Chapter 4: The Photograph That Changed Everything
"Adrian, please let me explain.""
Emma's voice trembled.
I stared at the photograph lying on the dining table. My mother stood outside a hospital room, wearing the blue coat I remembered from my childhood. Beside her was a younger woman holding a newborn baby.
The baby's face was partially visible.
The woman looked remarkably like Emma.
"Where did Victor get this?"" I asked.
Emma wiped her tears.
"I don't know.""
"Have you seen this photograph before?""
She shook her head.
"No. But I recognize the hospital.""
I looked at her.
"Which hospital?""
"St. Catherine's. My mother gave birth there.""
Victor chuckled.
"Well, this is becoming interesting.""
I turned toward him.
"Shut up.""
His smile disappeared.
Emma picked up the photograph with shaking fingers.
"My mother died when I was twelve," she said.
"She never told me anything about the Blackwood family.""
Richard suddenly stepped forward.
"Victor, put that photograph away.""
Victor raised an eyebrow.
"Why? Afraid the truth might finally come out?""
"Enough.""
"No, Richard. We've spent years pretending this never happened.""
I looked between them.
"What never happened?""
My father rubbed his forehead.
"Adrian, your mother was involved in something complicated before you were born.""
"She died eleven years ago. I know when she was involved in things.""
"Not everything.""
Victor opened his briefcase again.
"Your mother discovered that someone in this family had been using a private trust to conceal illegal payments. She collected evidence. She intended to expose everything.""
"And?""
"She changed her mind.""
"Why?""
Victor looked directly at me.
"Because someone threatened her children.""
My stomach tightened.
"My mother had one child.""
Victor glanced toward Emma.
"Are you certain?""
The room seemed to lose its air.
Emma slowly lowered the photograph.
"What are you saying?""
Richard closed his eyes.
Victor answered for him.
"Your mother gave birth to twins, Adrian.""
Emma staggered backward.
I stared at my father.
"Tell me he's lying.""
Richard didn't respond.
"Father!""
He finally looked at me.
"Your mother had two babies. You were born first. Emma was born eleven minutes later.""
Emma's hand flew to her mouth.
"No.""
Richard continued.
"Your mother believed that keeping you together would put both children in danger. Someone had threatened the family. She arranged for Emma to be raised by another woman.""
"Who?"" Emma whispered.
"Her biological mother was a close friend of your mother's," Richard said.
"She agreed to raise Emma as her own.""
Emma shook her head.
"My mother knew?""
"She knew the truth.""
"She lied to me my entire life?""
Richard lowered his eyes.
I felt as though the floor had disappeared beneath my feet.
Emma and I had known each other for years. We had grown up attending the same charity events, worked together on several projects, and eventually become close after my accident.
She had held my hand through my darkest days.
And now I was being told she was my sister.
"Why didn't anyone tell us?"" I asked.
Victor answered.
"Because your mother believed the secret would keep you alive.""
I turned toward him.
"Then why are you telling us now?""
His expression changed.
"Because your mother left something else behind.""
He removed a small envelope.
"She entrusted me with this.""
I reached for it.
Victor pulled it away.
"Not so fast. First, I want something.""
"What?""
"Your voting rights.""
I stared at him.
He smiled.
"Sign over your controlling shares, and I'll give you everything your mother left behind.""
Emma stepped forward.
"You're blackmailing him?""
Victor shrugged.
"I'm negotiating.""
I looked at my father.
"Is this what Mother was protecting us from?""
Richard nodded slowly.
"Victor wanted control of the company long before your accident.""
"Then why did you let him near me?""
My father looked devastated.
"Because I trusted him.""
Victor laughed.
"Richard, don't pretend you were innocent. You signed the documents that gave me access to the company accounts.""
My father lunged toward him.
"You're finished!""
Victor stepped aside.
"Careful. You don't want everyone learning what happened to your wife.""
The room went silent.
I looked at Richard.
"What happened to Mother?""
He swallowed.
"She died in a car accident.""
"Was it really an accident?""
He didn't answer.
Victor slipped the envelope back into his briefcase.
"Think carefully, Adrian. You have forty-eight hours.""
He walked toward the entrance.
At the door, he stopped and looked at Emma.
"Enjoy your reunion, sweetheart. You have no idea how much your existence has cost this family.""
Then he left.
Emma stood frozen.
I approached her slowly.
"Emma?""
She backed away.
"Don't.""
"Listen to me.""
"All these years, you knew me as your friend. I thought you were the one person who understood me.""
"I didn't know.""
She wiped her cheeks.
"Does that mean everything between us changes?""
I didn't have an answer.
She looked down at the photograph again.
Then she noticed something written on the back.
A date.
And beneath it, four words in my mother's handwriting.
Find the second daughter.
Emma turned the photograph over.
"There were supposed to be two children," she whispered.
I frowned.
"What do you mean?""
She pointed at the writing.
"Second daughter. Not second child.""
Before I could respond, my phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
A message appeared.
*ADRIAN, IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHO REALLY CAUSED YOUR ACCIDENT, ASK YOUR FATHER WHY YOUR MOTHER WAS AFRAID OF HIM.*
I slowly raised my eyes.
May you like
Richard was staring at me.
And for the first time, my father looked more frightened than Victor.
