Chapter 5: The Daughter Nobody Knew
“Your husband's daughter.””
Richard's words seemed impossible.
I stared at him.
“My husband didn't have another daughter.””
Richard looked at Daniel.
“That is what he wanted you to believe.””
Daniel shook his head.
“My father had one child.””
“You.””
“Exactly.””
Richard pushed the photograph toward him.
“That's why your father kept Evelyn hidden.””
I picked it up.
The woman in the picture was young.
Maybe thirty.
Dark hair.
Sharp eyes.
A silver necklace around her throat.
I remembered seeing her at the wedding.
She had stood alone near the back doors during the ceremony that never happened.
I remembered thinking she looked strangely familiar.
Not like me.
Like him.
Like my husband.
“Where did she come from?”” I whispered.
Richard answered, “Your husband met her mother before he met you.””
Daniel's jaw tightened.
“So my father cheated on Mom?””
“I didn't say that.””
“You implied it.””
Richard shook his head.
“Evelyn was born before your parents married.””
I looked at the photograph again.
My fingers trembled.
That changed everything.
“My husband never told me.””
“He was afraid you would leave.””
I laughed bitterly.
“He should have trusted me.””
Richard looked away.
Daniel was still staring at the photograph.
“Why did Jessica know her?””
“Because Evelyn found Jessica.””
“For what?””
“To get revenge.””
“Against my father?””
“Against your entire family.””
Daniel's face hardened.
“My mother didn't do anything to her.””
“She doesn't see it that way.””
I put the photograph down.
“What does she want?””
Richard hesitated.
“Everything your father left behind.””
“What did he leave?””
“A trust.””
I frowned.
“I thought there was no money.””
“There isn't much cash.””
“Then what?””
“Property. Investments. Intellectual property from his company.””
Daniel looked at him.
“How much?””
“Enough to change someone's life.””
Richard's eyes shifted.
“Or destroy several.””
Daniel walked to the window.
“So Jessica married me for the inheritance.””
Richard nodded.
“And Evelyn recruited her?””
“No.””
I turned.
“What?””
“Jessica was working with Evelyn, but Evelyn wasn't the one who started this.””
“Then who?””
Richard looked at me.
“Jessica.””
Daniel turned sharply.
“Jessica found Evelyn.””
Richard continued.
“She discovered the existence of your father's other daughter while digging through his old records.””
“Why?””
“To find leverage.””
“And she used Evelyn?””
“She convinced Evelyn that your father had abandoned her.””
I remembered Jessica's cruel smile.
“She manipulated her.””
“Yes.””
Daniel's face tightened.
“And then what?””
“She promised Evelyn that if your mother lost the inheritance, Evelyn would get everything.””
I looked at Richard.
“Why stage an attack on herself?””
“To make Daniel choose.””
My son closed his eyes.
“She knew I'd believe her.””
“Yes.””
“She knew I'd blame Mom.””
“Yes.””
Daniel's voice broke.
“And she knew I'd cut Mom off.””
Richard nodded.
“That was the plan.””
I stepped toward my son.
“Daniel…”
He turned toward me.
His eyes were red.
“Mom, I told you to leave.””
“I know.””
“I said you were ruining my wedding.””
“I know.””
“I didn't even ask what happened.””
“You were protecting someone you loved.””
“No.””
He shook his head.
“I was protecting a lie.””
A sound came from the hallway.
We turned.
The bridal suite door was open.
Nobody stood there.
Daniel walked toward it.
“Stay here.””
I grabbed his sleeve.
“No.””
He looked at me.
“We stay together.””
He nodded.
We stepped into the hallway.
The wedding venue was almost empty now.
Workers were dismantling flower arrangements.
The cheerful decorations suddenly looked sinister.
Daniel's phone buzzed.
He looked at the screen.
A message from Jessica.
*We need to talk. Alone.*
Daniel stared at it.
Then another message appeared.
*If you love your mother, come to the parking garage.*
I felt cold.
“It's a trap.””
“I know.””
“Then don't go.””
Daniel looked at me.
“If she's involved with Evelyn, we need to know what they planned.””
Richard stepped forward.
“I'll come with you.””
Daniel shook his head.
“No.””
“Daniel—”
“You've lied to us for years.””
Richard flinched.
“I never lied about everything.””
“That's not good enough.””
Daniel took my hand.
“Mom comes with me.””
Richard looked at us.
“Then we're all going.””
The parking garage was nearly empty.
Concrete pillars stretched beneath flickering lights.
Our footsteps echoed.
Daniel's phone buzzed again.
A location pin appeared.
Level three.
We followed it.
Then we heard a voice.
“Daniel?””
Jessica stepped from behind a pillar.
She wasn't crying.
She wasn't wearing her wedding dress.
She wore a black coat and carried a handbag.
Daniel stopped.
“Jessica.””
She looked at me.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then she said, “Margaret, you need to leave.””
I laughed.
“That's interesting.””
Jessica's eyes narrowed.
“I don't want to hurt you.””
“You already did.””
“I didn't attack you.””
“I know.””
Her face changed.
Daniel stepped forward.
“We saw the footage.””
Jessica went pale.
“What footage?””
“The camera.””
Silence.
Then Jessica whispered, “You weren't supposed to find that.””
Daniel nodded.
“I know.””
She looked toward Richard.
“You.””
Richard said nothing.
Jessica's face hardened.
“You ruined everything.””
Daniel stared at her.
“Who is Evelyn?””
Jessica froze.
That was all the answer we needed.
I watched her face collapse.
Then she whispered:
“She was supposed to be on my side.””
Richard looked at Daniel.
“She's not.””
A slow clap echoed through the garage.
One.
Two.
Three.
We turned.
Evelyn stepped into the light.
She was holding a folder.
And she was smiling.
“Jessica was never on my side,” she said.
Daniel stepped forward.
“Then whose side are you on?””
Evelyn looked directly at me.
“Mine.””
She opened the folder.
Inside was a legal document.
She held it up.
“This is your husband's final will.””
I stared.
“My husband's will was read years ago.””
Evelyn smiled.
“That was the first one.””
She pulled out another page.
“This one was signed three days before he died.””
Daniel's voice dropped.
“What does it say?””
Evelyn looked at me.
“It says your father left everything to me.””
Then she turned the page.
“And it says you, Margaret, get absolutely nothing.””
I felt Daniel's hand tighten around mine.
But Evelyn wasn't finished.
She smiled.
“There's only one problem.””
She looked toward Jessica.
“Your mother isn't Margaret.””
Daniel went completely still.
Jessica whispered, “Evelyn, don't.””
Evelyn's smile disappeared.
May you like
Then she said:
“Your real mother died the night your father did.””
