Chapter 8: My Mother Finally Told Me Who Rebecca Really Was
Martin immediately called Patricia back.
No answer.
He tried again.
Still nothing.
My mother sat with her hands folded tightly in her lap.
I pulled a chair beside her.
"Mom, I need the truth.""
She stared at the floor.
"I was twenty-six when I met Rebecca.""
"At the accounting firm?""
Mom nodded.
"Your father introduced us. He said she was a family friend.""
"Was she?""
"No.""
Her voice broke.
"She was your father's employee, and she was carrying a secret that could have destroyed several lives.""
Ethan leaned against the wall.
"Here we go.""
Martin shot him a warning look.
My mother ignored them both.
"Rebecca was Patricia's daughter. She had been raised as her younger sister because Patricia was unmarried when she gave birth. Their parents believed it would be easier to tell everyone that the baby had been adopted.""
I frowned.
"Why did Dad get involved?""
"Because Rebecca discovered the truth when she was a teenager. She wanted to know who her biological father was.""
Mom looked at me.
"She believed it was a man named Daniel Collins.""
I blinked.
"Who was he?""
"Patricia's former husband.""
My mother took a breath.
"Daniel had died before Rebecca could meet him. But your father discovered that Daniel had left behind a substantial inheritance.""
Martin nodded.
"That's consistent with the records I've reviewed.""
Mom continued.
"Patricia wanted to claim that inheritance on Rebecca's behalf. But she needed evidence of the relationship. Your father helped her obtain the records.""
"Then why did they need a DNA test?""
"Because Patricia had also made another claim. She told your father that Rebecca might be his biological daughter.""
I stared.
"Why would she say that?""
"To make him feel responsible for her.""
My mother wiped her eyes.
"Your father believed Rebecca was his child for several months. He wanted to help her. Then the DNA results came back negative.""
I looked at the report.
"So Rebecca was Daniel's daughter?""
"Yes.""
"And Patricia was her mother.""
"Yes.""
I took a moment to process everything.
"Then why did Dad include Rebecca's family in the trust?""
My mother looked toward the photograph of Noah.
"Because Daniel's inheritance had never been properly distributed.""
Martin leaned forward.
"That's important.""
He opened another folder.
"Daniel Collins owned several properties. One of them was the lakefront estate Robert eventually purchased.""
I stared.
"Wait. My father bought the lakehouse from Daniel?""
"Yes," Martin answered.
"But the original purchase agreement included a clause protecting Daniel's descendants.""
My mother nodded.
"Your father discovered it years later. He felt that the family should receive something from the property.""
"That's why he created the trust?""
"Exactly.""
I looked at the documents.
"Then why is Ethan involved?""
Martin answered.
"Because the trust was never supposed to benefit him directly. Your father specifically prohibited unrelated parties from obtaining control.""
Ethan pushed away from the wall.
"That's not true.""
Martin calmly turned another page.
"Would you like me to read the clause aloud?""
Ethan said nothing.
My mother reached for my hand.
"Sarah, there's something else.""
I looked at her.
"What?""
She swallowed.
"When your father became ill, Patricia came to our house with Rebecca and a little boy.""
I remembered the old photograph.
The little girl in the red dress.
"Was Rebecca the little girl in the photograph?""
Mom nodded.
"Yes.""
"And the little boy?""
She shook her head.
"No. That was someone else.""
I frowned.
"Who?""
"Your father's son.""
The room went silent.
I felt my heart stop.
"Mom?""
She began crying.
"Your father had a son before he met me. His name was Michael.""
I stared at her.
"How many children did Dad have?""
"Two before you. Michael and Rebecca, though Rebecca wasn't biologically his. He raised Michael for the first five years of his life before the boy's mother moved away.""
Martin looked up sharply.
"That information isn't in the estate records.""
"Because Robert never found him again," Mom whispered.
I felt a strange ache in my chest.
My father had another child somewhere in the world.
And he had never told me.
"Did you know where Michael was?""
Mom nodded.
"Your father received a letter from him shortly before he died.""
"Where is he now?""
"I don't know.""
"Did Patricia know?""
Mom hesitated.
"Yes.""
Ethan suddenly straightened.
"That's enough.""
I turned toward him.
"Why?""
"Because you're being manipulated.""
My mother looked at him.
"You're the last person who should be talking about manipulation.""
Ethan ignored her.
"Sarah, you need to understand that the inheritance isn't what you think. Your father made promises to several people. There are liabilities attached to that property.""
Martin closed the folder.
"Mr. Miller, those claims will be investigated.""
Ethan laughed.
"By whom?""
"By the appropriate authorities.""
Vanessa looked increasingly nervous.
She checked her phone twice.
Then she moved toward the door.
Ethan grabbed her wrist.
"Where are you going?""
"Home.""
"We're not finished.""
She pulled away.
"I'm finished with this.""
He lowered his voice.
"Don't you dare leave me here.""
I watched them.
Something about their argument felt different.
They weren't acting like lovers protecting each other.
They were acting like two people who had suddenly realized the other might be dangerous.
Vanessa turned toward me.
"Sarah, there's something you should know about Ethan.""
He stepped in front of her.
"Don't.""
She ignored him.
"Your fiancé didn't just use your father's property. He used my son's identity to get access to the estate records.""
I frowned.
"What?""
Vanessa reached into her handbag and pulled out a small photograph.
It showed Noah standing beside a man in a hospital room.
The man was elderly.
His face was partially turned away.
But I recognized the silver watch on his wrist.
It belonged to my father.
Vanessa placed the photograph on the desk.
"Your father met Noah shortly before he died.""
My mother gasped.
"That's impossible.""
Vanessa shook her head.
"Ask Patricia.""
I picked up the photograph.
On the back was a handwritten message.
For Noah, with love. Grandpa Robert.
My hands began shaking.
My father had called Noah his grandson.
But Ethan was Noah's father.
And my father wasn't Ethan's father.
Unless...
I looked at my mother.
She was already crying.
"Mom, what aren't you telling me?""
She opened her mouth.
Then the salon receptionist's phone rang.
Emily answered.
Her face changed immediately.
She put the call on speaker.
A man's voice spoke.
"Is Sarah Miller there?""
"This is Sarah," I answered.
"My name is Daniel Price. I'm a private investigator. I was hired by your father shortly before he died.""
I stood.
"What did he hire you to investigate?""
The man paused.
"Your father's concern was that someone had replaced the identity of a child in his family records.""
My throat tightened.
"Which child?""
He answered:
"Your aunt Patricia's daughter.""
Then he added:
"And Sarah, I believe the woman you've been calling your mother knows more about that substitution than she's admitted.""
I turned toward Linda.
She was staring at the photograph.
May you like
And her next words were barely audible.
"Please forgive me, sweetheart.""
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