Chapter 14: The Truth About the Two Girls
I stared at Margaret.
For years, I had called her my mother.
She had held my hand through surgeries, comforted me after nightmares, and sat beside my hospital bed when doctors said I might never walk again.
She had also hidden the truth about my birth.
“Why?”” I whispered.
Margaret's eyes filled.
“Because I was afraid.””
“Afraid of what?””
“Thomas.””
Lily came closer.
“Margaret told me you died.””
I looked at her.
“She told me you never existed.””
Lily lowered her head.
“We were both lied to.””
Elizabeth stepped forward.
“My babies.””
She reached for us.
Lily embraced her first.
I watched them hold each other.
Then I moved closer.
Elizabeth wrapped both arms around us.
For a moment, there were no documents, no inheritance, no secrets.
Only a mother holding the daughters she had spent twenty-four years searching for.
Then Richard spoke.
“Margaret, we need the truth.””
Margaret nodded.
She led us inside.
The house was small and quiet. On the walls were photographs of Lily at different ages.
A birthday cake.
A school uniform.
A graduation ceremony.
I stopped at one photograph.
Lily was standing beside a wheelchair.
Her hands rested on the handles.
“Why did you keep this?””
Margaret followed my gaze.
“Because I wanted to remember the day I realized I couldn't protect you both.””
I turned.
“Tell me everything.””
She sat down.
“Your mother gave birth to four children. Two girls and two boys. Thomas believed that if the children were raised separately, he could control the inheritance without anyone discovering the family connection.””
Michael leaned forward.
“Where were the boys sent?””
“One was taken by Thomas. The other was placed with Richard's mother.””
Richard looked at her.
“Michael.””
Margaret nodded.
“Your mother arranged his adoption through a private agency. She believed it would keep him safe.””
Michael looked down.
“And Daniel?””
“Thomas took him.””
Daniel's jaw tightened.
“And the girls?””
Margaret looked at us.
“I was given both of you. I was supposed to take you somewhere safe and raise you as sisters.””
I stared at her.
“But you separated us.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because Thomas discovered where we were. He threatened to kill Lily if I didn't give him one of the babies.””
Lily reached for my hand.
“Which one?””
Margaret looked at me.
“You.””
The room went silent.
“Why me?””
“Because Thomas believed you were his biological daughter. He wanted to use you to control the inheritance.””
I remembered the report.
Thomas Carter.
The handwritten note.
The fake DNA results.
“But if he was my father, why did he need to take me?””
Margaret looked toward Elizabeth.
“Because Elizabeth had already told him the truth.””
My mother closed her eyes.
“Thomas wasn't your father.””
I felt my breath catch.
“Then who was?””
Elizabeth took my hands.
“Richard.””
Richard stared at her.
I looked at him.
“But the DNA report said—”
“Thomas switched the samples,” Elizabeth said.
“He knew Richard would never abandon you if he believed you were his daughter. So he made him believe you were dead instead.””
Richard stepped toward me.
“I didn't know.””
I looked at him.
“Are you sure?””
Elizabeth nodded.
“Your grandfather secretly arranged a second test before he died. The results were hidden in the original trust records.””
She opened a small folder.
Inside was a laboratory report.
The test confirmed that Richard was my biological father.
It also confirmed that Lily shared the same father.
Daniel's report showed the same result.
But Michael's was different.
He was Alexander Reed's son.
Elizabeth explained quietly.
“Your grandfather was the father of none of you. He was trying to protect the children from Evelyn and Thomas.””
I looked at Michael.
“So you really are our brother.””
Michael smiled sadly.
“I always was.””
Richard sank into a chair.
“I have three children.””
Elizabeth nodded.
“And one more son.””
Richard looked at Michael.
“Alexander's son.””
Michael looked away.
“Alexander raised me for a short time before he disappeared.””
I turned to Margaret.
“What about the accident?””
Her face changed.
“Thomas found you when you were seventeen. He knew you were Richard's daughter. He arranged for your car to be tampered with.””
I gripped the armrests of my wheelchair.
“He tried to kill me.””
Margaret nodded.
“Ethan was paid to help. He gave Thomas your schedule. Marcus cut the brake line, but he didn't know the full plan.””
My stomach turned.
“And you?””
Margaret's voice broke.
“I discovered the truth after the accident. I wanted to tell you, but Thomas threatened Lily. He said if I spoke, she would disappear.””
I looked at Lily.
She began crying.
“I spent years wondering why nobody wanted me.””
I reached for her hand.
“I wondered the same thing.””
We sat together for a long moment.
Then Daniel placed the silver memory card on the table.
“We have enough evidence to expose Thomas and Evelyn.””
Margaret shook her head.
“Not yet.””
Richard frowned.
“What else is there?””
Margaret stood and walked toward a cabinet.
She removed a small metal box.
Inside were bank records, medical documents, and a sealed letter.
“This belonged to Alexander.””
Michael picked up the letter.
His hands trembled.
The envelope bore his name.
He opened it.
Inside was a single page.
*Michael, if you are reading this, I am probably gone. Your mother was right about Thomas, but wrong about one thing. Thomas was never the mastermind.
He was following Evelyn's orders. And Evelyn was following someone else's.*
Michael looked up.
“Who?””
Margaret swallowed.
“The person who funded the entire operation.””
She turned toward Richard.
“Your mother wasn't working alone.””
Richard's face went pale.
“Who else?””
Margaret placed a bank statement on the table.
The account holder was listed as:
*CARTER FAMILY FOUNDATION — TRUSTEE: ETHAN COLE.*
Daniel stared.
“Ethan?””
I felt cold.
“He was working for Thomas.””
Margaret shook her head.
“No. Thomas was working for him.””
The front door suddenly opened.
A man walked inside.
Ethan Cole.
He looked older, thinner, and frightened.
He raised both hands.
“Please. I can explain.””
Daniel stood.
“You have ten seconds.””
Ethan looked at me.
“I know who ordered your accident.””
“Who?””
He swallowed.
“Your grandmother.””
Richard stepped forward.
“My mother is dead.””
Ethan shook his head.
“No, Richard.””
He looked at the photograph of Lily and me.
“She's been alive this entire time.””
Then he placed a second document on the table.
A death certificate.
It belonged to Evelyn Carter.
The date was tomorrow.
I stared at it.
“That's impossible.””
Ethan nodded.
“Because she's planning to die tomorrow.””
May you like
He looked at me.
“And she's taking the entire family down with her.””
