Chapter 13: The Twin Sister Who Was Stolen From Me
"Identical twins?""
I repeated the investigator's words.
Across the hospital lounge, Vanessa stared at me.
Neither of us moved.
Nathan took the DNA report from the investigator's courier, who had arrived moments earlier.
He examined the laboratory seal.
"The testing facility is legitimate. The report was issued twenty years ago.""
"Read it," I whispered.
Nathan opened the document.
The results were unmistakable.
*Subject A: Claire Bennett.*
*Subject B: Vanessa Reed.*
*Genetic relationship: Identical biological twins.*
I looked at Vanessa.
She covered her mouth.
"No," she whispered.
"My mother told me I was an only child.""
I couldn't stop staring at the report.
All my life, I'd believed I was an only child raised by a loving mother and father.
Vanessa had believed she was the abandoned daughter of a wealthy man.
We had grown up separately.
She had spent years resenting the woman she believed had inherited everything.
And I had spent ten years sharing my life with the man who helped keep us apart.
"Who separated us?"" I asked.
Nathan turned to the final page.
"There's an authorization signature.""
I looked down.
Thomas Bennett.
My uncle.
My mother's brother.
The man who had attended my birthdays, watched me graduate, and stood beside me at my wedding.
He had known.
He had known we were twins.
Vanessa began sobbing.
"He told my mother that the other baby had died.""
I turned toward her.
"What?""
"After I was born, Thomas told Eleanor that one of the babies hadn't survived. He said there had been complications. My mother believed him.""
"Then how did you end up with him?""
Vanessa wiped her face.
"He arranged everything. My mother received money to stay away from the Bennett family. She was told that if she ever tried to contact you, she'd lose me.""
I felt tears gathering in my eyes.
"Why did he do that?""
Nathan examined the original report.
"There's a note attached.""
He read it aloud.
The twins must remain separated until the inheritance dispute is resolved. Either child could establish biological succession rights under the Bennett family estate.
I looked at him.
"Either child?""
He nodded.
"Your grandfather's estate was structured around biological descent through Rebecca. If both children were raised together, Thomas would have had difficulty controlling the succession process.""
Vanessa stared at the report.
"So he stole my life?""
Nathan remained quiet.
I walked toward her.
For years, I'd imagined Vanessa as the woman who had stolen my husband.
The woman who wore my grandmother's jewelry.
The woman who stood beside Everett while he called me barren.
But now I was looking at the other half of my own childhood.
She had been manipulated just as I had.
We had been placed on opposite sides of a war neither of us understood.
"Vanessa," I whispered.
She looked up.
"I'm sorry.""
Her face crumpled.
"I'm sorry too.""
I sat beside her.
For the first time, I noticed the similarities.
The same dark eyes.
The same small scar near the left eyebrow.
Even the same habit of pressing our lips together when we were trying not to cry.
Nathan interrupted gently.
"Claire, we need to understand why Thomas is rushing the court petition. The original succession schedule could contain both your names.""
"Then we find it.""
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
"Hello?""
A woman's voice whispered:
"Claire, this is Dr. Whitaker.""
I stood immediately.
"Where are you?""
"I don't have much time. Thomas knows I contacted the investigator.""
"Are you safe?""
"No. But you need to listen.""
I put the call on speaker.
"The two babies were born alive. Rebecca gave birth to twins. Your grandfather knew.""
I looked at Vanessa.
"Who took the second baby?""
"Thomas arranged the separation. But he didn't do it alone.""
"Who helped him?""
A long pause followed.
Then Dr. Whitaker said:
"Margaret.""
My grandmother.
I felt the floor shift beneath me.
"Why would my grandmother help separate us?""
"She believed one of the children would be targeted if both remained together. She thought keeping Vanessa away would protect her.""
Vanessa started shaking her head.
"That's not true.""
Dr. Whitaker continued.
"Your grandmother later regretted it. She tried to reunite you, but Thomas threatened to expose Rebecca's relationship with William Hale.""
I closed my eyes.
"Where is the second will?""
"I know where it is. Your grandmother entrusted it to me before she died.""
"Where?""
"Room 314. The old Bennett Foundation building.""
Nathan looked at me.
The silver key.
The one from my grandmother's velvet box.
Dr. Whitaker's voice became urgent.
"There's a second envelope inside the safe. It contains the original succession schedule and a letter explaining the truth about your birth.""
"Can you send it?""
"No. Thomas has already sent someone after me.""
A loud noise came through the phone.
Dr. Whitaker gasped.
"Claire, there's something else. William Hale wasn't your biological father. He falsified the records because he needed to conceal the identity of the real father.""
"Who?""
The line crackled.
Then Dr. Whitaker whispered:
"Richard Bennett.""
My grandfather.
The man who had raised me as his granddaughter.
The man whose fortune I controlled.
The man who had been my biological father all along.
"That's impossible," I whispered.
Dr. Whitaker's final words came through in a rush.
"Rebecca was Richard's daughter. The twins were his grandchildren. But Thomas changed the records to make you appear to be William Hale's child because he needed a reason to control the estate.""
The call disconnected.
Nathan immediately called the investigator.
Vanessa gripped my hand.
"Claire, what does that mean?""
I stared at the DNA report.
"It means Thomas didn't just steal your childhood.""
I looked into her eyes.
"He tried to steal our identities.""
My phone vibrated.
A message from Nathan's security team appeared.
*THOMAS BENNETT HAS FILED AN EMERGENCY PETITION. HE CLAIMS BOTH SISTERS ARE LEGALLY DISQUALIFIED FROM INHERITANCE.*
Then another message arrived.
*HE HAS ALSO REQUESTED A COURT ORDER TO TRANSFER THE TRUST'S VOTING AUTHORITY TO HIMSELF. HEARING SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROW MORNING.*
I looked at Nathan.
"How do we stop him?""
He closed the DNA report.
"By finding the original will.""
Vanessa stood.
"Then let's go.""
I looked at my twin sister.
May you like
For the first time, we were standing on the same side.
And this time, neither of us was going to let Thomas separate us.
