Chapter 3: The Name Hidden on the Contract
I opened the document with shaking hands.
For a few seconds, I couldn’t understand what I was seeing.
The venue invoice.
The deposit.
The payment history.
Everything was there.
But one name appeared at the bottom.
Not Daniel Carter.
Not Richard Hayes.
My name.
Emma Carter.
I frowned.
That made no sense.
I called the venue manager immediately.
She answered after one ring.
“Emma?””
“What is this?””
“I was hoping you could explain.””
“I can’t.””
There was silence.
Then she said:
“When the payment was canceled, I checked the original transaction records.””
“And?””
“The deposit wasn’t from your stepfather.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
“The account belonged to you.””
I sat down.
“No.””
“Yes.””
“That’s impossible.””
The manager lowered her voice.
“Emma, the money was transferred from a trust account.””
“A trust account?””
“Yes. Created years ago.””
My hands started trembling.
“Who created it?””
She paused.
“I don’t know if I’m supposed to tell you.””
“Please.””
Another pause.
Then she said:
“The account holder listed one name.””
I held my breath.
“Whose?””
“Richard Hayes.””
I stared at the wall.
Richard.
My biological father.
The man everyone believed had abandoned me.
The man Daniel hated.
I ended the call and immediately dialed Richard.
He answered quickly.
“Emma?””
“Did you pay for my wedding?””
Silence.
Long silence.
Finally, he said:
“Yes.””
My chest tightened.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because I didn’t want you to think I was trying to buy my way back into your life.””
I closed my eyes.
“Then why now?””
“Because I knew Daniel would make you choose.””
The room felt colder.
“What do you mean?””
Richard sighed.
“Emma, Daniel called me weeks ago.””
My fingers tightened.
“What did he say?””
“He told me he wanted me to understand something.””
“What?””
“That being your father wasn’t something I could just claim after years away.””
I swallowed.
“He was right.””
Richard didn’t argue.
“I know.””
That surprised me.
“I made mistakes.””
The honesty hurt more than excuses would have.
“I was young. I was selfish. I thought sending money sometimes was enough.””
My eyes filled.
“It wasn’t.””
“I know.””
We sat in silence through the phone.
Then Richard spoke again.
“But Emma, I never stopped loving you.””
I looked at the wedding dress hanging nearby.
“I don’t know what to believe anymore.””
“I understand.””
“No, you don’t.””
My voice broke.
“Yesterday I thought I had one father. Today I found out another man secretly paid for my wedding. And the person I trusted most tried to take it away.””
Richard was quiet.
Then he said:
“Emma, there’s something else you need to know.””
My stomach tightened.
“What?””
“I didn’t just create that trust account.””
“What does that mean?””
“I wasn’t the only person putting money into it.””
I frowned.
“Who else?””
Before he could answer, someone knocked on my bedroom door.
I looked up.
My mother stood there.
Her face was pale.
“Emma,” she whispered.
I covered the phone.
“What?””
She stepped inside.
“I need to tell you the truth about Daniel.””
Something in her voice made my blood run cold.
“What truth?””
She looked at the wedding dress.
Then at me.
“Your stepfather didn’t cancel your wedding because you chose Richard.””
My heart pounded.
“Then why?””
My mother’s eyes filled with tears.
“Because he found out what was inside that trust account.””
I slowly lowered the phone.
Richard was still waiting.
“Emma?”” he said.
I barely heard him.
“What was inside the account?””
My mother took a shaky breath.
“The money wasn’t just from your father.””
A horrible feeling spread through me.
“Then who?””
She looked directly into my eyes.
And whispered:
“Your biological grandmother.””
I froze.
My grandmother had died when I was six.
I barely remembered her.
But my mother looked terrified.
“Why would Grandma leave me money?””
She sat down.
“Because before she died, she learned something about Daniel.””
The room went silent.
My phone slipped slightly in my hand.
“What did she learn?””
My mother opened her mouth.
But before she could answer, my phone lit up again.
A new message appeared.
This time, from Daniel.
May you like
Only five words.
*“Ask your mother about 2009.””*
