Chapter 12: Sabrina's Secret
Sabrina lowered the gun.
A police officer immediately took it from her.
Michael didn't move.
His eyes remained fixed on her blood-stained dress.
“Whose blood is that?””
Sabrina looked down.
“I don't know.””
“You don't know?””
“I found the gun beside a man upstairs.””
David stepped forward.
“What man?””
She swallowed.
“Claudia's driver.””
The detective rushed past us.
A moment later, his radio crackled.
“Officer down. Suspect fled through the kitchen.””
Michael looked at Sabrina.
“You knew there was a suspect in the house.””
“Yes.””
“And you came down here alone?””
“I was looking for the envelope.””
She held it toward me.
I didn't take it.
“What is it?””
“The truth.””
I almost laughed.
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
Sabrina's eyes filled with tears.
“I should have told you months ago.””
Michael stared at her.
“Tell us now.””
She nodded.
“My father wasn't Arthur Bell's employee.””
I frowned.
“He was.””
“No.””
She took a breath.
“He was his partner.””
David's expression hardened.
“Bell Holdings.””
Sabrina nodded.
“Arthur didn't steal the money alone. My father helped him.””
Michael looked stunned.
“And your family knew?””
“My mother did.””
“What about you?””
“I found out after my father died.””
She looked at me.
“That's when I found Daniel.””
I finally understood why she had known him for seven years.
“You were investigating your own father.””
“Yes.””
“And that's why you wanted to marry Michael?””
Sabrina recoiled.
“No.””
Michael flinched at the question.
Sabrina turned toward him.
“I fell in love with you before I knew any of this.””
He didn't respond.
She continued.
“Then I found out your family had the original records.””
“What records?””
“Your adoption records.””
I looked at the envelope.
“Open it.””
Sabrina handed it to me.
Inside were hospital records.
A birth certificate.
And a photograph.
My breath stopped.
The woman's face from the earlier photograph was staring back at me.
I knew her.
Not personally.
But from somewhere.
A newspaper clipping.
A photograph I'd seen years ago.
I whispered,
“Elizabeth.””
David looked at me.
“Who?””
“Robert's secretary.””
Sabrina nodded.
“She wasn't his secretary.””
Michael stared at the photograph.
“Then who was she?””
“Your biological mother.””
The room went silent.
I sat down.
Memories came back.
Elizabeth had worked with Robert before our marriage.
She had disappeared shortly after I met him.
Robert had told me she moved overseas.
He had lied.
Sabrina looked at Michael.
“She died giving birth to you.””
Michael's voice cracked.
“And Robert?””
“He wasn't your biological father.””
“Then why did he raise me?””
Sabrina looked at me.
“Because he promised Elizabeth.””
I stared at her.
“What promise?””
“To protect her son.””
Michael closed his eyes.
“So why did he tell everyone I was his?””
“Because someone was trying to take you.””
I looked up.
“Who?””
Sabrina hesitated.
“Claudia.””
My blood ran cold.
“Why would Claudia want my son?””
“Because Elizabeth was her sister.””
I stopped breathing.
David whispered,
“What?””
Sabrina nodded.
“Elizabeth was Claudia's older sister.””
Everything I'd believed about my husband's family collapsed in seconds.
Claudia hadn't simply been protecting Arthur.
She had been hiding her own family secret.
Michael looked at me.
“Why would she hurt Elizabeth's child?””
Sabrina looked down.
“Because Elizabeth discovered that Claudia had been stealing from Robert.””
“And Robert found out.””
“Yes.””
Michael's voice became bitter.
“So Dad died because he knew.””
Sabrina nodded.
“He was preparing to expose her.””
I stared at the documents.
“Then why did Robert say Michael wasn't his son on the tape?””
Sabrina's face changed.
“Because he wasn't talking about biology.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
“He was talking about something else.””
She reached into the envelope and pulled out one final page.
A DNA report.
The date was from three days before Robert died.
The result was clear.
*Michael Reed — biological relationship to Robert Reed: 99.98%.*
I stared at the page.
“That can't be.””
Sabrina whispered,
“It means Robert was his biological father after all.””
Michael looked confused.
“But Elizabeth was my mother.””
“Yes.””
I felt dizzy.
“Then why did the first test say unknown?””
Sabrina looked toward the staircase.
“Because the first sample was switched.””
“By whom?””
She didn't answer.
A police officer suddenly ran down the stairs.
“Detective!””
Everyone turned.
“We caught the suspect.””
Michael stepped forward.
“Who?””
The officer looked directly at me.
“It was Claudia Bell.””
I exhaled.
Then the officer added,
“She confessed to stealing the money.””
David nodded.
“That's it, then.””
But the officer shook his head.
“No.””
He held up a second piece of evidence.
“She said she didn't shave Mrs. Reed's head.””
I looked at Sabrina.
Then Michael.
The officer continued.
“Claudia says someone else gave the order.””
“Who?””
The detective's expression was grim.
“She gave us a name.””
He looked at Michael.
“Your wife.””
Sabrina's face went completely white.
“I didn't.””
Michael stared at her.
Then his phone rang.
The caller ID showed one name.
*Nathan Bell.*
Michael answered.
Nathan's weak voice came through.
“Michael…”
“What?””
“I found out who ordered the attack.””
A pause.
Then Nathan whispered,
“It wasn't Sabrina.””
May you like
“It was someone much closer to you.””
The line went dead.
