Chapter 8: The Plan to Disappear With My Daughter
My father caught my arm before I fell.
"Take a breath, Sarah.""
But I couldn't.
Someone was planning to take Lily out of the country.
I looked at Ethan.
"Who?""
He opened the brown envelope and removed a printed email.
"Daniel contacted me six months ago. He said he needed to resolve an old family matter. He wanted me to take a DNA test.""
"Why would he contact you after all these years?""
"He said he had discovered that Lily might be my biological daughter.""
I stared at him.
"And what did you do?""
"I agreed to the test. I thought it was the right thing to do.""
He handed the report to my father.
The result showed a biological relationship between Ethan and Lily.
My father studied the page.
"But Rebecca said the second test proved Daniel was Lily's father.""
Ethan nodded.
"That's what Daniel told everyone. But he showed me a different result.""
I looked between them.
"You're saying there were two different tests?""
"Three," Ethan replied.
My stomach dropped.
He explained that the first test had used Margaret's DNA instead of Daniel's.
The second test had been arranged privately and showed a biological connection between Daniel and Lily.
The third test had been conducted through an independent laboratory after Ethan became suspicious.
That report showed Ethan was Lily's biological father.
I stared at the paper.
It felt as though someone had pulled the ground from beneath my feet.
"But how?""
Ethan looked directly at me.
"Sarah, do you remember the week you discovered you were pregnant?""
I nodded.
He continued carefully.
"You told me you were worried because you had missed your period. We had been together during that time. Then Daniel appeared in your life shortly afterward.""
I remembered.
I remembered the pregnancy test.
I remembered Daniel's sudden attentiveness.
I remembered how quickly he'd proposed.
But something didn't fit.
"Daniel knew I was pregnant before I told him," I whispered.
Ethan nodded.
"According to the emails, yes.""
My father looked furious.
"How could he have known?""
Ethan removed another document.
"Margaret had access to information from your mother's medical appointments. She knew about the pregnancy before you told most people.""
I felt sick.
My mother had been friends with Margaret for years.
She'd trusted her.
I turned toward the courtroom.
"Where is Daniel?""
"Inside," Dad said.
I walked back toward the doors.
Elaine intercepted me.
"Sarah, what's happened?""
I showed her the documents.
She read the DNA report carefully.
Her expression hardened.
"These findings are significant. We need to preserve the original reports and establish the chain of custody. We also need to make sure the court understands that biological parentage and legal parentage are separate questions.""
I nodded.
"He's planning to take Lily.""
Elaine's eyes sharpened.
"Did Ethan provide evidence of an actual travel arrangement?""
Ethan stepped forward.
"I have an email.""
He showed it to her.
The message was from Daniel to Vanessa.
It read:
THE CUSTODY ORDER WILL BE THE FIRST STEP. ONCE THE DOCUMENTS ARE FINALIZED, WE CAN MOVE LILY TO THE PROPERTY ABROAD. SARAH WON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO STOP US.
Vanessa had replied:
WHAT ABOUT THE SCHOOL? WHAT ABOUT THE PASSPORT?
Daniel's response was short.
I'VE HANDLED THE PASSPORT.
Elaine immediately contacted the appropriate authorities and asked the court to consider emergency protective measures while the allegations were investigated.
My father took Lily into a nearby family waiting room.
I stood beside Elaine as she returned to the courtroom.
The judge had resumed proceedings.
Elaine requested permission to present the newly obtained evidence.
Daniel's attorney objected.
"Your Honor, this is an outrageous attempt to introduce unverified material at the last moment.""
Elaine remained calm.
"We are not asking the court to make a final determination of biological parentage today. We are asking that the court consider the apparent risk of unauthorized relocation and the credibility of the petitioner's representations.""
The judge reviewed the email.
Then she looked at Daniel.
"Mr. Mitchell, have you applied for a passport for the child?""
Daniel adjusted his jacket.
"No.""
Elaine produced another document.
"Your Honor, we have a confirmation email from a passport processing service.""
Daniel's face changed.
The document listed Lily's name.
Her date of birth.
And Daniel's contact information.
The judge looked at him.
"Did you submit this application?""
Daniel leaned toward his attorney.
Then he answered.
"I was considering a family vacation.""
"To where?""
"Europe.""
"With whom?""
"My family.""
The judge looked at Vanessa.
"Does that include Ms. Cole?""
Vanessa stared at the floor.
Daniel interrupted.
"Your Honor, I don't understand why everyone is treating a vacation like a criminal act.""
The judge raised her voice.
"Because the court has just received evidence suggesting that the child's mother was deliberately excluded from a proposed international relocation.""
Daniel stopped speaking.
After further discussion, the judge declined to grant his requested guardianship arrangement on the evidence presented and ordered the disputed documents preserved pending further investigation.
She also directed that Lily not be removed from the jurisdiction without appropriate court authorization and that both parents comply with the existing legal arrangements.
I felt my legs weaken with relief.
But Elaine wasn't finished.
She submitted a request for the court to consider the suspicious passport application and the possibility of fraudulent representations.
Daniel leaned toward his attorney, whispering urgently.
Margaret was no longer looking at me.
She was looking at Ethan.
And for the first time, I saw something close to panic in her eyes.
During the recess, Ethan approached me.
"There's something else.""
I closed my eyes.
"Please tell me it's not another secret.""
He gave me a sad smile.
"I wish it weren't.""
He handed me a small photograph.
It showed me holding newborn Lily in a hospital room.
Daniel stood beside the bed.
My mother was on the other side.
I recognized the photograph.
But on the back, someone had written a date and a sentence.
I turned it over.
The handwriting was my mother's.
*If anything happens to me, make sure Sarah knows who Lily's father really is.*
My heart stopped.
"Why would my mother write this?""
Ethan looked toward Margaret.
"Because your mother discovered what they were doing before she died.""
I couldn't speak.
He continued.
"She contacted me two weeks before she passed away.""
I stared at him.
"What did she tell you?""
Ethan swallowed.
"She said Daniel and Margaret were planning to use your inheritance to secure a loan. She wanted me to protect you.""
I looked toward the courtroom.
"Then why didn't you come?""
"I tried. But Daniel showed me a document saying your mother had changed her mind and wanted me to stay away.""
He lowered his voice.
"Sarah, I think your mother's death wasn't the only thing they lied about.""
Before I could ask what he meant, Elaine rushed toward us.
"Sarah, we have a problem.""
"What now?""
She showed me a message from the bank's investigator.
The $350,000 loan application had been only part of the scheme.
A second loan had been approved against a different asset.
May you like
An asset that belonged to my late mother.
And the collateral document carried a signature dated three days after her funeral.
