Chapter 4: The Girl Who Looked Like Her Father
“I'm your sister, Lily.””
The words seemed to hang in the greenhouse long after Emma had spoken them.
Lily stared at the young woman standing in the doorway.
She was perhaps twenty-five years old. Her dark brown hair fell over one shoulder, and her eyes were the same deep blue as Daniel's.
The resemblance was unmistakable.
Lily looked from Emma to the photograph in her hand.
Then she looked at Victoria.
“Mommy?””
Victoria didn't answer.
Thomas released Arthur's coat and stepped toward the young woman.
“You shouldn't be here.””
Emma gave a bitter laugh.
“That's what you've been telling me for eleven years.””
“This is a family matter.””
“Exactly,” Emma replied.
“And I'm family.””
Thomas pointed toward the driveway.
“Get out.””
Emma didn't move.
“Not until Lily knows why her father left that key.””
Thomas looked at Victoria.
“Take Lily upstairs.””
Victoria shook her head.
“No.””
He stared at her.
“What did you say?””
“I said no.””
For the first time that evening, Victoria stood between Thomas and Lily.
Emma noticed.
“Interesting,” she murmured.
“You finally found your conscience.””
Victoria flinched.
Lily clutched the brass key.
“Are you really my sister?””
Emma slowly knelt.
“Yes, sweetheart.””
“Did Daddy know you?””
Emma's eyes filled.
“He knew me before you were born. He used to carry me on his shoulders. He taught me how to ride a bicycle. He made terrible pancakes on Saturday mornings.””
She smiled sadly.
“When I was little, I thought my father could fix anything.””
Lily swallowed.
“Then why didn't you come to our house?””
Emma looked at Victoria.
“Because someone made sure I couldn't.””
Victoria closed her eyes.
Thomas stepped forward.
“That's enough. Lily doesn't need to hear this nonsense.””
Emma stood.
“You've spent years deciding what Lily is allowed to know. You don't get to decide anymore.””
She reached into her handbag and removed a worn envelope.
Inside were several photographs.
The first showed Daniel holding a little girl on a beach.
The second showed him sitting beside a hospital bed.
The third showed a birthday cake with two candles.
On the back of each photograph, Daniel had written the same words:
My Emma. My greatest blessing.
Lily touched the photograph with one finger.
“Daddy looks happy.””
“He was,” Emma whispered.
“Did he stop loving you?””
Emma's expression broke.
“No. Never.””
Thomas scoffed.
“Your father stopped paying attention to reality long before he died. He had responsibilities. A company.
A wife. Another child.””
Emma turned toward him.
“And you had access to his bank accounts.””
Thomas's face hardened.
“Careful.””
“Why? Are you worried I'll mention the transfers?””
Arthur looked up sharply.
“What transfers?””
Emma removed another document.
“Payments made from Daniel's private account. Every month for six years. Money sent to an offshore company controlled by Thomas.””
Thomas laughed.
“Those were legitimate business expenses.””
“Then why did you use a false company name?””
“Prove it.””
Emma lifted the document.
“I intend to.””
Thomas grabbed for it.
Arthur moved between them.
“Don't touch her.””
Thomas shoved him.
The elderly man stumbled backward and struck the workbench.
“Arthur!”” Lily screamed.
Emma rushed toward him.
“Are you hurt?””
Arthur shook his head, though his face had turned pale.
“I'm fine.””
Thomas straightened his jacket.
“This is ridiculous. I'm Daniel's brother. I have legal authority over his estate.””
Emma looked at him.
“Not anymore.””
She pulled a second envelope from her handbag.
“This is a copy of a document Daniel signed three days before his death.””
Thomas went still.
Victoria stared at the envelope.
“What document?””
Emma handed it to Arthur.
He unfolded the paper carefully.
His expression changed as he read.
“Daniel changed the guardianship arrangements.””
Thomas's jaw tightened.
“That's impossible.””
Arthur continued.
“He appointed an independent trustee to protect Lily's inheritance. And he specifically prohibited you from managing her financial interests.””
Thomas stepped closer.
“Let me see that.””
Arthur held it away.
“There's more.””
He looked at Lily.
“Your father also named Emma as the person responsible for delivering certain documents to you when you turned eighteen.””
Lily frowned.
“Why eighteen?””
“Because he wanted you old enough to understand.””
Emma knelt again.
“But something happened before he could finish putting everything in place.””
Thomas laughed coldly.
“Your father died. That's what happened.””
Emma looked at him.
“Did he?””
The question silenced the room.
Lily's fingers tightened around the key.
“Daddy died in an accident.””
Emma didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she looked at Arthur.
Arthur lowered his eyes.
“Lily,” he said gently, “the police report said your father lost control of his car on a wet road.””
“That's what Uncle Thomas told me.””
“Yes.””
“Was it true?””
Thomas interrupted.
“Of course it was true!””
Emma took a step toward him.
“Then why did you pay the mechanic who inspected his brakes?””
Thomas's face drained of color.
Victoria covered her mouth.
Arthur stared.
“What mechanic?””
Emma placed a printed email on the workbench.
“Daniel's car was inspected two days before the accident. The mechanic reported a problem with the braking system. Someone authorized a second inspection and ordered the original report destroyed.””
Thomas pointed at her.
“You have no idea what you're talking about.””
“Then explain why your company transferred forty thousand dollars to that mechanic the morning after Daniel died.””
Thomas lunged toward the paper.
Emma pulled it away.
And suddenly, the greenhouse door slammed open.
Two uniformed police officers entered.
“Everyone stay where you are!””
Lily screamed and grabbed Emma's arm.
One officer approached Thomas.
“Mr. Carter, we need to speak with you regarding a financial complaint filed this afternoon.””
Thomas looked furious.
“This is a private residence!””
The officer remained calm.
“Sir, we have authorization to secure certain documents connected to an ongoing investigation.””
Thomas glanced toward the back door.
Arthur noticed.
“Don't,” he warned.
Thomas stopped.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then the officer looked at Lily.
“Sweetheart, are you okay?””
Lily nodded, though tears were sliding down her cheeks.
Emma wrapped an arm around her.
“You're safe.””
But Thomas wasn't looking at the police.
He was staring at the brass key in Lily's hand.
“Give me that,” he whispered.
Lily stepped behind Emma.
Thomas suddenly shouted.
“YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT KEY WILL DO!””
The officer grabbed his arm.
“Sir, calm down.””
Thomas struggled.
“You have no idea what Daniel hid!””
Emma looked at him.
“Then tell us.””
Thomas stopped fighting.
His eyes moved from Emma to Victoria.
Then he said something that made Victoria sink onto the wooden bench.
“Because Daniel didn't just hide the truth about Emma.””
He pointed at Lily.
“He hid the truth about who Lily's mother really is.””
Lily looked at Victoria.
“Mommy?””
Victoria's lips trembled.
Before she could answer, Emma pulled another photograph from her envelope.
It showed Daniel outside a hospital.
Beside him stood a woman Lily had never seen before.
On the back was a date.
The day Lily was born.
May you like
And underneath it, Daniel had written:
*THE WOMAN WHO SAVED MY DAUGHTER MUST NEVER BE FORGOTTEN.*
