Chapter 10: The Daughter Patricia Never Wanted
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Patricia's question hung between us.
Ask Evelyn who Vanessa's real father is.
Vanessa stood beside the stage, still wearing the wedding gown I had created. Her fingers were gripping the pearl-trimmed waist so tightly that her knuckles had turned white.
"What did she mean?"" Vanessa demanded.
Patricia turned away.
"Nothing. She's trying to confuse you.""
Vanessa stepped forward.
"Mom, look at me.""
Patricia refused.
"Vanessa, this is not the time.""
"Then when is the time? You just told everyone that my father might not be my father.""
A few guests exchanged uncomfortable glances.
Evelyn approached slowly.
"Vanessa, there's something your mother should have told you years ago.""
Patricia raised her voice.
"Don't you dare.""
Evelyn stopped.
For the first time, I noticed something unusual about her expression. She wasn't angry.
She looked heartbroken.
"Your biological father was Richard's younger brother, Thomas.""
Vanessa stared.
"Uncle Thomas?""
Evelyn nodded.
"He and your mother were involved before she married Richard.""
Patricia shook her head.
"That's not true.""
Evelyn continued.
"Thomas died before you were born. Richard knew about the pregnancy. He chose to raise you as his daughter because he loved you.""
Vanessa stepped backward.
"You're lying.""
"I wish I were.""
"Why would you tell me this now?""
"Because your mother has spent your entire life using your father's name to control this family.""
Vanessa looked at Patricia.
"Is it true?""
Patricia's lips parted.
But no words came.
Vanessa began crying.
"Mom?""
Patricia finally spoke.
"Richard was your father in every way that mattered.""
"That's not what I asked.""
Patricia reached for her daughter's hand.
Vanessa pulled away.
"Don't touch me.""
The ballroom had become completely silent.
I looked at Evelyn.
"How does this connect to my mother?""
Evelyn glanced toward Patricia.
"Thomas was the person who originally introduced Margaret to Eleanor. He believed Eleanor's designs deserved international recognition. He was also the person who discovered that Patricia had been secretly copying Eleanor's patterns.""
Patricia laughed bitterly.
"That's ridiculous.""
"No," Evelyn said.
"It's documented.""
She removed another photograph from her handbag.
It showed a young man standing beside my mother in front of the original Bennett House studio.
He was handsome, with dark hair and a familiar smile.
Evelyn handed it to me.
"That's Thomas.""
I studied the photograph.
On the back, my mother's handwriting read:
Thomas says the blue collection should never be sold without the name of the woman who created it.
I looked up.
"Did he help my mother?""
"Yes. He wanted her to receive the credit she deserved. Unfortunately, he died before he could expose everything.""
Patricia suddenly stepped toward Evelyn.
"Enough! You have no right to bring up Thomas.""
Evelyn didn't move.
"I have every right. You used his name to gain Richard's sympathy. You convinced Richard that Eleanor had betrayed him. And then you used the resulting confusion to take control of the collection.""
Patricia's face turned red.
"You know nothing about what happened between us.""
"I know more than you think.""
Evelyn looked toward Vanessa.
"Your mother told Richard that Eleanor and Thomas had been secretly working together to take over the company. It was a lie.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Why would she do that?""
"Because Thomas had discovered the original ownership agreement. If he showed it to the board, Patricia would lose her position.""
Vanessa wiped her cheeks.
"Mom, did you steal the designs?""
Patricia looked at her daughter.
"Everything I did was for this family.""
Vanessa shook her head.
"You let me wear a dress made from stolen work.""
Patricia's voice softened.
"You loved that dress.""
"That's not an answer.""
For a moment, I felt sorry for Vanessa.
Then I remembered her standing in my studio, holding my gown above my reach.
I remembered her laughter.
Her mother had taught her that taking something was acceptable if the person holding it had less power.
I wasn't ready to forgive her.
But I understood something.
Vanessa had been raised inside a lie.
Laura approached me.
"We need to leave. The police are on their way, and the situation is becoming unpredictable.""
I nodded.
But before I could move, Evelyn caught my arm.
"Maya, wait.""
She placed the sealed letter in my hands.
"Your mother knew this day might come. Margaret wanted the letter delivered to you personally.""
I examined the red wax seal.
There was a small symbol pressed into it.
A blue flower.
The same flower embroidered on my mother's original designs.
I broke the seal.
Inside was a handwritten statement.
The first paragraph confirmed that Eleanor Bennett had created the collection.
The second confirmed the partnership agreement.
But the third paragraph made my hands tremble.
I also acknowledge that the original archive contains a second collection, one Eleanor created for her daughter, Maya. These designs were never intended for commercial sale. They were a personal inheritance.
I read the sentence twice.
A personal inheritance.
Beneath it was another line.
The final design is known as The Blue Promise.
I looked at Evelyn.
"What is The Blue Promise?""
Evelyn's eyes filled with tears.
"Your mother told me it was the most important dress she ever created.""
I thought about the wooden box.
The fabric swatches.
The memory seam.
"Where is it?""
Evelyn shook her head.
"I don't know.""
Then Vanessa approached us.
Her makeup was running, and the wedding gown was slightly twisted around her waist.
"Maya.""
I turned.
She held out a small piece of paper.
"I found this inside the lining.""
My breath caught.
It was a narrow strip of fabric with handwriting stitched into it.
I recognized my mother's handwriting immediately.
For Maya. When the truth is finally known, remember that you were loved before you were born.
I couldn't speak.
Vanessa lowered her eyes.
"Your mother made this dress for you, didn't she?""
I looked at the gown.
Suddenly, the floral embroidery looked different.
The blue flowers weren't random decorations.
They formed a pattern.
A pattern I remembered from the wooden box.
My mother had not designed this gown for Vanessa.
She had created it years ago as part of something much larger.
And Vanessa had unknowingly been wearing the first piece of my inheritance.
Before I could examine the fabric further, Laura's phone rang.
She answered.
Then her expression changed.
"What's wrong?"" I asked.
She covered the microphone.
"Daniel Reeves has been located.""
"Where?""
Laura looked toward the ballroom doors.
"At the private storage facility outside Hartford.""
My heart stopped.
The same facility where my mother's archive was supposed to be kept.
Laura listened for another moment.
Then she lowered the phone.
"He's already inside.""
May you like
I looked at the key in Helen's hand.
And realized we might already be too late.
