Chapter 4: My Husband Had Signed the Lie
Marcus stared at the DNA report as though the paper had suddenly become a loaded weapon.
His signature sat at the bottom.
Eleven years old.
Perfectly recognizable.
"That's not mine," he whispered.
Caleb remained standing beside the coffee table.
"Would you like me to explain how it got there?""
Marcus snatched the report.
"I never authorized a DNA test. I never signed anything like this.""
Evelyn moved toward him.
"Marcus, sweetheart, listen to me. Your father was becoming paranoid. He was convinced everyone was conspiring against him.""
"Then why is my signature on this?""
"Because he needed you to believe something.""
Marcus turned toward Caleb.
"Did you forge it?""
Caleb opened his briefcase and removed a second document.
"This is the original laboratory report. The sample identification numbers match. The results do not.""
He placed both reports side by side.
The first declared that Thomas Carter could not be my biological father.
The second showed a 99.98 percent probability of paternity.
I gripped the back of a chair.
"Why would anyone change the results?""
Caleb looked at Evelyn.
"Because if Thomas publicly acknowledged Sarah as his daughter, she would become a legal heir to his estate.""
Marcus frowned.
"But she was already marrying me.""
"Exactly," Caleb replied.
"And that created a much bigger problem.""
He removed another document.
It was a handwritten note from Thomas.
If Sarah marries Marcus without knowing the truth, someone will eventually use that marriage to gain control of everything I leave behind.
I read it twice.
Then I looked at Caleb.
"Are you saying Marcus married me because of this?""
Caleb shook his head.
"I don't know what Marcus knew when he proposed. But Thomas suspected someone was monitoring Sarah.""
Marcus slammed his palm against the table.
"Stop making me sound like some criminal!""
Caleb didn't flinch.
"Then explain why your signature appears on the falsified report.""
Marcus turned toward Evelyn.
"Mom?""
She was crying now.
Not quietly.
Her shoulders shook as she reached for him.
"I was trying to protect you.""
He stepped away.
"From my own sister?""
The word hung in the room.
Sister.
I'd spent eleven years calling this man my husband.
Now I was learning that we might have been raised inside the same family without knowing our true relationship.
"Was I ever supposed to know?"" I asked.
Evelyn looked at me.
"Thomas wanted to tell you.""
"But you stopped him.""
She pressed her lips together.
"He had a family already. He had children. He had a company. He couldn't just introduce another daughter and expect everyone to accept it.""
I felt something cold settle inside me.
"So you decided I didn't deserve to know my own father?""
"That's not what I—"
"You let me marry his son.""
Evelyn began shaking her head.
"I never thought it would go this far.""
Caleb closed the original DNA report.
"There's something else Sarah needs to understand. Thomas's will contained a provision for any previously undisclosed biological child.""
Marcus looked at him.
"What provision?""
"Twenty-five percent of his voting shares in Carter Industries, along with a trust established in her name.""
My mouth went dry.
"How much?""
Caleb glanced at the document.
"At today's valuation, approximately $18 million.""
Vanessa, who had remained unusually quiet, suddenly stepped forward.
"Wait. Eighteen million?""
Nobody answered her.
She looked at Marcus.
"You told me your father left everything to you and Daniel.""
Marcus stared at the floor.
"I thought he did.""
Caleb gave a humorless laugh.
"That's because someone concealed the codicil to his will.""
Evelyn sat down.
Her hands were trembling.
"Thomas never intended to leave Sarah anything.""
Caleb pulled another envelope from his briefcase.
"Then why did he sign this?""
The envelope contained a sealed amendment to the original will.
It carried Thomas's signature and the official witness stamps.
I reached for it.
Before my fingers touched the paper, Evelyn suddenly stood.
"Don't open that!""
Caleb held it above the table.
"Why not?""
"Because you don't know what you're doing!""
"Actually, Evelyn, I've known exactly what I was doing for twelve years.""
He turned toward me.
"Sarah, your father left instructions that this document could only be opened in the presence of the Carter family's legal representative.""
Marcus frowned.
"Who's the representative?""
Caleb looked toward the front door.
"Someone who should be arriving shortly.""
A car horn sounded outside.
Then the doorbell rang.
Caleb glanced at his watch.
"Perfect timing.""
Evelyn's face turned completely white.
"Who did you call?""
Caleb picked up the envelope.
"Your husband's attorney.""
He paused.
"Or should I say, the man who witnessed the original will before Thomas disappeared?""
The front door opened.
A tall man carrying a leather briefcase entered.
He looked at Marcus first.
Then at me.
Finally, his eyes settled on Evelyn.
"Good afternoon," he said.
"My name is Richard Hale. And I believe we have a very serious estate matter to discuss.""
He placed a second envelope on the table.
"One involving a woman everyone in this family was told had been dead for eleven years.""
My heart stopped.
He turned the envelope around.
May you like
The name printed across it was my mother's.
Margaret Mitchell.
