Chapter 8: My Sister's Thirteen-Year Lie
At 4:30 that afternoon, I received a video call.
The screen showed a teenage girl sitting in a bedroom.
Sophie.
My daughter.
I recognized the little dimple immediately.
"Hello?"" she said.
My throat tightened.
"Hi, sweetheart.""
She smiled politely.
"Are you Aunt Laura?""
I nearly cried.
"Yes.""
"I'm Sophie.""
"I know.""
She tilted her head.
"Mom said you're having problems with Dad.""
I froze.
"Which dad?""
She frowned.
"Daniel.""
I looked at Michael.
Vanessa had apparently told Sophie that Daniel was her father.
"Sweetheart, can I ask you something?""
"Sure.""
"Has your mother ever told you about your birth?""
Sophie shrugged.
"She said I was born early and that my real mom couldn't take care of me.""
I covered my mouth.
"Did she say why?""
Sophie shook her head.
"She said I was lucky she adopted me.""
I struggled to keep my voice steady.
"Do you have any pictures from when you were little?""
"Lots.""
"Could you show me one?""
She disappeared briefly, then returned holding a framed photograph.
It showed Vanessa holding a newborn baby.
On the back, I could just make out the date.
The exact date Chloe had been born.
"That's a beautiful picture," I said.
Sophie smiled.
"Mom says I looked like her.""
I closed my eyes.
I wanted to tell her everything.
I wanted to reach through the screen and hold her.
But Evelyn had warned me not to overwhelm the child before the legal situation was clarified.
"Would you like to meet me someday?"" I asked.
Sophie's smile faded.
"Why?""
"Because I think we might have something important to talk about.""
Before she could answer, Vanessa appeared behind her.
"That's enough, Sophie.""
The video ended.
I stared at the blank screen.
Michael muttered something under his breath.
"She's controlling every conversation.""
Evelyn nodded.
"Which is why we need to be careful. We cannot assume the guardianship arrangement was legally valid or that Sophie understands the truth. We need the original records and independent verification.""
My phone rang.
Vanessa.
I answered.
"What did you tell Sophie?""
Her voice was sharp.
"You had no right to contact her.""
"She's my daughter.""
"She's mine.""
"You knew she was my child when you took her.""
Vanessa laughed.
"Took her? Your father handed her to me.""
"Under a temporary agreement.""
"Your father made plenty of promises.""
"That agreement expires when she turns thirteen.""
There was a pause.
Then Vanessa spoke quietly.
"Your father should have kept his mouth shut.""
I gripped the phone.
"What did you do to him?""
"Careful, Laura.""
"Did you threaten him?""
"Your father was a stubborn old man. He thought money could fix everything.""
I glanced at Michael.
He was recording the conversation with Evelyn's permission and following her instructions.
"Why did you sleep with Daniel?""
Vanessa laughed again.
"Because he was unhappy.""
"That doesn't explain anything.""
"Your husband wanted a woman who appreciated him. You were always working, always exhausted, always talking about patients.""
"So you decided to steal my family?""
"I didn't steal anything. I took what nobody was protecting.""
Her words were like knives.
I lowered my voice.
"Did you transfer the money from the girls' accounts?""
"Daniel handled the money.""
"You received it.""
"Business payments.""
"Four hundred and twenty thousand dollars?""
Vanessa went silent.
Then she said something unexpected.
"Ask your brother where the first hundred thousand went.""
I turned toward Michael.
"What?""
Vanessa continued.
"Michael wasn't innocent, Laura. He helped your father create the arrangement. He signed the paperwork. He collected the money.""
Michael stood up.
"She's lying.""
Vanessa laughed.
"Ask him about the account ending in 4419.""
Then she hung up.
I turned toward my brother.
"Is there an account ending in 4419?""
He didn't answer.
Evelyn watched him carefully.
"Michael?""
He rubbed his face.
"Yes.""
"What is it?""
"A trust administration account.""
"Who owns it?""
"I did.""
My heart dropped.
"You owned an account holding money intended for my daughters?""
"Temporarily. Dad asked me to manage the initial expenses.""
"How much went through it?""
He looked at the floor.
"One hundred thousand dollars.""
I stepped backward.
"Where did it go?""
"To Vanessa.""
I felt something inside me collapse.
Michael immediately continued.
"Laura, I didn't steal it. Your father authorized the payments. Vanessa was supposed to use it for Sophie's education and living expenses.""
"Then why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I thought the arrangement was temporary. I thought Dad would explain everything himself.""
I stared at him.
"How much did Vanessa actually spend on Sophie?""
Michael opened the records.
"We don't know yet.""
Evelyn leaned forward.
"That's precisely what we need to establish. We need the complete transaction history, not assumptions.""
Michael nodded.
Then he opened another folder.
Inside was a bank statement.
The first transfer had occurred thirteen years earlier.
The last had occurred only two days ago.
I pointed at the final transaction.
"What's this?""
Michael enlarged the details.
A payment of $75,000 had been transferred from the trust administration account to a private education company.
The company was registered in Delaware.
The beneficiary was listed as Sophie Mitchell.
But the payment description was strange.
*INDEPENDENT LIVING AND RELOCATION PACKAGE.*
"Relocation?"" I whispered.
Michael clicked the attached instruction.
It was signed by Vanessa.
The funds were intended to move Sophie to a private residential school outside Georgia.
The enrollment date was tomorrow.
Evelyn immediately picked up her phone.
"We need to establish whether Sophie is being moved without proper authority.""
I looked at the screen again.
"She's thirteen. She doesn't even know who her real mother is.""
My phone rang.
A school administrator.
"Mrs. Mitchell? This is Danielson Academy. We have an enrollment authorization for Sophie Grace Mitchell.""
"Who submitted it?""
"Her guardian, Vanessa Mitchell.""
"When is she expected to arrive?""
"Tomorrow morning.""
I looked at Evelyn.
She shook her head.
"Don't make threats. We'll address this through the appropriate legal process.""
I thanked the administrator and ended the call.
Then Michael's laptop chimed.
A new email had arrived.
The sender was Vanessa.
The subject line read:
*SOPHIE — FINAL TRANSFER CONFIRMATION.*
Michael opened it.
The message contained one sentence.
Once she leaves Georgia, Laura will never find out what happened at the hospital.
I stared at the screen.
"What happened at the hospital?""
Michael opened the attachment.
It was a scanned document from thirteen years earlier.
A newborn discharge authorization.
May you like
And the person who had signed it wasn't my father.
It was Daniel.
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