Chapter 7: The Birth Certificate That Changed Everything
"Get me to that mansion.""
Agent Collins looked at me as though I'd just announced I intended to run a marathon.
"Absolutely not.""
"She's taking my father's documents. If those papers disappear, we may never know what happened to my parents.""
"Sarah, you're having contractions.""
"I'm also the only person Celeste might be willing to talk to.""
Emily stood beside my bed.
"Rebecca, she's right about one thing. Celeste wants something from her. We need to find out what.""
Agent Collins rubbed her forehead.
"I can arrange a secure video call. That's the best I'm willing to offer.""
I nodded reluctantly.
Within twenty minutes, an investigator had connected a tablet to a secure conference system.
The screen showed the Ashford mansion's front driveway.
Two federal vehicles were parked outside.
A uniformed officer stood beside the entrance.
Then a woman appeared on camera.
Celeste.
She was wearing the same pink maternity dress from my baby shower. Her hair was disheveled, and the diamond bracelet was gone.
She held a brown envelope against her chest.
Behind her stood Daniel.
His suit jacket was missing, and his shirt collar was open.
"Sarah," Celeste said when she saw my face on the screen.
"Give them the documents.""
She smiled.
"You always were good at giving orders.""
"What do you want?""
"To know what your father told you.""
I stared at her.
"Which one?""
Her smile disappeared.
"That's exactly what I mean.""
Agent Collins stepped into the camera's view.
"Celeste Morgan, put the envelope on the table and step away from it.""
Celeste laughed.
"You're still pretending this is about financial fraud.""
She lifted the envelope.
"There's a reason Victor kept these documents hidden.""
"Then explain it," I said.
Celeste looked directly at me.
"Your father wasn't the man who raised you.""
My heart began pounding.
"What?""
"Your biological father was Robert Morgan.""
The name meant nothing to me.
Celeste continued.
"He was my mother's husband. He worked alongside Victor Ashford. When my mother discovered that Victor was stealing money from the company, Robert helped her hide the evidence.""
I looked at Agent Collins.
She was taking notes.
"Then why did my mother marry someone else?""
"Because Robert disappeared.""
Celeste opened the envelope.
Inside was a birth certificate.
My name.
My date of birth.
But the father's name was different.
Robert Morgan.
I stared at it.
"That's not possible.""
"Your mother changed your records after Robert disappeared. She gave you another man's name because she was afraid Victor would find you.""
"Why would she do that?""
"Because Robert knew where the money was going.""
Celeste stepped closer to the camera.
"And because he was still alive when you were born.""
I felt the room tilt.
Agent Collins interrupted.
"Where is Robert Morgan now?""
Celeste ignored her.
"Your mother told me everything before she died.""
I swallowed.
"You knew my mother?""
"Of course.""
"When?""
Celeste looked away.
"Three months before she died.""
I gripped the blanket.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because you had everything I didn't.""
"What?""
"A family. A home. A mother who loved you enough to protect you.""
Her voice cracked.
"My mother spent years telling me that your mother stole my father and abandoned me.""
I stared at her.
"That's what you believed?""
"That's what I was told.""
"And you decided to destroy my marriage?""
Celeste's expression hardened.
"Daniel came to me. I didn't force him to cheat.""
Behind her, Daniel lowered his head.
For the first time, he didn't attempt to defend himself.
Celeste continued.
"Victor promised me that if I helped him recover the ledger, he'd give me the money he'd been keeping in my mother's name.""
Agent Collins moved closer to the camera.
"Did Victor tell you to bring the documents to him?""
"Yes.""
"Where is he?""
Celeste glanced toward the staircase.
"Upstairs.""
The agent immediately turned to the officers.
"Secure the upper floor.""
Celeste suddenly opened the envelope and removed a smaller photograph.
She held it toward the camera.
It showed two men standing outside a building.
One was my father.
The other was a younger version of Victor.
On the back was a date.
September 14.
My wedding date.
I frowned.
"Why was that photograph taken on my wedding day?""
Celeste's eyes filled with tears.
"Because your wedding wasn't supposed to happen.""
I felt a chill move through me.
"What are you talking about?""
"Victor needed you to marry Daniel.""
The room went silent.
"Why?""
Celeste looked directly at me.
"Because your name was already attached to the accounts. Marriage gave him control over the family trust.""
I stared at her.
Daniel suddenly stepped forward.
"Celeste, stop.""
She turned.
"You knew?""
Daniel shook his head.
"I didn't know everything.""
"You knew your father wanted Sarah to sign the trust documents.""
"That wasn't what I thought—"
"Don't lie!""
Celeste turned back to the screen.
"Your husband didn't marry you by accident, Sarah.""
I couldn't breathe.
"Did Daniel know about my father's identity?""
"No.""
"Then what did he know?""
Celeste opened the envelope again.
She removed one final sheet of paper.
It was a marriage trust agreement.
My signature appeared at the bottom.
But I had never seen the document before.
Agent Collins leaned toward the screen.
"Don't touch that paper. We need to preserve it.""
Celeste looked at me.
"There's one more thing.""
"What?""
She pointed to the final paragraph.
"Read the name of the trustee.""
I looked closer.
My eyes widened.
The trustee wasn't Victor.
It wasn't Daniel.
It was someone I had never expected.
*Helen Bennett.*
My mother.
And beneath her name was a handwritten note.
The trust becomes active only upon Sarah's first childbirth.
I looked down at my stomach.
My baby.
The entire marriage.
The humiliation.
The money.
The obsession with an Ashford heir.
Suddenly, everything felt connected.
Then Agent Collins received a call.
She listened for several seconds before turning toward me.
"Sarah, we have a problem.""
"What?""
"Victor is no longer upstairs.""
She looked at the screen.
May you like
"He's escaped through the underground garage.""
And the last person seen leaving with him was carrying a photograph of my unborn son.
