Chapter 4: The Secret My Mother Buried for Twenty-Eight Years
"Your father had another child?""
The question came out barely louder than a whisper.
My mother stared at the handwritten letter. Her fingers moved over my father's signature as though touching it might somehow make the words disappear.
Outside the office, Ethan continued pounding on the door.
"Sarah! Open this door! You're making a terrible mistake!""
I ignored him.
"Mom, what did Dad do in 1998?""
Linda closed her eyes.
"Your father wasn't perfect, sweetheart.""
"That's not an answer.""
"I know.""
She took a shaky breath.
"Twenty-eight years ago, before your father became sick, he received a phone call from a woman named Rebecca.""
I frowned.
"Who was Rebecca?""
"She worked at the accounting firm where your father handled some of his business affairs. They had known each other for years.""
My mother looked down.
"One afternoon, Rebecca came to our house with a little girl. She was about six years old. The girl had your father's eyes.""
I felt a chill.
"Was she his daughter?""
Mom nodded.
"Your father believed she was.""
I sat down.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I was terrified of losing our family.""
My mother wiped her cheeks.
"Your father told me the relationship had happened during a difficult period in our marriage. He said it was over before the child was born. Rebecca never asked him for money, and she never wanted to interfere with our lives.""
"Then what happened?""
"Your father started sending financial support. He also created a small education fund.""
I looked at the letter.
"And Noah?""
Mom shook her head.
"Your father never met Noah. Not that I know of.""
"Then why did he put Noah in the trust?""
She didn't answer.
Emily, who had been quietly copying the files, turned toward us.
"There's something else in the folder.""
She opened a scanned page.
It was a document from the estate attorney.
A handwritten note had been attached.
The secondary beneficiary is to receive information about the trust only after the primary beneficiary has been notified.
Beneath it was my father's signature.
And another name.
Rebecca Collins.
My mother's face changed.
"Collins?""
I looked at her.
"That's Vanessa's last name.""
Mom nodded slowly.
"Rebecca's full name was Rebecca Collins.""
The room went silent.
I stared at the photograph of Ethan, Vanessa, and Noah.
"You're telling me Vanessa might be related to Dad?""
"I don't know," Mom whispered.
I looked at the birth certificate.
Noah's mother was Vanessa Collins.
But the name of his grandmother wasn't listed.
Emily searched through the digital files.
"Wait. There's a scanned family contact sheet.""
She opened it.
A list of names appeared.
Rebecca Collins.
Patricia Collins.
Vanessa Collins.
I stared at the screen.
"Patricia and Rebecca had the same last name.""
My mother nodded.
"They were sisters.""
My stomach dropped.
"So Vanessa is...""
"Rebecca's daughter," Mom whispered.
I leaned back.
The little boy in the photograph wasn't simply Ethan's secret child.
He was connected to my father's secret family.
And somehow, my father had anticipated that connection when he created the trust.
A heavy knock interrupted us.
"Linda!"" Ethan shouted.
"I know you're in there!""
My mother flinched.
I stood.
"Don't speak to him.""
But Ethan's voice softened.
"Linda, please. You know I love Sarah. You know I would never hurt her.""
My mother stared at the door.
Then she walked toward it.
"Don't you dare use my name to make yourself sound like a decent man.""
There was a pause.
Ethan answered.
"You're confused. Patricia can explain everything.""
Mom's expression hardened.
"Patricia has some explaining to do.""
Emily suddenly raised her hand.
"Sarah, the transfer agreement has another attachment.""
She opened a file marked PROPERTY OCCUPANCY.
It contained photographs of the lakehouse.
The kitchen.
The upstairs bedrooms.
The boathouse.
Then a photograph of Vanessa holding Noah in front of the fireplace.
The date was six months earlier.
Underneath it was a rental agreement.
Vanessa Collins was listed as the occupant.
The document had been signed by Ethan.
I felt my stomach turn.
"He gave her my father's house?""
Emily scrolled farther.
"There's a payment record, too.""
Every month, Ethan had transferred money into an account associated with Vanessa.
The payments were described as property maintenance.
But the amounts were almost $8,000 each.
For two years.
My father had left me a home.
Ethan had turned it into a secret residence for his other family.
Then Emily opened the final attachment.
It was a photograph of a letter from my father's attorney.
The date was three days before his death.
The first sentence read:
I am increasingly concerned that my daughter is being placed in a position where her inheritance may be compromised.
My hands began shaking.
My father had suspected something.
He had known someone might come after the property.
But the last paragraph was what made my blood run cold.
If Rebecca's family approaches Sarah, she must be told the truth about the night Patricia brought the child to our home.
I looked at my mother.
"What child?""
Linda's lips parted.
Then she whispered:
"Sarah, I think you need to sit down.""
Outside, Ethan suddenly stopped knocking.
His voice changed.
"Sarah, before you read anything else, you need to know that your father wasn't the man you think he was.""
May you like
And then I heard Vanessa say something through the door.
"Tell her about the original DNA test.""
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