Chapter 5: The Woman Who Raised My Twin
Nathaniel stepped between Eleanor and the desk.
"How long have you known?""
Eleanor closed the door behind her.
Her gaze moved from the receiver to the photograph in my hand.
"Long enough.""
"You're going to answer me," Nathaniel said.
"Were Rose and I born to Grace?""
Eleanor slowly the door behind her.
Her gaze moved from the receiver to the photograph in my hand.
"Long enough.""
"You're going to answer me," Nathaniel said.
"Were Rose and I born to Grace?""
Eleanor slowly removed her gloves.
"Yes.""
"Did you know we were twins?""
"Yes.""
"Did you know my entire life was built on a lie?""
Her eyes filled.
"Every day.""
Nathaniel laughed once, without humor.
"That's convenient.""
removed her gloves.
"Yes.""
"Did you know we were twins?""
"Yes.""
"Did you know my entire life was built on a lie?""
Her eyes filled.
"Every day.""
Nathaniel laughed once, without humor.
"That's convenient.""
"Son—"
"Don't call me that.""
The words landed harder than any shout.
Eleanor flinched.
I had never seen a woman wearing diamonds worth millions look so small.
I stepped forward.
"Why did you let me believe my mother was dead?""
"Because Richard would have killed you if he knew you were alive.""
""Son—"
"Don't call me that.""
The words landed harder than any shout.
Eleanor flinched.
I had never seen a woman wearing diamonds worth millions look so small.
I stepped forward.
"Why did you let me believe my mother was dead?""
"Because Richard would have killed you if he knew you were alive.""
"That's not an answer.""
"It's the truth.""
"No. It's an excuse.""
I pulled the photograph from my pocket and held it up.
"My mother gave you this. She trusted you. You knew I was growing up without her, and you let it happen.""
Eleanor's lips trembled.
"I sent money.""
My laughThat's not an answer.""
"It's the truth.""
"No. It's an excuse.""
I pulled the photograph from my pocket and held it up.
"My mother gave you this. She trusted you. You knew I was growing up without her, and you let it happen.""
Eleanor's lips trembled.
"I sent money.""
My laugh came out bitter.
"Money?""
"I arranged for your foster family to receive financial assistance. I made certain you went to a good school. I paid for your medical care after your accident when you were sixteen.""
I stared at her.
I remembered that accident.
I had fallen down the stairs at my foster home and broken my wrist. The hospital bill had came out bitter.
"Money?""
"I arranged for your foster family to receive financial assistance. I made certain you went to a good school. I paid for your medical care after your accident when you were sixteen.""
I stared at her.
I remembered that accident.
I had fallen down the stairs at my foster home and broken my wrist. The hospital bill had been paid by an anonymous foundation.
I had spent years wondering who the donor was.
"That was you?""
Eleanor nodded.
"I watched you from a distance whenever I could.""
"You watched me grow up without a mother.""
"I know.""
"You watched me sit alone at been paid by an anonymous foundation.
I had spent years wondering who the donor was.
"That was you?""
Eleanor nodded.
"I watched you from a distance whenever I could.""
"You watched me grow up without a mother.""
"I know.""
"You watched me sit alone at school events. You watched me cry at Christmas.""
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"I know, Rose.""
"Then why didn't you come get me?""
She lowered her head.
"Because Richard had a signed order that would have made it school events. You watched me cry at Christmas.""
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"I know, Rose.""
"Then why didn't you come get me?""
She lowered her head.
"Because Richard had a signed order that would have made it impossible for you to disappear again. He threatened Grace. He threatened you. And he had enough influence to make his threats real.""
Nathaniel slammed his palm against the desk.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because you were his heir. He controlled impossible for you to disappear again. He threatened Grace.
He threatened you. And he had enough influence to make his threats real.""
Nathaniel slammed his palm against the desk.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because you were his heir. He controlled the accounts, the lawyers, the security, even the doctors you saw as a child. I was trapped inside that family long before you were born.""
I looked at her.
"Grace says you ordered the fire.""
Eleanor stopped the accounts, the lawyers, the security, even the doctors you saw as a child. I was trapped inside that family long before you were born.""
I looked at her.
"Grace says you ordered the fire.""
Eleanor stopped crying.
For several seconds, she simply stared at me.
Then she pulled out a chair.
"Your mother is telling you only part of what happened.""
Nathaniel's voice hardened.
"Then tell us the rest.""
Eleanor sat down.
"The fire was meant to destroy a set of records. Richard had learned that Grace was collecting evidence against him. She knew about crying.
For several seconds, she simply stared at me.
Then she pulled out a chair.
"Your mother is telling you only part of what happened.""
Nathaniel's voice hardened.
"Then tell us the rest.""
Eleanor sat down.
"The fire was meant to destroy a set of records. Richard had learned that Grace was collecting evidence against him. She knew about the false birth documents, the financial crimes, and the people he had paid to make certain problems disappear.""
I remembered the smell of smoke from childhood.
The flashing lights.
The firefighters carrying me out of a different building after the false birth documents, the financial crimes, and the people he had paid to make certain problems disappear.""
I remembered the smell of smoke from childhood.
The flashing lights.
The firefighters carrying me out of a different building after my foster parents took me in.
I had never seen the place where my mother supposedly died.
"Was Grace inside the house?"" I asked.
"No.""
"Then why was there a death certificate?""
"Richard needed the world to believe she was dead. After the fire, he arranged for a body from another incident to be identified as hers.""
Nathaniel stared at my foster parents took me in.
I had never seen the place where my mother supposedly died.
"Was Grace inside the house?"" I asked.
"No.""
"Then why was there a death certificate?""
"Richard needed the world to believe she was dead. After the fire, he arranged for a body from another incident to be identified as hers.""
Nathaniel stared at her.
"You knew there was no body?""
"I knew the identification was false.""
"And you said nothing?""
Eleanor's voice cracked.
"I was afraid.""
He shook his head.
"You let me call her.
"You knew there was no body?""
"I knew the identification was false.""
"And you said nothing?""
Eleanor's voice cracked.
"I was afraid.""
He shook his head.
"You let me call you Mom. You sat beside me at graduations. You watched me get married to a woman who tried to kill you. And every single one of those moments, you knew.""
Eleanor looked up sharply.
"You were you Mom. You sat beside me at graduations. You watched me get married to a woman who tried to kill you. And every single one of those moments, you knew.""
Eleanor looked up sharply.
"You were not supposed to marry Victoria.""
Nathaniel narrowed his eyes.
"What does that mean?""
"Victoria didn't enter our family by accident.""
I stepped closer.
"Who is she?""
Eleanor opened her handbag and removed a folded document.
"Her mother worked for Richard. Her name was Margaret Sterling. She was his private secretary not supposed to marry Victoria.""
Nathaniel narrowed his eyes.
"What does that mean?""
"Victoria didn't enter our family by accident.""
I stepped closer.
"Who is she?""
Eleanor opened her handbag and removed a folded document.
"Her mother worked for Richard. Her name was Margaret Sterling. She was his private secretary for almost twenty years.""
Nathaniel took the paper.
It was a copy of an old employment agreement.
At the bottom was a handwritten note.
Victoria is to be protected. Her mother knows the arrangement.
Nathaniel looked confused.
"What arrangement?""
Eleanor rubbed her forehead.
"After Grace disappeared, Richard began paying Margaret. He gave her money, properties, and eventually a position in one for almost twenty years.""
Nathaniel took the paper.
It was a copy of an old employment agreement.
At the bottom was a handwritten note.
Victoria is to be protected. Her mother knows the arrangement.
Nathaniel looked confused.
"What arrangement?""
Eleanor rubbed her forehead.
"After Grace disappeared, Richard began paying Margaret. He gave her money, properties, and eventually a position in one of his companies. Victoria grew up believing that the Callaways owed her something.""
"But why marry me?""
"Because she found out about you and Rose. She wanted the fortune. She believed that if she married you, she could control the family records and destroy anything that connected the Callaways to Grace.""
Nathaniel folded the document.
" of his companies. Victoria grew up believing that the Callaways owed her something.""
"But why marry me?""
"Because she found out about you and Rose. She wanted the fortune. She believed that if she married you, she could control the family records and destroy anything that connected the Callaways to Grace.""
Nathaniel folded the document.
"She knew about Rose?""
"She found the second birth certificate six months ago.""
I remembered Victoria's face on the terrace.
Her sudden fear when Marcus mentioned the camera.
Her desperation when Eleanor said Grace's name.
"SheShe knew about Rose?""
"She found the second birth certificate six months ago.""
I remembered Victoria's face on the terrace.
Her sudden fear when Marcus mentioned the camera.
Her desperation when Eleanor said Grace's name.
"She pushed you because you recognized me," I said.
Eleanor nodded.
"I saw you looking at the photograph earlier. Victoria noticed. She realized I was about to tell you everything.""
Nathaniel pulled out his phone.
"I'm calling pushed you because you recognized me," I said.
Eleanor nodded.
"I saw you looking at the photograph earlier. Victoria noticed. She realized I was about to tell you everything.""
Nathaniel pulled out his phone.
"I'm calling Detective Brooks.""
"Don't," Eleanor said.
He stopped.
"What?""
"Not until you see what's in that cabinet.""
She walked to the filing cabinet and pressed a hidden switch beneath its metal frame.
A small compartment opened.
Inside Detective Brooks.""
"Don't," Eleanor said.
He stopped.
"What?""
"Not until you see what's in that cabinet.""
She walked to the filing cabinet and pressed a hidden switch beneath its metal frame.
A small compartment opened.
Inside lay a sealed envelope, a microcassette, and another photograph.
The photograph showed Grace standing outside the Callaway mansion.
She was holding a little girl.
Beside her stood Eleanor.
On the back, someone had written:
*The last day lay a sealed envelope, a microcassette, and another photograph.
The photograph showed Grace standing outside the Callaway mansion.
She was holding a little girl.
Beside her stood Eleanor.
On the back, someone had written:
The last day the girls were together.
I turned the photograph over twice.
"Girls?""
Eleanor looked at me.
"Rose, there's something I haven't told you.""
My pulse quickened.
"What?""
She took the envelope and handed it to Nathaniel.
"Richard didn't just hide one child.""
Nathaniel opened it.
Inside was a hospital record with three names the girls were together.*
I turned the photograph over twice.
"Girls?""
Eleanor looked at me.
"Rose, there's something I haven't told you.""
My pulse quickened.
"What?""
She took the envelope and handed it to Nathaniel.
"Richard didn't just hide one child.""
Nathaniel opened it.
Inside was a hospital record with three names.
Nathaniel Callaway.
Rose Carter.
And a third entry.
*Baby C — Female — Status: Transferred.*
Nathaniel looked up.
"Who is Baby C?""
Eleanor's face crumpled.
"Your sister.""
I felt the.
Nathaniel Callaway.
Rose Carter.
And a third entry.
*Baby C — Female — Status: Transferred.*
Nathaniel looked up.
"Who is Baby C?""
Eleanor's face crumpled.
"Your sister.""
I felt the room disappear around me.
"Where is she?""
Eleanor opened her mouth.
Before she could answer, the microcassette recorder clicked on by itself.
A man's voice filled the room.
Richard Callaway.
"If anyone is room disappear around me.
"Where is she?""
Eleanor opened her mouth.
Before she could answer, the microcassette recorder clicked on by itself.
A man's voice filled the room.
Richard Callaway.
"If anyone is listening to this recording, it means Eleanor has finally betrayed me.""
There was a pause.
May you like
Then his voice continued.
"And it means my daughter is probably standing in the same room as my son.""
