Chapter 13: The Sister Who Knew My Secret
I locked my phone.
“It's nothing,” I said.
Dad's expression hardened.
“Maya, don't lie to me.””
Daniel stepped between us.
“Marcus, give her a minute.””
Dad looked at him.
“You've been hiding things from me since the day you arrived. I'm done with secrets.””
Detective Harris raised a hand.
“Everyone needs to calm down. We have evidence involving several people, and we need to handle it carefully.””
I turned away and opened Sophie's message again.
*Don't let your father see the original hospital recording.*
Why would she say that?
Hadn't we already heard the recording of Vanessa arguing with Mom?
Was there another recording?
I typed:
Who are you? What do you know about my mother?
Her reply came almost immediately.
I'm Lauren's daughter. I was adopted, but Eleanor found me years ago. She contacted me because she believed Vanessa was planning something.
I stared at the screen.
Why didn't you contact me sooner?
Because I was told your father couldn't be trusted.
I looked at Dad.
He was speaking quietly with Detective Harris.
Then another message arrived.
Meet me at the old library on Mercer Street. Come alone. Bring the blue box if you still have it.
I didn't like the instruction.
I didn't trust strangers.
But I needed answers.
I showed Detective Harris the messages.
She studied them.
“Don't go anywhere alone. We'll arrange a controlled meeting.””
Dad shook his head.
“No. This is getting out of control.””
“Marcus,” the detective said, “your daughter may be the only person Sophie is willing to speak to. We can protect her without turning this into another confrontation.””
Dad reluctantly agreed.
An hour later, we arrived at the library.
Sophie was waiting near the entrance.
She looked about twenty-five.
Dark hair.
Green eyes.
A small scar near her left eyebrow.
And when she saw me, she looked as though she had been holding her breath for years.
“Maya?””
I nodded.
“Are you Sophie?””
She smiled sadly.
“Yes.””
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then she stepped forward.
“I know this is strange.””
“Strange is one word for it.””
She laughed softly, but her eyes filled with tears.
“I've seen pictures of you.””
“From where?””
“Eleanor.””
My heart tightened.
“You knew my mother?””
Sophie nodded.
“She found me when I was sixteen. She had been searching for me through adoption records and old family connections.””
“Why didn't she tell me?””
“Because she was afraid Vanessa would find out.””
I looked toward Detective Harris, who was watching from a distance.
“What does Vanessa have to do with you?””
Sophie took a breath.
“My biological father was Marcus.””
I felt the world tilt.
“That's impossible.””
She shook her head.
“Lauren told me everything last year. Before Daniel was born, she had another child. Marcus was my father, but he never knew I existed.””
I stared at her.
“So you're my sister?””
“Yes.””
I wanted to hug her.
I wanted to scream.
I wanted to ask a thousand questions.
Instead, I said the only thing I could think of.
“Why did Mom put your name in the trust?””
Sophie opened her bag.
“Because she believed you and I were being targeted by the same person.””
She handed me a folded document.
It was a letter from Eleanor.
The handwriting was unmistakable.
*Maya, if you are reading this, I hope you have finally met Sophie. She deserves the truth. Your father did not know about her when we married, but he discovered the possibility shortly before my final illness.
I asked him to find her. I never told you because I wanted to protect you from a family conflict I could not control.*
I looked up.
“Dad knew?””
Sophie nodded.
“He found out shortly before Eleanor died. Lauren contacted him. But Vanessa intercepted the correspondence.””
I felt anger rising.
“Then why did he never tell me?””
“Because he believed Lauren had disappeared again. Vanessa told him she wanted nothing to do with the family.””
I looked toward Dad.
He had followed us into the library.
He had heard enough.
“Sophie?””
She turned.
“Marcus.””
Dad stared at her.
For several seconds, he couldn't speak.
Then he whispered:
“You have your mother's eyes.””
Sophie looked down.
“You should have looked for me.””
Dad's face crumpled.
“I know.””
“You should have asked questions.””
“I know.””
“And Eleanor shouldn't have had to protect me.””
Dad closed his eyes.
“I know.””
There was no dramatic excuse.
No easy explanation.
Just a man standing in front of a daughter he had failed to find.
Sophie wiped her cheek.
“I didn't come here to punish you.””
“Then why did you come?””
She pulled a small silver flash drive from her bag.
“Because I have the original hospital recording.””
Detective Harris approached immediately.
“Where did you get that?””
“Eleanor gave it to Lauren before she died. Lauren hid it in the warehouse records.””
I looked at the flash drive.
“What does it contain?””
Sophie glanced at Dad.
“Everything.””
Dad went pale.
“What does that mean?””
Sophie hesitated.
Then she said:
“It proves Vanessa didn't act alone.””
Detective Harris took the drive and placed it into an evidence pouch.
“We'll have it examined properly.””
Sophie shook her head.
“There's something else.””
She opened her phone and showed us an audio file.
“Before Eleanor died, she recorded a conversation with Marcus.””
Dad stared.
“I never had that conversation.””
Sophie looked at him.
“You did. You just don't remember what you agreed to.””
The room fell silent.
She pressed play.
Dad's voice came through the speaker.
“Eleanor, I can't lose the company.””
Mom answered:
“Then stop letting Vanessa handle the accounts.””
Dad said:
“I'll fix it.””
Mom replied:
“Promise me you won't sign anything else.””
A pause.
Then Dad's voice again.
“I promise.””
The recording continued.
Mom spoke one final sentence.
“Marcus, if anything happens to me, remember that you signed the document that gave her access.””
Dad's face went white.
He stared at the phone.
“I don't remember that.””
Sophie stopped the recording.
“That's why I told Maya not to trust you.””
Dad looked at her.
“What document?””
Sophie opened another file.
It was a power of attorney.
Signed by Marcus.
Dated three weeks before Eleanor died.
And it gave Vanessa temporary authority over several family accounts.
Dad whispered:
“I thought I was signing a document to protect the company.””
Detective Harris took the paper.
“Mr. Bennett, we're going to need a full statement.””
Dad looked at me.
“Maya, I swear I didn't know what she intended.””
I wanted to believe him.
But the evidence was getting harder to ignore.
Then Sophie's phone rang.
She answered.
Her expression changed.
“Mom?””
A pause.
“What do you mean?””
She looked at me.
Then at Detective Harris.
“Vanessa has been released.””
Detective Harris immediately reached for her radio.
“Who authorized that?””
Sophie listened again.
May you like
Then she whispered:
“She's coming here.””
