Chapter 7: The Sister Who Wasn’t My Sister
For a few seconds, nobody moved.
I wanted to laugh.
Not because it was funny.
Because my mind refused to accept the words I had just heard.
Victoria was not my sister.
The woman who held my hand at my mother’s funeral.
The woman who taught me how to ride a bicycle.
The woman who stood beside me when my father built his empire.
Not my sister.
I looked at Victoria.
She didn’t deny it.
That hurt more than anything.
“Say something,” I whispered.
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Alexander…”
“No.””
My voice became sharper.
“Don’t say my name like you still have the right.””
The words hurt her.
I saw it.
But I couldn’t stop.
My entire life had just been rewritten.
Thomas slowly closed the file.
“I think you deserve the complete truth.””
I looked at him.
“I deserved it twenty years ago.””
Nobody argued.
Because everyone knew I was right.
Victoria sat down.
For the first time, she looked older than her years.
Not powerful.
Not confident.
Just tired.
“My name was Victoria Hale,” she said quietly.
I stared at her.
“Was?””
She nodded.
“When I came into this family, I was six years old.””
The room became silent.
“My parents died in an accident. Your father knew my family. He took me in.””
I frowned.
“So you were adopted.””
“Yes.””
“Then why hide it?””
Victoria looked at the floor.
“Because your father changed the records.””
The detective stepped closer.
“Why?””
Victoria looked at Thomas.
Thomas answered.
“Because Richard Hale had enemies.””
I shook my head.
“That doesn’t explain anything.””
Thomas opened another document.
“Your father discovered someone was trying to destroy his company. Someone who knew every weakness.””
“And?””
“The person had access to information only a member of his family could know.””
I looked at Victoria.
“You thought she was the spy?””
Victoria’s face changed.
“No.””
She looked offended.
“I never betrayed him.””
Thomas nodded.
“That was the problem.””
I looked confused.
“What?””
“Richard became obsessed with protecting his empire. He started believing everyone around him was a threat.””
The room grew colder.
“He changed Victoria’s identity because he wanted the world to believe he had a biological daughter who could inherit everything.””
My chest tightened.
“So he used her.””
“Yes.””
Victoria wiped her eyes.
“He told me I was his daughter because he needed someone he could trust.””
“And you believed him.””
She looked at me.
“I was six years old.””
That answer silenced me.
A child.
A child who had been pulled into an adult’s war.
Maria stepped forward.
“Your mother hated what he did.””
I turned toward her.
“My mother knew?””
Maria nodded.
“She knew Victoria was adopted.””
“Then why didn’t she tell me?””
“Because your father threatened to take everything away.””
My hands curled into fists.
“He threatened his own wife?””
Maria looked down.
“He threatened everyone.””
Thomas opened another folder.
“There is more.””
I looked at him.
“What now?””
He removed an old photograph.
A hospital room.
My mother holding a newborn baby.
Beside her was Richard.
And another woman.
I looked closer.
The woman looked familiar.
Too familiar.
“Who is she?””
Victoria stood immediately.
Her face changed.
“No.””
Thomas sighed.
“Alexander, this is the part your father buried deepest.””
I looked at the photograph.
“Who is she?””
Thomas answered:
“She was your mother’s sister.””
My stomach dropped.
“My aunt?””
“Yes.””
“Why was she in the hospital when I was born?””
Nobody answered.
Then the detective pointed at the document.
“Because according to these records, she gave birth that same night.””
The room went completely silent.
I looked at Victoria.
Then Maria.
Then Thomas.
“What are you saying?””
Thomas lowered his voice.
“I’m saying the night you were born, two children entered that hospital.””
My heartbeat became louder.
“And?””
Thomas looked at the old photograph.
“One of them disappeared.””
The lights flickered.
Everyone turned.
May you like
Then Maria whispered:
“And your father spent the next thirty years making sure nobody ever found out which child survived.””
