Chapter 3: The Letter
I forgot how to breathe.
My mother's name sat at the top of the page.
*Elizabeth Hayes.*
Underneath it was a date.
The day Lily was born.
For several seconds, I simply stared.
Daniel moved closer.
"Mara, give me that.""
I pulled the paper against my chest.
"No.""
"Let me see it.""
"Why?""
"I need to know what it is.""
I looked at him.
"You need to know?""
His expression changed.
I saw it again.
That flash of fear.
Not confusion.
Fear.
The man on the porch cleared his throat.
"Mrs. Hayes, there are additional documents.""
He handed me a second envelope.
"This one was held in escrow.""
"Why?""
"I wasn't given details.""
I took it.
Daniel reached for my arm.
"Mara, stop.""
I pulled away.
"Don't touch me.""
His hand dropped.
The man nodded politely.
"I'll leave you to it.""
He turned and walked down the driveway.
I shut the door.
Locked it.
Then turned around.
Daniel was staring at the envelope.
"What is that?""
"I don't know.""
"You said your attorney sent it.""
"I don't have an attorney.""
"You will.""
"Who hired one for me?""
He didn't answer.
I looked at the first page again.
My mother's name.
Elizabeth Hayes.
My mother had died when I was twenty-six.
Cancer.
Six weeks after the diagnosis, she was gone.
She never met Daniel.
She never knew I would have a daughter.
She never knew Lily's name.
Yet her name was on a document dated the day Lily was born.
I walked to the kitchen.
Daniel followed.
"Mara, please.""
"Stay there.""
He stopped.
I placed the envelope on the counter.
My hands shook as I opened it.
Inside was a letter.
The handwriting made my knees nearly buckle.
I knew it immediately.
My mother's handwriting.
The rounded E.
The sharp little t at the end of certain words.
The way she crossed her y's too far below the line.
I pressed my fingertips to the page.
For a moment, I was twenty years old again.
Sitting at the kitchen table in my childhood home while Mom wrote grocery lists beside me.
I unfolded the letter.
The first line read:
*Mara, if you're reading this, Lily has been born.*
I looked up.
Daniel had gone completely pale.
"How do you know that name?""
He didn't answer.
I looked back at the letter.
*There are things about Daniel you need to know.*
My heartbeat became loud.
I read the next paragraph.
*I was not able to tell you everything before I died. I tried. More than once. But every time I came close, I saw how much you loved him.*
My eyes blurred.
I wiped them.
Daniel whispered, "Mara.""
"Quiet.""
He stopped.
I continued.
*Your husband is not the man you believe he is.*
I looked at Daniel.
He looked away.
That was enough.
"What did you do?""
He shook his head.
"I didn't know about the letter.""
"You're lying.""
"I'm not.""
"My mother knew something about you.""
"I never met your mother.""
"Exactly.""
I returned to the page.
*There is a reason your father left when you were young.*
My fingers froze.
My father had left when I was eight.
Mom always said he had chosen another life.
She never explained where he went.
I had spent years believing that was the whole story.
But the letter continued.
*He did not abandon us willingly.*
I read the sentence again.
Then again.
"What does that mean?""
Daniel said nothing.
I looked at him.
"Did you know my father?""
"No.""
"Did your family know him?""
"No.""
I read on.
*Your father's name was Daniel Hayes.*
The page slipped from my fingers.
I stared at the handwriting.
Then at my husband.
"No.""
Daniel stepped forward.
"Mara—"
"No.""
I picked up the letter.
"Your father's name?""
He looked confused.
"That's impossible.""
I turned the page.
There was more.
*I changed your father's last name after we separated. His birth name was Daniel Hayes.*
My heart hammered.
My husband shook his head.
"That can't be true.""
I stared at him.
"You never knew your father's full name?""
"My father was Richard.""
I stopped.
"What?""
"My father's name was Richard Hayes.""
The room became silent.
Daniel looked at the letter.
"Your mother was mistaken.""
I shook my head.
"My mother wasn't mistaken.""
"People make mistakes.""
"Not about something like this.""
He stepped closer.
"Mara, think.""
"I am thinking.""
"No. You're reacting.""
I laughed bitterly.
"That's your favorite word, isn't it?""
He flinched.
I picked up the second page.
*Mara, the man you married may not know the full truth about his family. That does not mean you are safe.*
I looked up.
Daniel's face had gone rigid.
"Keep reading," he whispered.
I did.
*Years ago, before you met Daniel, I discovered that the Hayes family had hidden financial records and legal agreements connected to our family. I was afraid.*
My eyes moved faster.
*If Daniel ever brings another woman into your home while you are vulnerable, do not fight the woman first. Look at the documents. Look at the money. Look at what has been moved.*
I stopped.
Daniel stared at me.
"How could she know?""
I didn't answer.
I read the final paragraph.
*Most importantly, Mara, if you have a daughter, do not let anyone convince you that you are unstable simply because you are exhausted. They may try to use your recovery against you.*
My eyes landed on the sentence.
The declaration.
The custody papers.
Daniel's repeated comments.
You're emotional.
You're exhausted.
You're not thinking clearly.
My mother had somehow predicted exactly what was happening.
I folded the letter.
"How did my mother know?""
Daniel shook his head.
"I don't know.""
"Who else knew?""
"I don't know.""
"Vanessa?""
"No.""
"You expect me to believe that?""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because I swear I've never seen that letter.""
I watched him carefully.
For the first time, I noticed something I hadn't seen before.
He wasn't looking at me.
He was looking at the envelope.
Specifically, at the return address.
I picked it up.
There was no address.
Only a law firm's name.
*Bennett & Shaw.*
I recognized it.
Daniel had mentioned that firm once.
Years ago.
During one of our first Christmases together, he'd gotten a phone call from his father and disappeared into the garage for almost an hour.
When he returned, he'd looked angry.
I'd asked what happened.
He'd said, "Family business.""
I had never asked again.
Now I did.
"What is Bennett & Shaw?""
Daniel swallowed.
"My family's attorneys.""
"Since when?""
"Before I was born.""
I stared at him.
"So my mother's letter came through your family's lawyers?""
"I don't know.""
"You said you didn't know.""
"I don't.""
"Then why are you scared?""
He looked at me.
"I told you. I don't know what this is.""
I held the letter up.
"My mother knew your family.""
"I don't understand.""
"Neither do I.""
Then we heard footsteps overhead.
Both of us looked toward the staircase.
Vanessa appeared.
She had changed clothes.
A silk blouse.
Black trousers.
Her suitcase was gone.
She looked at the papers in my hand.
Her face changed.
"What did you find?""
I didn't answer.
Daniel immediately moved toward her.
"Vanessa, go upstairs.""
She ignored him.
"What did she find?""
I looked between them.
"You knew.""
Vanessa's expression hardened.
"Knew what?""
"About my mother.""
She went silent.
Daniel whispered, "Vanessa.""
I watched her carefully.
"How did my mother know your family?""
Vanessa's eyes flickered toward Daniel.
Then back to me.
"I don't know.""
"You hesitated.""
"No, I didn't.""
"You did.""
Daniel stepped between us.
"Mara, this is getting ridiculous.""
I looked at him.
"Then answer one question.""
"What?""
"Why does Vanessa know the name Bennett & Shaw?""
He froze.
Vanessa's face went white.
I knew.
Whatever this was, she knew something.
I turned to her.
"How do you know that firm?""
She didn't answer.
Daniel said, "Because she worked with them.""
I stared at him.
"Doing what?""
"Legal work.""
"At your company?""
"No.""
"Then where?""
Vanessa finally spoke.
"Daniel, she has a right to know.""
He turned sharply.
"Not now.""
Vanessa's eyes filled with anger.
"You said she would never find out.""
My heart stopped.
Daniel looked at her.
"Vanessa.""
She realized her mistake.
I whispered, "Find out what?""
Nobody spoke.
I stepped closer.
"What did you promise her?""
Daniel's face hardened.
"Nothing.""
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
"That's not what you told me.""
I looked at her.
"What did he tell you?""
Daniel grabbed her wrist.
"Enough.""
Vanessa stared at his hand.
Then at me.
"He told me the house would be mine.""
My stomach dropped.
"The house?""
"After the divorce.""
I looked at Daniel.
He released her.
"You told her she would get my house?""
"It wasn't that simple.""
"What did you promise her?""
He looked away.
Vanessa's voice shook.
"You said we'd live here.""
I looked around the kitchen.
Our wedding photographs still hung on the wall.
Lily's bottles sat beside the sink.
A stack of diapers waited near the pantry.
My mother's old ceramic bowl sat on the counter.
They had planned to replace me in the home I had built.
I turned back to Daniel.
"And the ring?""
Vanessa looked down.
Daniel said nothing.
"Did you give her that ring?""
"I did.""
"Why?""
He exhaled.
"Because I thought our marriage was over.""
I nodded slowly.
"Before you told me.""
"Yes.""
"So you gave away my ring before you told me our marriage was ending.""
"Yes.""
"To the woman you were sleeping with.""
"Yes.""
I looked at Vanessa.
She wasn't smiling anymore.
Then her phone rang.
She checked the screen.
This time, I saw the name.
*Richard Hayes.*
Daniel saw it too.
His face drained of color.
"Don't answer that.""
Vanessa stared at the screen.
The phone kept ringing.
I whispered, "Who is Richard Hayes?""
Daniel didn't answer.
The call ended.
Then immediately, a text appeared.
Vanessa read it.
Her hands began to shake.
I stepped closer.
"What did he say?""
She looked at me.
And for the first time since she'd entered my house, she looked genuinely frightened.
"He says," she whispered, "your father wants to meet you.""
I couldn't move.
My father had been dead for twelve years.
At least, that was what my mother had told me.
Then another message appeared on Vanessa's screen.
*Tell Mara the truth before I do.*
And beneath it was a photograph.
A recent photograph.
May you like
Of my father.
Alive.
