Chapter 10: The Child They Erased
For a moment, I couldn't hear anything except Lily breathing against my shoulder.
Eleanor stood with her back against the door.
Daniel stared at her as if the woman in front of him had become a stranger.
“What did you just say?”” he asked.
Eleanor's eyes moved to Lily.
“I said she was never supposed to survive.””
Daniel stepped toward her.
“Explain that.””
“I will.””
“Now.””
Eleanor nodded.
“Seven years ago, your father believed he was dying. He wanted an heir who would carry the Mercer name, but he didn't trust you to protect the family.””
Daniel's voice was low.
“So he used Claire?””
“He selected Claire.””
I tightened my arms around Lily.
“Selected me?””
Eleanor looked at me.
“You were the only woman he believed would refuse him if she knew the truth.””
“That doesn't make sense.””
“It does if you understand what he was planning.””
Dr. Voss closed the folder.
“Your father wanted a child who could inherit everything without being controlled by the existing family.””
Daniel frowned.
“Then why take Lily?””
“Because the Foundation wanted leverage.””
Celia finally spoke.
“They wanted the Mercer estate.””
Daniel turned toward her.
“And you helped them?””
“I was trying to stop them.””
He laughed bitterly.
“You threatened a six-year-old with a golf club.””
“I was trying to scare you into moving her.””
“Moving her where?””
Celia's eyes filled with tears.
“Somewhere they couldn't reach.””
“St. Aldwyn's?””
“No.””
She looked at Dr. Voss.
“She changed the arrangement.””
Dr. Voss said nothing.
I looked at Eleanor.
“Your signature is on my file.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“I signed it.””
Daniel stared at her.
“Why would you sign something saying Lily should be removed?””
Eleanor's face tightened.
“Because I was trying to save her.””
“By signing her away?””
“I had no choice.””
“There is always a choice.””
“Not when they have your son.””
Daniel went still.
“My son?””
Eleanor looked at him.
“They had you.””
The room fell silent.
“When your father threatened to send you to St. Aldwyn's as a teenager,” Eleanor continued, “I agreed to work for him. I became his secretary.
Then his records keeper. Then his accomplice.””
“You were working for my father?””
“Yes.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because every person who tried to expose him disappeared.””
I looked at Dr. Voss.
“Anna.””
Eleanor nodded.
“Anna.””
Daniel's voice broke.
“What happened to her?””
“She escaped.””
His eyes widened.
“She escaped?””
“Yes.””
“Then why did everyone say she disappeared?””
“Because your father made sure nobody looked for her.””
Celia stepped forward.
“She came back years later.””
Daniel turned.
“When?””
“Three months ago.””
My heart began pounding.
“Anna is alive?””
Celia nodded.
“She contacted me.””
“Why?””
“To warn me.””
“About what?””
Celia looked at Lily.
“The Foundation had started searching for another Mercer child.””
Daniel's face hardened.
“You knew?””
“I knew they were looking.””
“And you didn't tell me.””
“I tried.””
“When?””
“The night Lily was born.””
Daniel shook his head.
“You're lying.””
“I called you.””
Eleanor interrupted.
“No.””
Everyone looked at her.
“I called Daniel that night.””
Celia's face changed.
“You weren't supposed to.””
“I had already decided.””
“Decided what?””
“To get Claire and Lily out.””
I stared at her.
“What did you do?””
“I switched the hospital records.””
Dr. Voss stepped forward.
“You had no authority.””
“I had enough.””
Eleanor reached into her coat and pulled out a small envelope.
“I took Lily's original birth certificate and destroyed the Foundation's copy.””
Daniel stared at her.
“Then why is Lily on the ledger?””
“Because someone found out.””
“Who?””
Eleanor looked at Dr. Voss.
“She did.””
Dr. Voss smiled faintly.
“I was the one who corrected the records.””
I felt sick.
“You erased my daughter's identity.””
“I protected it.””
“By making me forget?””
Dr. Voss's expression changed.
“Yes.””
Daniel grabbed her wrist.
“You erased my wife's memories?””
“She would have been killed if she remembered everything.””
“Get your hands off her,” I said.
Dr. Voss released him.
Then Lily whispered from my arms.
“Mommy?””
I looked down.
“What is it, baby?””
She pointed toward the far wall.
“There.””
A small door was hidden behind a bookshelf.
Daniel opened it.
Inside was a narrow room.
There was a chair.
A camera.
And a stack of photographs.
The newest photograph showed Lily sleeping in our house.
The date was yesterday.
Daniel picked it up.
“Someone has been watching her every night.””
I looked at the camera.
It was still blinking.
Red.
Recording.
Daniel reached for it.
A voice came from the speaker.
“Daniel.””
He froze.
The voice continued.
“You brought everyone I needed.””
A pause.
Then:
“Especially Claire.””
The door behind us locked.
May you like
And Lily whispered:
“That's the voice from my bedroom.””
