Chapter 13: The Last Lie About My Father
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Thomas Bennett stared at Patricia as if she had just announced that the sky was falling.
"That's impossible," he finally said.
Patricia shook her head.
"I wish it were.""
I looked between them.
"Someone needs to explain what is happening. Now.""
Daniel folded his arms.
"Go ahead, Patricia. Tell her everything. You've been keeping secrets for years.""
My mother looked at him with disgust.
"You have no right to speak.""
"Neither do you.""
Robert stepped between them.
"Enough. We need facts, not accusations.""
Patricia took a trembling breath.
"When Michael died, I was already pregnant with Emily. His brother, Thomas, came to see me several weeks later. He told me Michael had left money for his unborn child.""
Thomas nodded.
"That's true.""
"But he also told me something else," Patricia continued.
"He said Michael had a medical condition that made it difficult for him to have children.""
Thomas frowned.
"That's not what happened.""
Patricia reached into her handbag and produced an old medical report.
"Then explain this.""
Thomas took the paper.
His face changed immediately.
It was a fertility assessment dated two years before my birth.
The patient was Michael Bennett.
The report stated that he had undergone a procedure that made natural conception extremely unlikely.
I looked at Patricia.
"Does that mean Michael wasn't my father?""
She closed her eyes.
"I don't know.""
Thomas shook his head.
"This document doesn't prove anything. Michael's condition wasn't absolute. The doctors specifically stated that conception was still possible.""
Robert examined the report.
"He's correct. This isn't conclusive evidence.""
Daniel laughed.
"How convenient.""
I turned toward him.
"Why are you enjoying this?""
He shrugged.
"Because you've spent days accusing everyone else of lying. Maybe you should consider that nobody knows who your father really was.""
I stepped closer.
"You forged my death certificate.""
His smile disappeared.
"And you think that gives you the right to question my family?""
"My family?""
I looked at him.
"You stopped being my family when you tried to steal my identity.""
Margaret finally spoke.
"Daniel, leave.""
He looked at her.
"You're choosing her again?""
Margaret's eyes filled.
"She never asked me to choose. You forced me to.""
Daniel turned and walked away.
But before reaching the parking lot, he made a phone call.
I watched him through the glass doors.
He spoke for several seconds, then looked back at us.
And smiled.
Robert insisted that we obtain independent DNA testing.
Thomas agreed immediately.
Patricia also agreed.
The samples were collected the following morning at a private laboratory.
While we waited, Robert continued investigating the old adoption records.
Three days later, he called an emergency meeting at Margaret's house.
He arrived carrying a sealed envelope.
"I have the results.""
My heart pounded.
Patricia held my hand.
Thomas stood beside the fireplace.
Margaret sat silently on the sofa.
Robert opened the envelope.
"The DNA comparison between Emily and Thomas Bennett establishes a close biological relationship consistent with uncle and niece.""
I exhaled.
"So Michael could still be my father?""
"Yes. But there's more.""
He removed a second report.
"We also obtained preserved biological samples from Michael's medical records. The laboratory has confirmed a parent-child relationship with Emily.""
I covered my mouth.
Michael Bennett was my biological father.
The man who had died before I was born had actually left me eighteen million dollars.
But Robert wasn't finished.
"The second comparison concerns Patricia and Thomas.""
He paused.
"The results are inconsistent with their being biological siblings.""
Thomas looked confused.
"What?""
Robert placed the report on the table.
"According to the DNA evidence, Thomas is not Michael's biological brother.""
The room fell silent.
Thomas slowly sat down.
"That can't be right.""
Patricia began crying.
"That's what I was trying to tell you.""
I turned toward her.
"How did you know?""
She wiped her cheeks.
"Because Richard told me something before he died.""
"What?""
"Thomas wasn't born into the Bennett family. He was adopted.""
Thomas looked horrified.
"By whom?""
Patricia lowered her eyes.
"By Michael's parents.""
Robert examined the report again.
"That would explain the genetic results.""
Thomas stood abruptly.
"Then why did they never tell me?""
Patricia reached for another document.
"Because they were protecting the real beneficiary.""
I looked at her.
"Who?""
She handed me a photograph.
It showed a young woman holding a newborn baby.
The woman was Margaret.
The baby was Daniel.
I stared at the picture.
"What does this have to do with anything?""
Patricia spoke quietly.
"Margaret's first husband wasn't Richard Carter.""
Margaret looked up sharply.
"Patricia, don't.""
But my mother continued.
"Before Margaret married Richard, she was involved with Michael Bennett.""
I felt the room tilt.
Thomas stared at Margaret.
"You're saying Michael was Daniel's father?""
Margaret began crying.
"Yes.""
I couldn't speak.
Patricia nodded.
"Michael had two children. Emily and Daniel.""
Suddenly, every strange detail fell into place.
Daniel and I weren't just connected through Richard's family.
We shared the same biological father.
My husband was my half-brother.
I stumbled backward.
Margaret reached for me.
I pushed her hand away.
"Don't touch me.""
She started sobbing.
"I didn't know you were Michael's daughter when Daniel married you.""
"But you knew eventually!""
"Yes.""
"When?""
Margaret lowered her head.
"Three months before Richard died.""
I stared at her.
"Three months?""
She nodded.
"Richard had discovered the truth. He planned to tell both of you, but Daniel begged him to remain silent.""
My entire body went cold.
"Did Daniel know?""
Margaret couldn't look at me.
"Yes.""
I gripped the back of a chair.
"He knew we were related?""
Margaret nodded.
"And he still married me.""
Robert immediately reached for his phone.
"Emily, we need to discuss the legal implications of this.""
But I couldn't hear him.
All I could think about was eight years of marriage.
Eight years of shared holidays, anniversaries, kisses, and promises.
And the man who had called me his wife had known the truth.
I finally whispered the question that had been haunting me.
"Why didn't anyone stop the wedding?""
Margaret looked at me through her tears.
"Because Daniel told Richard that if he exposed the truth, he would destroy the company and everyone connected to it.""
Then she reached into her handbag and removed a final letter.
It was addressed to me.
The handwriting belonged to Richard.
May you like
And the first sentence read:
Emily, if Daniel ever marries you, understand that he knows exactly who you are.
