.
"This is none of your business.""
"Your daughter's life became my business when Catherine asked me to protect her.""
Vanessa's eyes flashed.
"You promised not to tell anyone.""
I froze.
Eleanor stared at her.
"Thank you for confirming that you knew about the arrangement.""
Vanessa realized her mistake too late.
Richard grabbed her elbow.
"Stop talking.""
She jerked away.
"Don't order me around! You promised me the company. You promised me that after Catherine was gone, we'd never have to worry again.""
My father went pale.
I looked from one to the other.
"You promised her what?""
Neither answered.
I stepped closer.
"Is that why you married her? Because she helped you steal from Mom?""
Richard's face reddened.
"You have no idea what you're talking about.""
"Then explain the money.""
He dropped his briefcase on the table and opened it.
Inside were several documents.
"The money was transferred to protect the business. Catherine was making reckless decisions. She was going to destroy everything.""
"Then why did you hide the records?""
"Because the company would have collapsed if the truth had come out.""
Eleanor shook her head.
"You could have corrected the accounts.""
"Not after what she'd done.""
"What had she done?"" I demanded.
My father looked at me.
For a moment, I thought he might finally answer.
Instead, he turned toward Vanessa.
"Tell her.""
Vanessa's lips parted.
Then she looked at me with an expression I had never seen before.
Not anger.
Not contempt.
Fear.
"Your mother knew about the baby," she whispered.
"I know.""
"No, Amelia. You don't understand.""
She took a step toward me.
"Catherine didn't just help my daughter disappear.""
Her voice dropped to a trembling whisper.
"She made sure the baby could never inherit anything from me.""
I stared at her.
Then I understood the terrible implication.
If Vanessa had surrendered her child to protect her relationship with Richard, why would she be afraid of that child inheriting the company?
Unless the baby wasn't merely a beneficiary.
Unless the child possessed something Vanessa desperately needed.
Eleanor opened the trust agreement and scanned the final page.
Her face changed.
"Richard," she said slowly.
"You told me Catherine's shares had been transferred to Amelia.""
"They were.""
"No."" Eleanor pointed to a paragraph beneath the highlighted clause.
"Catherine placed a condition on the transfer.""
She read aloud.
The primary beneficiary shall retain full ownership unless a surviving contingent beneficiary establishes a claim to the original trust.
My father closed his eyes.
Vanessa backed toward the door.
And then my father's phone rang.
He glanced at the screen.
The name displayed there made Vanessa scream.
*LILY.*
Richard answered.
"Where are you?""
A young woman's voice came through the speaker.
"At the design house.""
My heart stopped.
"Who is this?"" I demanded.
The woman paused.
Then she said, "My name is Lily Sinclair.""
I gripped the table.
"Are you Vanessa's daughter?""
Silence.
Then Lily whispered, "Yes.""
A crash sounded through the phone.
Someone shouted in the background.
Lily's voice returned, frantic.
"Amelia, I found something beneath the stairs. Something your mother left for both of us.""
The line crackled.
"Please," she whispered.
"You have to come before they—"
The call ended.
Vanessa bolted toward the door.
My father followed.
But Eleanor caught my arm.
"Amelia, wait.""
I turned.
Her face was white.
"Whatever you find at that studio," she said, "don't let Lily sign anything.""
"Why?""
May you like
Eleanor looked toward the window, where Richard's car was already pulling away.
"Because if Lily signs the wrong document, she could lose the only thing Catherine managed to save.""
