Chapter 9: The Daughter Nobody Was Allowed to Love
Eleanor stared at the photograph for almost a minute.
Then she reached for my phone.
“Let me see her.””
I pulled it away.
“Don't.””
“Marcus, please. That's my daughter.””
I looked at her.
“Your daughter?””
Her face crumpled.
“I gave birth to her.””
“And for seven years, you let everyone believe she was dead.””
“I believed she was dead!””
“You believed Richard without asking a single other question?””
She started crying again.
“I was twenty-nine years old. I had just given birth. They told me there had been complications.
I was sedated. When I woke up, the baby was gone.””
I looked at Daniel.
“Did you know?””
He shook his head.
“No.””
I turned back to Eleanor.
“Did my father know?””
She nodded slowly.
“He arranged everything.””
I felt my stomach tighten.
“Why?””
“Because he wanted a child who could inherit the business without being connected to Adrian.””
I frowned.
“What does Adrian have to do with your daughter?””
Eleanor looked away.
“Adrian was never supposed to know about the pregnancy.””
“But he's your brother.””
“That's why Richard was so careful. He knew Adrian would demand control of anything connected to the inheritance.””
I studied her face.
For the first time, I saw something beneath her carefully maintained appearance.
Grief.
Not the kind she had shown when confronted.
Something older.
Something she had carried for years.
But grief did not erase what she had done.
“You could have told me,” I said.
“I wanted to.””
“When?””
“After our wedding. Then after your father died. Then after the fertility treatments.””
She wiped her cheeks.
“Every time I tried, Richard reminded me that Lily could be taken somewhere I'd never find her.””
I looked at Daniel.
“Can we trace the photograph?””
He examined the image.
“It may contain location information.””
“Can you find it?””
“I can try.””
Officer Bennett approached.
“We have an update on the missing infant.””
I immediately stood.
“Oliver?””
“We've located Adrian's vehicle.””
“Where?””
“Near the Westbridge clinic.””
I felt my pulse quicken.
“Is my son there?””
“We don't know yet. Officers are approaching the building.””
I looked at the photograph again.
“Then we're going there.””
Officer Bennett nodded.
“We'll take you in a separate vehicle.””
I turned toward Eleanor.
“You're coming with us.””
She looked frightened.
“Why?””
“Because if Lily is your daughter, you deserve to see her. But you will tell the police everything.””
She nodded.
We left the house under police escort.
The drive to Westbridge took twenty minutes.
I spent every second staring at the photograph of Lily.
She had dark hair tied into two small ponytails and wore a yellow dress.
In the background stood a white house with a blue front door.
I enlarged the image.
Something familiar caught my eye.
A wooden sign beside the front gate.
*ROSEWOOD CHILDREN'S HOME.*
I showed Daniel.
He leaned closer.
“That's not a private residence.””
“What is it?””
“A residential care facility.””
I looked at him.
“Why would my mother be living in a children's home?””
He shook his head.
“I don't know.””
When we arrived at Westbridge, two police vehicles were already parked outside.
An officer approached.
“Mr. Bennett?””
“Yes.””
“We found the vehicle.””
“Where's my son?””
The officer hesitated.
“Mr. Adrian Cole is not here.””
My heart sank.
“What about Oliver?””
“We found a baby carrier in the back seat. It was empty.””
I felt my legs weaken.
Eleanor began sobbing.
I gripped the car door.
“Where is my son?””
“We found something else.””
The officer handed me a small envelope.
Inside was a hospital identification bracelet.
The name printed on it was Oliver Bennett.
And beneath it, someone had written a message.
*ONE CHILD FOR ONE CHILD.*
I looked at Daniel.
“What does this mean?””
He read it twice.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
“Hello?””
A man's voice came through.
I recognized it immediately.
Richard Hayes.
“Daniel, I trust Marcus has received my little message.””
Daniel put the call on speaker.
“Where is Oliver?””
Richard laughed.
“Safe.””
“Where?””
“Somewhere you can't reach him.””
I grabbed the phone.
“Richard, listen to me. If you've touched my son—”
“Your son?”” Richard interrupted.
“That's an interesting expression, Marcus.””
“Give him back.””
“I will.””
“When?””
“When you bring me the original trust agreement.””
I looked at Daniel.
Richard continued.
“And before you ask, yes, I know about Lily.””
Eleanor stepped forward.
“Where is my daughter?””
Richard sighed.
“Eleanor. Always so emotional.””
“WHERE IS SHE?””
“She's with your mother-in-law.””
My blood went cold.
“Where is my mother?””
Richard ignored me.
“Listen carefully, Marcus. The children are the only things your father left that I actually want.””
“You're not getting them.””
“Then perhaps you should ask your lawyer what happens if the trust is challenged.””
I turned toward Daniel.
He looked away.
Richard continued.
“Your father left a provision. If the genetic relationship between you and the children cannot be established, the trust transfers to the alternate beneficiary.””
“Who?””
Richard laughed.
“Me.””
The call ended.
I turned to Daniel.
“Is that true?””
He slowly nodded.
“There's a clause allowing Richard to claim the trust if the intended heir cannot establish legal parentage.””
“But I have a biological connection to one of the twins.””
“Not necessarily enough. The original agreement identifies a different intended arrangement.””
I stared at him.
“So he can take the money if I refuse to sign?””
“Yes.””
I looked toward Eleanor.
“And he has my son.””
She nodded through tears.
Then Officer Harris approached with another piece of information.
“We received a call from Rosewood Children's Home.””
My heart jumped.
“Lily?””
“Your mother was there. She left about twenty minutes ago.””
“Where did she go?””
The officer checked her notes.
“She requested emergency transportation to a private medical facility.””
“Which one?””
“St. Catherine's Medical Center.””
The same hospital where Sophie had delivered the twins.
I turned toward the exit.
But before I could move, Eleanor grabbed my hand.
“Marcus.””
I looked at her.
She was staring at something on her phone.
A new photograph.
It showed Lily sitting in a hospital bed, holding a small stuffed rabbit.
Beside her was an older woman.
My mother.
But it was the message beneath the photograph that made my blood turn cold.
*MOM SAYS I HAVE TO CHOOSE WHICH FAMILY I WANT TO LIVE WITH.*
I looked at Eleanor.
She whispered, “She's my daughter.””
Then another message arrived.
*MOM ALSO SAYS YOU'RE NOT MY REAL FATHER.*
I felt the air leave my lungs.
I stared at the little girl.
Then at the photograph of my mother.
And finally at Daniel.
“Tell me the truth,” I said.
“Who is Lily's biological father?””
Daniel opened his mouth.
But Eleanor answered first.
“Marcus…”
Her voice broke.
“It's your father.””
I couldn't move.
My father had fathered a child with my wife.
A child who was now seven years old.
And Richard had known all along.
Then Daniel quietly added the final piece.
“There's a reason your father wanted Lily hidden, Marcus.””
I turned toward him.
“What reason?””
He looked at the hospital bracelet in my hand.
“Because Lily isn't just the heir to the trust.””
He paused.
“She's the only person who can prove that your father's death wasn't natural.””
At that exact moment, Officer Bennett's radio crackled.
A voice came through.
“Suspect located at St. Catherine's. Female child recovered. One adult male deceased at the scene.””
I grabbed the radio.
“Who is the man?””
Static.
Then the officer's voice returned.
“Identification confirmed.””
A pause.
“Richard Hayes.””
For one brief second, I thought it was over.
Then the officer added:
May you like
“Mr. Bennett, there's a problem. The child is asking for someone named Adrian.””
And when I heard what Lily said next, I realized Richard's death might have been exactly what Adrian wanted.
