Chapter 7: The Daughter My Father Never Told Me About
For almost a minute, I couldn't move.
My father had another daughter.
A daughter whose existence he had hidden from me for my entire life.
And Patricia knew about her.
Michael carefully examined the trust agreement.
"Sarah, I need you to understand something. The existence of another beneficiary doesn't automatically affect your inheritance. We need to establish who this person is and what rights your father gave her.""
I shook my head.
"Why would Dad keep something like this from me?""
Rachel squeezed my hand.
"Maybe he had a reason.""
I looked at her.
"What reason could possibly justify hiding a whole person?""
Neither of them answered.
Michael called Robert Collins, my father's former estate attorney.
He placed the phone on speaker.
"Robert, we have a question about a beneficiary added to the family trust three days before Robert Thompson died.""
There was a long silence.
Then Robert sighed.
"I was wondering when this would come up.""
My heart began pounding.
"You knew?""
"I prepared the amendment.""
"Who is she?""
Robert hesitated.
"Her name is Emily Carter.""
I searched my memory.
Nothing.
"How old is she?""
"Thirty-one.""
I was thirty-six.
Five years younger.
"Is she my sister?""
"Biologically, yes.""
I pressed my hand against my mouth.
Robert continued.
"Your father had a relationship with a woman named Laura Carter before he met your mother. Emily was born from that relationship. Your father knew about her, but they didn't establish a relationship until much later.""
I stared at the table.
My father had another daughter.
A daughter close enough in age to have grown up alongside me.
"Why didn't he tell me?""
Robert's voice softened.
"Because he was afraid of hurting your mother. Later, after your mother passed, he tried to contact Emily. They met several times during the final years of his life.""
I felt something inside me break.
While I was visiting Dad, helping him with his medication, and arranging his appointments, he had another daughter.
A daughter who knew him differently.
A daughter who might have known things about him that I didn't.
"What did he leave her?"" I asked.
"An independent share of the family trust. He made the decision shortly before his death.""
Michael leaned forward.
"Was she aware of the amendment?""
"Yes. I sent her a copy.""
"And does she have a copy of the original?""
"She should.""
I looked at Michael.
"Can we contact her?""
Robert gave us her phone number.
I stared at it for several seconds before dialing.
A woman answered.
"Hello?""
"Emily? My name is Sarah Thompson.""
Silence.
Then she whispered, "I know.""
I closed my eyes.
"Have we met?""
"Not officially.""
"What does that mean?""
"I saw you at the hospital when Dad was dying. You were sitting beside his bed. I was in the hallway.""
My throat tightened.
"You were there?""
"Yes.""
"Why didn't you come in?""
Emily gave a small, bitter laugh.
"Because your father asked me not to. He said he wanted to explain everything to you himself.""
I lowered my head.
"Did he?""
"No.""
Those two words hurt more than I expected.
"Emily, I need to ask you something. Did you know Daniel and Patricia were trying to access the trust?""
Her voice changed immediately.
"Yes.""
My heart jumped.
"What?""
"Patricia contacted me about two months ago. She offered me money to sign a document giving up my share.""
I sat upright.
"How much?""
"Two hundred thousand dollars.""
The trust was worth millions.
They had offered her a fraction of what she was entitled to.
"Did you accept?""
"No. I told her to leave me alone.""
"Did she threaten you?""
Emily was quiet.
Then she said, "She told me that if I didn't cooperate, she'd reveal something about my father.""
"What?""
"That he had paid my mother to keep me away from the family.""
I stared at the phone.
Emily continued.
"I don't know whether it's true. But I do know Patricia has been trying to get access to the trust for years.""
Michael wrote something down.
"Emily, would you be willing to meet with us?""
"Yes. But Sarah, there's something else.""
"What?""
"Your father gave me a sealed envelope before he died. He told me to open it only if Patricia ever tried to take control of the trust.""
I stopped breathing.
"What's inside?""
"I haven't opened it.""
"Why not?""
"Because I was waiting for the right moment.""
I glanced at Michael.
"When can we meet?""
"Tomorrow morning.""
After the call ended, Michael explained that Emily's cooperation could be critical.
"If Patricia approached her about surrendering her inheritance, we may have evidence of an attempted scheme to obtain trust assets.""
I nodded.
But I couldn't stop thinking about my father.
Why had he kept Emily a secret?
Why had he waited until his final days to change the trust?
And why had Patricia been so desperate to get control?
That evening, I returned home with Rachel.
The house felt different.
Every photograph of Daniel seemed to mock me.
I took our wedding picture off the mantel and placed it facedown.
Then I heard a noise from the hallway.
I froze.
A drawer opening.
Someone was inside the house.
Rachel grabbed her phone.
"Sarah, stay here.""
We heard footsteps.
Then a familiar voice.
"She's not home.""
Patricia.
I quietly opened the security application.
The live camera showed Patricia standing in my bedroom.
She was holding an empty jewelry box.
Daniel stood near the closet.
"Where did you put the documents?"" he asked.
"I told you, I took them.""
"Mom, I need the original trust papers.""
"They're probably with the rest of her father's things.""
Daniel slammed a drawer shut.
"Vanessa is threatening to leave me if I don't deliver the money.""
Patricia turned toward him.
"Then you'd better make sure Sarah signs the agreement.""
"She won't.""
Patricia stepped closer.
"Then we use Emily.""
I felt my blood run cold.
Daniel looked confused.
"What about her?""
Patricia smiled.
"She doesn't know what her father really promised her.""
The bedroom camera captured Daniel leaning toward his mother.
"What did you do?""
Patricia whispered something.
Then she pulled a second envelope from her handbag.
May you like
And when Daniel saw the name written across it, his entire expression changed.
*Emily Carter.*
