Chapter 14: The Reunion Seven Years Too Late
We drove to Charleston the following morning.
I barely remembered the journey.
My father drove while Elaine handled calls with the investigators. Ethan followed in a separate car.
Rebecca stayed behind to cooperate with the financial investigation.
Before leaving, she had approached me.
"Sarah, I don't expect you to forgive me.""
I hadn't answered.
She'd handed me a small envelope containing the remaining money from Daniel's transfer.
"I'll return everything. Every dollar.""
I took the envelope without saying anything.
Some wounds couldn't be repaired with money.
When we arrived at the care facility, a nurse met us at reception.
"Are you Sarah Mitchell?""
I nodded.
"Your father has been asking about you.""
My throat tightened.
"How is he?""
"He's physically stable, but he has some memory difficulties. Certain periods are clearer than others.""
I followed her down a quiet corridor.
The walls were decorated with photographs of gardens and peaceful landscapes.
At the end was a room with a large window.
A man sat beside the window, wearing a blue cardigan.
His hair was almost completely white.
His hands rested on a blanket.
I stopped in the doorway.
It was him.
The face from the old photograph.
The man who had held me as a baby.
The man I'd mourned without ever knowing whether he had truly died.
"Sarah?"" he whispered.
I covered my mouth.
He slowly stood.
"Sarah?""
I walked toward him.
"Thomas?""
His eyes filled.
He reached for my hand.
"You're here.""
I started crying.
"Why didn't you come back?""
He lowered his head.
"I tried, sweetheart.""
I sat beside him.
"Everyone told me you were dead.""
His face crumpled.
"I know.""
He explained that after discovering Harold's financial activities, he had confronted Margaret.
He had also contacted my mother.
He wanted to return to Atlanta and tell her everything.
But Margaret and Harold had convinced him that returning would put me in danger.
They showed him forged letters supposedly written by my mother, claiming she wanted him to stay away.
Then they arranged a payment in exchange for his silence.
"I should have known," he whispered.
"I should have come to you anyway.""
I held his hand.
"Why were you in this facility?""
He looked toward the window.
"After years of moving around, I became ill. I lost my savings. Someone eventually helped me get here.""
"Who?""
He hesitated.
"A woman named Eleanor.""
I looked at my father.
Eleanor had been right.
She had kept track of him.
Thomas continued.
"She told me your mother had left instructions to protect you. She said she was waiting for the right time to contact you.""
I swallowed.
"Did you know about Lily?""
His eyes filled with a different kind of emotion.
"I saw a photograph.""
He reached toward the bedside table and picked up a small picture.
It was Lily.
My daughter.
Wearing her pink backpack.
The photograph had been taken outside her school.
"I've never met her," he whispered.
"But I've prayed for her every day.""
I began crying again.
He touched my cheek.
"Is she safe?""
"Yes.""
"Does she know about me?""
"Not yet.""
He nodded.
"That's all right. I don't want to frighten her.""
I stayed with him for nearly an hour.
We talked about my mother, my childhood, and the years we'd lost.
He remembered my first birthday.
He remembered the yellow blanket I'd carried everywhere.
He remembered singing to me.
Some memories were clear.
Others were fragments.
But one thing remained certain.
He had never stopped loving me.
Then his expression changed.
"Sarah, there's something I need to tell you.""
I leaned closer.
"What?""
"Daniel visited me.""
My stomach tightened.
"When?""
"Several times. Before I became ill.""
"What did he want?""
Thomas looked down.
"He wanted me to sign a statement saying I had never been your father.""
I froze.
"Why?""
"He said it would help him secure the inheritance.""
I felt sick.
Thomas continued.
"I refused. Then he showed me a photograph of Lily and told me he would make sure she never knew I existed.""
My hands trembled.
"Did he threaten you?""
"He said I would never see you again.""
I looked toward the door.
My father had heard everything.
His jaw tightened.
Thomas reached into a drawer and removed a small envelope.
"I kept this because I knew one day you might find me.""
Inside was a photograph of my mother holding a newborn baby.
On the back was a message.
My beautiful girl. One day, you will understand why I fought so hard to protect you.
Beneath it was a second sentence.
The truth about Daniel began long before he became your husband.
I looked at Thomas.
"What does that mean?""
He took a slow breath.
"Your mother discovered Daniel had been involved in Harold's property scheme before you ever met him.""
My stomach dropped.
"How?""
"Because Daniel's father had been one of Harold's business partners.""
I stared at him.
Thomas continued.
"Daniel approached your mother years before your wedding. He knew about the inheritance. He knew about the property titles. He knew how much everything was worth.""
I couldn't speak.
"Your mother refused to let him near you," Thomas whispered.
"But she couldn't stop him once he entered your life.""
My father stood near the window.
"That's why she wrote that letter.""
Thomas nodded.
"She knew Daniel was dangerous.""
Then he looked directly at me.
"But there's one more thing. Daniel didn't choose you because of the inheritance alone.""
"What else?""
Thomas reached into the envelope.
He pulled out a small photograph.
It showed a young Daniel standing beside a woman outside a hospital.
The woman was holding a newborn baby.
I recognized the baby blanket.
It was the same yellow blanket my mother had given me.
Thomas whispered:
"Daniel was there the night you were born.""
My blood ran cold.
"How?""
He looked toward my father.
"Because Margaret had arranged for him to be involved in something that should never have happened.""
Before he could explain, Detective Collins entered the room.
"Sarah, I'm sorry to interrupt.""
He looked at Thomas.
"Mr. Williams, we've located Harold Mitchell.""
My father turned.
"Where?""
The detective took a breath.
"At the Atlanta property registry.""
"Why was he there?""
The detective opened his folder.
"Because he was attempting to destroy the original estate records.""
May you like
He paused.
"And he was carrying a second sealed letter addressed to Sarah.""
