Chapter 6: The Woman They Buried
Nobody spoke for several seconds.
I looked at Daniel.
Then at my father.
Then at the photograph again.
Rebecca.
My mother's first daughter.
Daniel's biological mother.
The woman everyone had told me was dead.
I swallowed.
"Daniel.""
He didn't respond.
"Is it true?""
His face had lost all color.
"My mother died when I was a baby.""
My father shook his head.
"No.""
Daniel looked at him.
"You don't know what you're talking about.""
"I knew Rebecca before your father ever married her.""
Daniel's voice sharpened.
"Don't call her that.""
"Why?""
"Because she wasn't my mother.""
My father stepped closer.
"She was.""
Daniel shook his head.
"My father told me she died.""
"He lied.""
Daniel looked at me.
I saw something I had never seen in his face before.
Fear.
Real fear.
Not fear of losing money.
Fear of a truth.
My father continued.
"Rebecca was your mother's daughter from her first marriage.""
I looked at the photograph.
"My mother was married before?""
"Yes.""
"To whom?""
My father looked at Daniel.
"His father.""
The room seemed to lose oxygen.
I whispered,
"Daniel's father was my mother's first husband?""
"Yes.""
Daniel shook his head.
"Stop.""
My father ignored him.
"Rebecca was born before your mother met me. She was taken from your mother when she was six.""
I stared.
"Why?""
"Because Richard Hayes wanted custody.""
"Why?""
"Because Rebecca had inherited part of the patent rights.""
Daniel stepped forward.
"My father would never—"
"He did.""
"You're lying.""
"I have documents.""
Daniel looked at the folder in my hands.
"You've been planning this.""
"No.""
My father looked at me.
"Your mother spent thirty years trying to recover her daughter.""
I felt tears gather.
"Why didn't she tell me?""
"Because she was afraid.""
"Of Richard?""
"Of everyone.""
I looked at Daniel.
"And Rebecca?""
"She survived.""
"Where?""
My father hesitated.
"She spent years in psychiatric facilities.""
My stomach dropped.
"Why?""
"Because Richard had her declared mentally incompetent.""
I remembered the declaration Daniel had prepared against me.
The same language.
The same strategy.
A woman labeled unstable so nobody would believe her.
I looked at Daniel.
"Your family has done this before.""
He shook his head.
"I didn't know.""
"But you learned.""
"Yes.""
"And you used the same plan on me.""
He lowered his eyes.
"I didn't know about Rebecca when I started.""
"Then when did you know?""
Silence.
"When?""
"Two months ago.""
I closed my eyes.
Two months ago.
After Lily was born.
After the trust became a threat.
After he had already decided to destroy me.
I whispered,
"You knew.""
"Yes.""
"And you still brought Vanessa here.""
He looked at Vanessa.
"I thought I could control everything.""
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
"You couldn't even control yourself.""
He glared at her.
She stepped closer to me.
"There is something else.""
Daniel said, "Vanessa, don't.""
She ignored him.
"The trust isn't worth twenty-three million anymore.""
I frowned.
"What do you mean?""
"That was the last valuation Daniel showed me.""
"What's it worth?""
She looked at my father.
He answered.
"Seventy-eight million.""
I stared.
Daniel closed his eyes.
Vanessa continued.
"Because the company that bought your father's technology was acquired.""
My head spun.
"Seventy-eight million?""
"Yes.""
"And Daniel knew?""
"He knew.""
I looked at my husband.
He couldn't meet my eyes.
Suddenly, the suitcase.
The ring.
The divorce papers.
The custody declaration.
They all made sense.
This wasn't just an affair.
It was an attempted financial takeover disguised as the death of a marriage.
I walked to the dining table.
Lily slept quietly in my arms.
I placed the documents beside her diaper bag.
Then I looked at my father.
"I need the whole truth.""
He nodded.
"Then ask.""
"Did you abandon me?""
"No.""
"Did my mother lie to me?""
"She lied about why I left.""
"Why?""
"Because the truth would have put you in danger.""
"Who was dangerous?""
"Richard Hayes.""
Daniel's father.
"Is he alive?""
"No.""
"When did he die?""
"Eight years ago.""
I stared at him.
"Then why did Vanessa receive a message from Richard?""
My father looked confused.
"What message?""
I turned toward Vanessa.
She showed him the phone.
He read it.
His expression changed.
"That's not Richard.""
"Then who is it?""
He looked at the number.
"Someone using his identity.""
"Who?""
He didn't answer.
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
"Hello?""
A distorted voice said,
"Mara Hayes?""
"Who is this?""
"You should have stayed ignorant.""
My blood froze.
"Who are you?""
A pause.
Then:
"Ask your father what happened to Rebecca.""
The call ended.
I looked at my father.
"What happened to Rebecca?""
He closed his eyes.
Daniel whispered,
"She's dead.""
My father shook his head.
"No.""
Daniel stared at him.
"What?""
"Rebecca is alive.""
I looked toward the photograph.
"Where?""
My father hesitated.
"She's been living under another name.""
"Which name?""
He looked directly at Vanessa.
Vanessa went pale.
"No.""
I stared at her.
"What?""
She took a step backward.
"That isn't possible.""
My father said quietly,
"Rebecca Cole.""
Vanessa stopped breathing.
I looked at her.
"Your last name is Cole.""
She backed into the wall.
Daniel stared at her.
"No.""
Vanessa covered her mouth.
"I didn't know.""
My father stepped toward her.
"Your mother changed your name.""
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
"I don't remember.""
"You were six.""
"I don't remember.""
Daniel whispered,
"Mom?""
Vanessa looked at him.
"I don't know.""
He stepped closer.
She recoiled.
"Don't touch me.""
I watched them.
The woman who had walked into my house carrying my suitcase—my ring—wasn't simply Daniel's mistress.
She was his mother.
And neither of them had known.
My father looked at me.
"Your mother spent years trying to find her.""
I looked at Vanessa.
She was crying now.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
She shook her head.
"I didn't know.""
Daniel sank into a chair.
Everything had collapsed around him.
His affair.
His plan.
His family history.
His inheritance.
His identity.
I stood in the middle of the room with Lily against my chest and realized there was one question nobody had answered.
If Vanessa was Rebecca's daughter—
and my mother's granddaughter—
then why had she been working for Daniel?
I looked at her.
"Who sent you to Daniel?""
Vanessa stopped crying.
She stared at me.
"I don't know.""
"You don't know?""
"No.""
"Think.""
She closed her eyes.
"I was contacted by a recruiter.""
"For what?""
"An executive position.""
"At Daniel's company?""
"Yes.""
"Who recruited you?""
She opened her eyes.
"Someone named Richard.""
My father's face went white.
"Richard is dead.""
"I know.""
"Then who contacted you?""
"I don't know.""
My phone buzzed.
A message appeared.
One sentence.
*You still haven't asked why Lily was born with a different blood type than Daniel.*
I stared at the screen.
Daniel looked over my shoulder.
His expression changed instantly.
"What?""
I looked at Lily.
Then at him.
"What blood type are you?""
He frowned.
"Why?""
"Answer me.""
"AB positive.""
I looked at my daughter.
"What blood type is Lily?""
Daniel's face went blank.
"I don't know.""
I turned toward my father.
He was staring at me.
"You know.""
He nodded slowly.
"Yes.""
My voice barely came out.
"What is she?""
My father looked at Lily.
Then at Daniel.
And said,
"She's not Daniel's biological daughter.""
The room went silent.
Then someone outside screamed.
A car engine roared.
And through the front window, I saw Vanessa's cream-colored suitcase being thrown into the street.
Someone had broken into the house.
May you like
And taped to the suitcase was a note.
*THE BABY IS THE KEY.*
