Chapter 7: The Daughter Who Had Been Hidden From Me
I spent the next twenty minutes sitting in Dr. Reed's office, staring at the DNA report.
Four daughters.
I'd given birth to three girls, or so I'd believed.
Now I was being told there had been another baby.
A daughter who had apparently been raised by my sister.
And my father had known.
"Laura," Dr. Reed said gently, "you need to sit down.""
I looked at him.
"Don't tell me to sit down. Tell me why there's a second birth record.""
He pulled up the hospital archive.
"The original delivery record shows two infants. But the second child's discharge paperwork was handled separately.""
"By whom?""
He examined the screen.
"Your father, Robert Mitchell, was listed as the authorized family representative.""
"Why would he have that authority?""
"I can't answer that.""
I leaned forward.
"Was the second baby taken from me without my consent?""
Dr. Reed didn't respond.
That silence was enough.
I stood up.
"I'm going to find her.""
Michael arrived twenty minutes later.
His face was pale, and he looked as though he'd aged ten years since I'd last seen him.
I walked straight toward him.
"Where is she?""
He glanced at Dr. Reed.
"Can we talk privately?""
"No. You can talk here.""
Michael lowered his head.
"Her name is Sophie.""
The name hit me strangely.
Sophie.
I'd never heard that name connected to my family.
"How old is she?""
"Thirteen.""
My knees nearly buckled.
"Thirteen?""
Michael nodded.
"She was born eleven minutes after Chloe.""
I gripped the edge of the desk.
"How could you let me believe I had only one baby?""
Michael's eyes filled.
"Because Dad made me promise.""
I slapped the desk.
"Don't blame Dad for your choices!""
He flinched.
"You're right.""
He took a breath.
"Your father believed you were too young and too vulnerable to raise twins alone. Daniel had already started controlling your finances, and your mother had died. Dad was afraid Daniel would use the children against you.""
"So he gave one away?""
"He arranged for Sophie to live with Vanessa temporarily.""
"Temporarily?""
Michael looked away.
"Your father intended to tell you when the situation was safe.""
I laughed bitterly.
"Thirteen years later?""
Michael didn't answer.
I paced across the office.
"Why Vanessa?""
"She couldn't have children. Your father thought she'd provide a stable home.""
"And what about me? Did anyone consider what it would do to me to lose a child without knowing?""
Michael's voice cracked.
"He thought he was protecting you.""
"Well, he failed.""
I wiped my eyes.
"Where does Sophie live?""
"With Vanessa. She's been told she's Vanessa's biological daughter.""
I felt sick.
"Does she know about me?""
Michael shook his head.
"No.""
I sat down.
My sister had spent thirteen years raising my daughter while calling herself her mother.
And now she was sleeping with my husband.
The cruelty was almost impossible to comprehend.
Michael placed a small photograph on the desk.
It showed a teenage girl with dark brown hair, bright eyes, and a tiny dimple in her left cheek.
I stared.
She looked like Chloe.
She looked like me.
"Where did you get this?""
"From Vanessa's social media account.""
I touched the photograph.
"She's beautiful.""
Michael nodded.
"Her name is Sophie Grace Mitchell.""
I looked up.
"Does Daniel know?""
"Yes.""
"Does he know she's my daughter?""
"Yes.""
"Then why is he helping Vanessa?""
Michael hesitated.
"Because Sophie is connected to something your father left behind.""
I closed my eyes.
Of course.
There was always another document. Another secret. Another betrayal.
"What?""
Michael opened his laptop.
He showed me a trust agreement established thirteen years earlier.
The document stated that a portion of my father's investment holdings would remain protected until all four of his grandchildren reached adulthood.
Four grandchildren.
Not three.
I stared at the page.
"That's why they need Sophie.""
Michael nodded.
"Her existence changes the ownership structure. Daniel and Vanessa believe that if they can establish control over all four children, they can influence the trust.""
"How much money?""
"Approximately $3.8 million, possibly more now.""
I looked at him.
"And what happens if Sophie refuses to cooperate?""
"That's why Vanessa has been keeping her isolated from the rest of the family.""
My phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
A photograph appeared.
It showed Sophie sitting at a kitchen table, doing homework.
Behind her stood Vanessa.
The message read:
*She thinks I'm her mother. Don't confuse her, Laura.*
A second message arrived.
*If you want to meet your daughter, come alone.*
Michael grabbed my phone.
"Absolutely not.""
"She's my child.""
"And Vanessa knows that. This is a trap.""
I looked at Sophie's photograph again.
"Then we'll make sure it's a trap for her, not us.""
Michael called the attorney.
Within an hour, we had arranged a consultation with a family lawyer specializing in complex custody and guardianship disputes.
The lawyer, Evelyn Carter, listened carefully to everything.
She studied the birth records, the trust agreement, and the photographs.
Then she said something I hadn't expected.
"Laura, before you approach Vanessa, I need to ask you a question.""
"What?""
"Have you ever received any child support payments from your father after Chloe was born?""
I shook my head.
"No.""
"Any letters from him mentioning Sophie?""
"No.""
Evelyn looked at Michael.
"Did Robert leave a separate guardianship agreement?""
Michael nodded.
He opened the envelope again and removed a final document.
The title read:
*TEMPORARY GUARDIANSHIP — SOPHIE GRACE MITCHELL.*
The agreement named Vanessa as guardian.
But there was something else.
The guardianship was scheduled to expire when Sophie turned thirteen.
That was this year.
I looked at the date.
"Why now?""
Evelyn studied the final paragraph.
"Because the agreement required your father's estate trustee to notify you when the temporary arrangement ended.""
I turned toward Michael.
"Did you receive that notice?""
He looked devastated.
"Yes.""
"When?""
"Four months ago.""
I couldn't speak.
He had known.
For four months, he'd known my daughter was waiting to be returned to me.
And he'd said nothing.
Then Evelyn pointed to a handwritten note attached to the agreement.
It was in my father's handwriting.
If Vanessa refuses to return Sophie, Laura must be told the truth immediately. The danger is no longer financial. It concerns the child herself.
I looked up.
"What danger?""
Evelyn turned the page.
There was a recent handwritten addition.
Three words.
*Vanessa knows everything.*
May you like
And beneath it was a date.
Three days before my father died.
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