Chapter 11: The Woman in the Photograph
Nobody spoke.
Laura stood in the doorway, holding a stack of old medical records against her chest.
My mother looked as though she'd seen a ghost.
“Laura,” she whispered.
“I know.””
“You're alive.””
“Barely.””
Richard appeared behind her.
His expression was furious.
“You weren't supposed to come here.””
Laura turned.
“You weren't supposed to steal children.””
Richard's jaw tightened.
Daniel stepped forward.
“Explain.””
Laura looked at him.
“Your wife gave birth to twins.””
Daniel nodded.
“We know that.””
“No.””
She shook her head.
“You know what the records say.””
She looked at me.
“You don't know what happened.””
I felt cold.
“What happened?””
Laura entered the room.
“Eleanor delivered two babies. Milo was born first.””
She looked at my mother.
“Then Kate.””
Mom nodded.
“I remember.””
Laura continued.
“There was another woman in the maternity ward that night.””
Daniel frowned.
“Who?””
“Her name was Amelia Hayes.””
My blood stopped.
“Hayes?””
Laura nodded.
“She was Thomas's wife.””
Thomas looked away.
I stared at him.
“Your wife?””
He nodded.
“She was pregnant?””
“No,” Laura said.
“She couldn't have children.””
My mother's eyes widened.
Laura placed a record on the table.
“Amelia had been trying to adopt for years.””
Richard stepped forward.
“Laura, don't.””
She ignored him.
“Amelia lost her pregnancy six months earlier.””
Thomas's voice cracked.
“Stop.””
“She was devastated.””
I looked at Thomas.
“And you took me because she wanted a baby.””
“No.””
His eyes filled.
“I took you because I loved you.””
My mother shouted,
“You stole my daughter!””
Thomas flinched.
Laura looked at me.
“Richard arranged everything.””
“Why?””
“Because Eleanor was threatening to leave the Mercer family.””
Richard snapped, “That's not true.””
Laura turned on him.
“You were afraid she'd take control of the trust.””
“That trust belonged to the family.””
“No,” Daniel said.
“It belonged to the children.””
Laura nodded.
“Exactly.””
She looked at me.
“The trust was created by Richard's father. It was designed to pass to Eleanor's children when they turned nineteen.””
I looked at the documents.
“So that's why.””
“Yes.””
Richard stepped forward.
“If Eleanor had both children, she would have controlled the trust.””
“And if I disappeared?””
“Then Milo would inherit everything.””
I frowned.
“But Milo was also taken.””
Laura shook her head.
“That wasn't Richard's original plan.””
Milo looked at her.
“What happened?””
“Daniel discovered the kidnapping.””
Daniel's face tightened.
“I found out Eleanor's daughter had been declared dead.””
Laura nodded.
“And he threatened to expose Richard.””
Richard laughed bitterly.
“You were going to destroy everything.””
“You destroyed your own family.””
Laura looked at Milo.
“Richard had you sent away.””
Milo's face hardened.
“And Kate?””
Laura looked at Thomas.
“Thomas took her.””
I turned to him.
“You took me from the hospital.””
He nodded.
“I did.””
“You let me believe you were my real father.””
“Yes.””
“You let me call you Dad.””
His eyes filled.
“You were my daughter in every way that mattered to me.””
I stepped backward.
“But not in the way that mattered most.””
He couldn't answer.
My mother walked toward him.
“You stole nineteen years from me.””
“I know.””
“You stole her childhood.””
“I know.””
“You stole Milo's sister.””
Thomas looked at Milo.
“I know.””
Milo suddenly spoke.
“Then tell us who ordered it.””
Thomas looked at Richard.
Then at Laura.
Then finally at me.
“I can't.””
“Why?””
“Because Richard wasn't the person who signed the final order.””
Richard's expression changed.
Thomas reached into his jacket.
He pulled out an old envelope.
“There's another name.””
He handed it to me.
I opened it.
The signature was unmistakable.
My mother's.
Again.
I looked at her.
“Mom?””
She stared at the paper.
“That isn't my signature.””
Laura stepped forward.
“It is.””
My mother shook her head.
“No.””
Laura's voice softened.
“You don't remember signing it because you weren't Eleanor that night.””
I stared at her.
“What?””
She pointed at the photograph.
“Look at the woman beside your mother.””
I did.
The nurse.
Laura.
And behind her stood another woman.
Her face was partially hidden.
I looked closer.
My stomach dropped.
The woman had my mother's face.
But she wasn't my mother.
She was younger.
Same eyes.
Same hair.
Same scar beneath her eyebrow.
“Who is she?””
Laura whispered,
“Eleanor's identical sister.””
My mother shook her head.
“I don't have a sister.””
Laura looked at her sadly.
“You did.””
May you like
She turned to me.
“And she's the reason you were stolen.””
