Chapter 2: The Secret Behind the Wedding
I couldn't move.
My mother had been dead for sixteen years.
At least, that was what I'd been told.
Her name was Grace Carter. She had worked as a housekeeper for a wealthy family before a fire destroyed the small house where we lived in Connecticut.
I was twelve years old when it happened.
I remembered the smell of smoke.
I remembered firefighters carrying me outside.
And I remembered a police officer telling me my mother hadn't survived.
After that, I grew up in foster care.
There were no grandparents, no aunts, and no family friends willing to take me in.
Just a cardboard box of photographs and a silver necklace that had belonged to my mother.
Now a stranger was telling me that my mother had saved the Callaway family.
"What do you mean?"" I asked.
Eleanor squeezed my hand.
"Not here.""
Nathaniel looked between us.
"Mom, I want an explanation.""
She shook her head.
"Not until I know what happened to the recording.""
Victoria suddenly stepped forward.
"This is ridiculous. Your mother is having some kind of episode, Nathaniel. We should get her medical attention.""
Eleanor pulled away from her.
"Don't you dare pretend to care about me.""
Victoria's face hardened.
"I've spent three years trying to make this family accept me.""
"And I've spent thirty years protecting a secret you know nothing about.""
Nathaniel's jaw tightened.
"What secret?""
Before Eleanor could answer, Marcus returned with a tablet.
"Mr. Callaway, I've got the footage.""
Victoria immediately turned toward him.
"That camera wasn't authorized.""
Marcus didn't even look at her.
"Mrs. Ashford, the equipment was installed under the hotel's security contract.""
"Delete it.""
Nathaniel's voice became dangerously quiet.
"Did you just tell my head of security to delete evidence?""
Victoria swallowed.
"I meant there's no reason to embarrass your mother publicly.""
"Play it.""
Marcus touched the screen.
The video showed Eleanor standing beside the railing.
Victoria approached her.
They exchanged several words.
Then Victoria grabbed Eleanor's shoulders and pushed.
The elderly woman stumbled backward.
Her body disappeared over the edge.
The video continued for several seconds, showing me rushing forward and catching her.
A collective gasp swept through the guests.
Nathaniel stared at the screen.
Then he looked at Victoria.
"Tell me that isn't you.""
Victoria began crying again.
"Nathaniel, please.""
"Answer me.""
"She was threatening me!""
"With what?""
Victoria glanced at Eleanor.
"She was trying to ruin our marriage.""
Nathaniel shook his head.
"You nearly killed my mother because she threatened to ruin our marriage?""
"She knows things about your family!""
"What things?""
Victoria said nothing.
Marcus cleared his throat.
"Sir, there's another recording.""
Nathaniel turned.
"Another angle?""
"No. Audio.""
Victoria's eyes widened.
"Marcus, don't.""
The security chief pressed play.
At first, there was only the sound of wind.
Then Victoria's voice came through the tablet.
"You promised the truth about Grace Carter would stay buried!""
Eleanor answered:
"I promised to protect a child. I never promised to protect you.""
Victoria's voice grew sharper.
"That child should never have existed!""
The recording ended.
I felt the ground shift beneath my feet.
Grace Carter.
My mother.
Nathaniel looked at me.
"Rose?""
I couldn't answer.
Victoria stepped toward the tablet.
"That's been taken out of context.""
Nathaniel didn't move.
"What child?""
Victoria's lips parted.
"Your mother has been manipulating you for years.""
"WHAT CHILD?""
The shout echoed across the rooftop.
Eleanor closed her eyes.
"Rose," she whispered.
"I need you to listen to me.""
I shook my head.
"No. I want to know why my mother's name is on a security recording at your wedding.""
Eleanor reached into her handbag.
Her hands shook so badly that she struggled to open the clasp.
She finally pulled out a small photograph.
It was old.
The edges were yellow, and one corner had been folded.
She handed it to me.
I stared at the picture.
A young woman stood in front of a large white house, holding two newborn babies.
One baby was wrapped in a pink blanket.
The other was wrapped in blue.
The woman was my mother.
I recognized her immediately.
The same dark eyes.
The same small scar above her left eyebrow.
The same smile I remembered from childhood.
But I had never seen those babies before.
I turned the photograph over.
Two names were written in faded blue ink.
ROSE CARTER.
NATHANIEL CALLAWAY.
My hands began shaking.
I looked at Nathaniel.
He was staring at the photograph too.
"What is this?"" he asked.
Eleanor swallowed.
"Your mother was holding both of you.""
Nathaniel took a step closer.
"Both of us?""
"Yes.""
I looked at the two names again.
"No.""
My voice came out as a whisper.
"That's impossible.""
Eleanor shook her head.
"Your mother gave birth to twins thirty-five years ago.""
The rooftop seemed to disappear around me.
Nathaniel looked at his mother.
"You're saying Rose is my sister?""
Eleanor nodded.
Victoria suddenly laughed.
It was a strange, sharp sound.
"Absolutely not.""
Everyone turned toward her.
She wiped her cheeks.
"You're going to believe this ridiculous story? A waitress appears at our wedding, saves your mother, and suddenly she's your long-lost sister?""
I stared at her.
"I didn't know any of you before tonight.""
"Convenient.""
Nathaniel stepped forward.
"Stop talking.""
Victoria ignored him.
"Think about it, Nathaniel. She knew exactly where your mother would be. She knew when to arrive. She probably planned the entire thing.""
My stomach turned.
"You're accusing me of trying to kill her?""
"I'm saying you might have been part of something.""
I took a step backward.
Nathaniel looked at Marcus.
"Keep her away from my mother.""
Victoria's expression changed.
"You can't be serious.""
"Not one more step toward her.""
Then Eleanor grabbed my wrist again.
"Rose, look at me.""
I forced myself to meet her eyes.
"Is my mother alive?""
Eleanor's lips trembled.
"I don't know.""
"But you said she was here. You said she worked for your family.""
"She did.""
"Then tell me what happened!""
Eleanor looked toward the Manhattan skyline.
"Thirty-five years ago, my husband, Richard Callaway, was a different man. He had everything money could buy, but he was terrified of losing the one thing he couldn't purchase.""
"What?""
"His reputation.""
Nathaniel frowned.
"Mother, what does Dad have to do with this?""
Eleanor looked at her son.
"Everything.""
She explained that Grace had been hired as a live-in caregiver when Eleanor was pregnant. Grace had become her closest companion during a difficult pregnancy.
But the delivery had been complicated.
There had been an emergency.
Two babies.
Two heartbeats.
And a decision that Richard Callaway had made without his wife's consent.
Eleanor's voice broke.
"Your father took one of the babies away.""
Nathaniel's face went white.
"Which one?""
Eleanor looked at me.
"You.""
I couldn't breathe.
She continued.
"Grace refused to accept his decision. She threatened to expose him. He told her that if she ever spoke about the second baby, she would lose everything.""
"Why didn't you stop him?"" I demanded.
Eleanor covered her mouth.
"Because I was recovering from surgery. By the time I understood what he had done, Grace and you were gone.""
Nathaniel looked devastated.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Your father told me Rose had died.""
I felt tears burning behind my eyes.
"And you believed him?""
"I was young, frightened, and powerless.""
"She wasn't dead," I whispered.
"She raised me for twelve years.""
Eleanor began crying.
"I know.""
I stepped away.
For sixteen years, I had visited a grave bearing my mother's name.
Now I was learning that the family standing in front of me might have known more about my childhood than I did.
Nathaniel reached for my shoulder.
"Rose, I don't know what to say.""
"Don't.""
He withdrew his hand.
Then Victoria suddenly spoke.
"There's something else you should know.""
Nathaniel turned.
"What?""
She looked directly at me.
"Your mother didn't leave this family because your father forced her to.""
Eleanor's eyes widened.
"Victoria, don't.""
The bride smiled without warmth.
"Grace Carter was paid to disappear.""
May you like
And then she revealed the one detail that made Eleanor collapse into the nearest chair.
"She received ten million dollars to keep you away from Nathaniel.""
