Chapter 6: The Daughter Hidden in the Mansion
I read the address again.
Then I looked at the photograph.
The girl had Tessa's eyes.
The same dark curls.
The same small dimple near the left corner of her mouth.
But there was something else.
A silver bracelet.
I recognized it immediately.
It was the bracelet Daniel had bought before the twins were born.
He had shown it to me in the hospital parking lot, smiling like a child.
“One day, both our girls will wear these,” he had said.
I had laughed.
“You're planning their entire lives already?””
“Only the important parts.””
He had kissed my forehead.
I had never seen that bracelet again.
Now it was wrapped around the wrist of a girl I had never met.
My daughter.
“Where did you get this photograph?”” I asked.
Margaret closed the folder.
“From a private investigator who has been tracking Marjorie's household.””
“Why didn't he tell me sooner?””
“Because we needed proof that the girl was alive and that she was connected to the original transfer.””
I looked at Jonathan.
“Does she know?””
He shook his head.
“Not as far as we can tell.””
I stared at the photograph.
“What does Marjorie call her?””
“Isabella Bennett.””
The name made my chest tighten.
She had given my daughter her surname.
Not Mercer's.
Not mine.
Bennett.
As if she had always belonged to them.
I looked toward Tessa.
She was sitting in the back seat of my car with Caleb and Mason. She was staring at her phone, probably trying to understand how her life had changed in less than twenty-four hours.
I walked over and opened the door.
“Sweetheart, I need to tell you something.””
She looked up.
“Is it about my sister?””
I nodded.
“Her name is Isabella.””
Tessa's lips parted.
“Is she real?””
I smiled through my tears.
“Very real.””
“Does she look like me?””
I handed her the photograph.
Tessa stared at it.
Then she touched the girl's face with one finger.
“Mom…”
Her voice broke.
“She looks like me.””
I nodded.
Tessa studied the bracelet.
“That's the bracelet Dad gave me.””
I froze.
“What?””
She reached beneath her shirt and pulled out a thin silver chain.
A tiny silver bracelet hung from it.
It had been Daniel's gift, kept in a small box I had given her when she turned five.
I had never realized the bracelet in the photograph was its twin.
Tessa's eyes filled.
“He bought two?””
“Yes.””
“Then why did I only get one?””
I sat beside her.
“Because somebody took your sister.””
Tessa began crying.
“Did she think I didn't want her?””
I pulled her into my arms.
“Oh, baby.””
“Did she think Mom didn't want her?””
I held her tighter.
“No. Never.””
Caleb turned away, wiping his eyes.
Mason stared out the window, his jaw clenched.
Then Caleb spoke.
“We're getting her back.””
I looked at him.
“Yes.””
He nodded.
“Then let's go.””
Margaret immediately raised a hand.
“Wait. You cannot simply confront Marjorie.””
I turned toward her.
“Why not?””
“Because we need to establish the girl's legal status and make sure she is safe. If you approach Marjorie without the proper documentation, she may move Isabella.””
Jonathan nodded.
“Margaret is right.””
I looked at the photograph again.
My daughter had spent nine years living under the same roof as the woman who hated her twin sister.
I couldn't imagine what Marjorie had told her.
I couldn't imagine how many lies she had heard.
“What if Isabella doesn't know she's adopted?””
Margaret hesitated.
“That is possible.””
“What if she believes Marjorie is her mother?””
Jonathan looked down.
“Then we have to be careful.””
I returned home that afternoon.
The mansion looked exactly as it had the day before.
The marble floors gleamed.
The crystal chandelier sparkled.
The expensive flowers in the foyer smelled faintly of lilies.
But now every corner seemed contaminated by secrets.
Grant's car was parked outside.
I entered through the front door with the documents tucked beneath my arm.
Marjorie was sitting in the living room.
She wore a pale blue dress and was drinking tea.
When she saw me, she slowly placed the cup on its saucer.
“You've been busy.””
I didn't answer.
She looked at the folder.
“Where did you get those?””
“From Daniel's attorney.””
Her expression hardened.
“I told you to stay away from that woman.””
“You mean the attorney who knows you stole my daughter?””
Marjorie stood.
“Lower your voice.””
I laughed once.
“You've spent nine years telling my child she doesn't belong here. Meanwhile, you've been raising her twin sister under a false identity.””
Marjorie went completely still.
For the first time, she had no immediate response.
Then she walked toward the staircase.
“Isabella!””
I froze.
A door opened upstairs.
Footsteps approached.
And then I saw her.
A girl in a white sweater and jeans stood halfway down the staircase.
Dark curls.
Brown eyes.
The same dimple.
She was carrying a school textbook.
She looked at Marjorie.
“Grandma? You called?””
My knees nearly gave way.
Grandma.
She called Marjorie Grandma.
Marjorie placed a hand on the railing.
“Go back to your room, darling.””
Isabella looked confused.
Then her eyes moved toward me.
“Who is she?””
I tried to speak.
Nothing came out.
Tessa stepped out from behind me.
She had insisted on coming inside.
The two girls stared at each other.
Neither moved.
Neither spoke.
Then Tessa slowly raised her hand.
“Hi.””
Isabella blinked.
“Hi?””
Tessa took a small step forward.
“My name is Tessa.””
Isabella's expression changed.
She glanced at Marjorie.
“Grandma, why does she look like me?””
Marjorie moved quickly toward the stairs.
“Isabella, go upstairs.””
But the girl didn't move.
She looked at Tessa again.
“Why do you have my face?””
Tessa's lower lip trembled.
“Because I think we're sisters.””
Isabella stared at her.
Then she laughed nervously.
“That's impossible. I don't have a sister.””
I felt something break inside me.
I took one step forward.
“Sweetheart, you do.””
Marjorie grabbed Isabella's arm.
“Don't listen to her.””
Isabella pulled away.
“Grandma, you're hurting me.””
Marjorie released her immediately.
I looked at the woman.
“Don't touch her.””
Marjorie's eyes flashed.
“You have no right to come into my home and confuse this child.””
“Your home?””
I held up the legal document.
“Daniel's shares gave him controlling ownership of this property. And the trust documents establish that both girls are his legal heirs.””
Marjorie laughed sharply.
“You think a few pieces of paper will change anything?””
“Actually, I think they already have.””
At that moment, Grant entered through the side door.
He stopped when he saw the two girls.
His face turned white.
Then he looked at Marjorie.
“Mom, I told you not to let them meet.””
Isabella turned toward him.
“Dad?””
The word struck me like a physical blow.
Grant walked toward her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Go upstairs, sweetheart.””
She looked between him and Marjorie.
Then she asked a question that silenced the entire room.
“Dad, why does that girl have the same birthday as me?””
Grant's mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
Tessa stepped closer.
“We were born on the same day.””
Isabella looked at her bracelet.
Then at Tessa's.
Her eyes widened.
“Where did you get that?””
Tessa lifted her wrist.
“My dad gave it to me.””
Isabella slowly raised her own wrist.
“Grandma said my parents died before I was born.””
I looked at Marjorie.
She had gone completely pale.
I knelt in front of Isabella.
“Sweetheart, I'm your mother.””
The room became utterly silent.
Isabella shook her head.
“No.””
Her voice was barely audible.
“Grandma said my real mother didn't want me.””
I felt tears run down my face.
“I wanted you every single day.””
Isabella took one step backward.
Then another.
She looked at Grant.
“Dad, is she lying?””
Grant stared at her.
And just as he opened his mouth, a woman's voice came from the staircase.
“She's not lying, Isabella.””
Everyone turned.
A woman in her early forties stood at the top of the stairs.
She was holding a framed photograph.
I recognized her immediately.
It was Evelyn Mercer.
Daniel's sister.
She slowly descended the staircase.
Then she placed the photograph on the table.
It showed two newborn babies.
And standing beside them was a woman I had never seen before.
Evelyn looked directly at Marjorie.
“You told everyone the twins were born to a surrogate.””
Marjorie's hands began trembling.
Evelyn continued.
“But I have the original hospital footage.””
Grant stepped toward her.
“Evelyn, don't.””
She ignored him.
Then she turned to me.
“Dana, there's something else you need to know.””
My heart pounded.
“What?””
Evelyn looked at Grant.
“Isabella wasn't the only child Marjorie took from Daniel.””
She opened the framed photograph.
Behind it was a folded document.
At the bottom was another child's name.
*A third birth record.*
And beside it was a signature I recognized.
Grant Bennett's.
May you like
Evelyn whispered:
“Daniel had three children. And one of them was never supposed to be found.””
Related Stories
