Chapter 10: The Daughter Nobody Knew Existed
"Tell me exactly what you mean.""
My voice sounded unfamiliar, even to me.
On the other end of the phone, Emily Harrison took a shaky breath.
"I'm not safe talking about this over the phone.""
"Then tell me where to meet you.""
"There's a diner on Peachtree Street. The one beside the old courthouse. Eleven o'clock.""
"Why should I trust you?""
"You shouldn't. Not yet.""
She paused.
"Just bring Sarah's letter. And whatever you found in your father's cabinet.""
I glanced at Rebecca.
"How do you know about the cabinet?""
Emily didn't answer.
The call ended.
Rebecca leaned back in her chair.
"Marcus, I don't like this.""
"Neither do I.""
"Your wife is dead. Your brother has admitted to participating in something criminal. Someone broke into your home. And now a stranger claims to know your family's secrets.""
"She's not a stranger. She's Dr. Harrison's daughter.""
Rebecca's expression changed.
"Emily Harrison?""
"You know her?""
"I know the name. She filed a civil complaint against her father several years ago. It was dismissed.""
"About what?""
"Medical fraud. Financial exploitation. Possibly falsified research records.""
I stood.
"Then I'm meeting her.""
Rebecca grabbed her coat.
"I'm coming with you.""
At eleven, we entered the diner.
A woman sat in the back booth.
She was in her early thirties, with dark hair pulled into a loose bun. Her hands were wrapped around a coffee cup she hadn't touched.
When she saw me, she stood.
"Marcus?""
"Emily?""
She nodded.
Rebecca introduced herself.
Emily immediately placed a thick envelope on the table.
"Before we talk, I need you to understand something. My father is not the man everyone thinks he is.""
I sat down.
"Neither is my wife.""
Emily looked at the photograph in my hand.
"That's Vanessa.""
"You know her?""
"My father introduced her to me when I was seventeen. He told me she was a family friend.""
"How long has she known him?""
"Since before I was born.""
I felt my jaw tighten.
"Why did my father have a photograph of you?""
Emily looked down.
"Because your father was my biological father.""
The diner seemed to go silent.
I stared at her.
"What?""
"My mother worked for your grandfather. She had an affair with your father before he married your mother. I was born three years before you.""
I struggled to process it.
"You're my half-sister?""
Emily nodded.
"Your father supported me financially for years. But he never acknowledged me publicly.""
I thought about the photograph.
The handwritten agreement.
The locked cabinet.
"Why did Sarah know about you?""
"Because she found my father's financial records. She contacted me after discovering that money was being transferred into accounts connected to my father's old medical investment company.""
"Did she know you were my sister?""
"Yes.""
Emily opened the envelope.
Inside were bank statements, emails, and copies of corporate registrations.
"My father discovered that Dr. Harrison had been using his medical company to finance fraudulent insurance claims. When he tried to stop him, Harrison threatened to expose the affair and destroy our family.""
I stared at the papers.
"Why would Vanessa get involved?""
Emily's eyes hardened.
"Because Vanessa was working for Harrison. She helped him obtain access to patient records and insurance information.""
"Was she involved with him?""
Emily nodded.
"For years.""
I looked at Rebecca.
She was studying the documents carefully.
Emily continued.
"Sarah discovered that Harrison was manipulating medical records. She started gathering evidence. But she made one mistake.""
"What?""
"She told Daniel.""
My stomach tightened.
"Why would she trust him?""
"Because she thought he was Noah's biological father.""
I stared at her.
"Daniel admitted he had an affair with Sarah.""
Emily shook her head.
"That isn't what happened.""
She took out another photograph.
It showed Sarah standing beside Daniel outside the hospital.
But this time, Daniel was holding a small paper bag.
Emily pointed to it.
"That was taken the day Sarah discovered someone had switched the DNA samples.""
I looked closer.
"Then why did Daniel believe Noah was his son?""
"Because Vanessa told him the test confirmed it. She needed him emotionally involved. She knew he'd do anything if he believed he was protecting his child.""
I swallowed.
"So Daniel wasn't Noah's father?""
Emily shook her head.
"No.""
"Then who was?""
She looked directly at me.
"You are.""
I stared at her.
"What?""
"Sarah's final DNA test confirmed it. She never cheated on you. She knew Vanessa had switched the earlier samples to create a false paternity result.""
I felt my eyes burn.
For two years, I had carried doubts about my marriage, my brother, and the circumstances surrounding my son's birth.
Sarah had never betrayed me.
She had been protecting us.
Emily slid another envelope across the table.
"There's something else. Your father knew Vanessa was planning to approach you. He tried to stop her.""
"Why didn't he tell me?""
"Because he was dying. He wanted to fix everything before he lost the chance.""
I opened the envelope.
Inside was a letter from my father.
Marcus,
If Emily has given you this letter, then I failed to protect you.
Vanessa has been searching for the Reed family trust for years. But the money isn't what she really wants.
I turned the page.
One sentence was written in bold.
*She wants the original research files that prove Dr. Harrison deliberately falsified medical trials.*
I looked up.
"Where are those files?""
Emily's face went pale.
"Sarah hid them.""
"Where?""
She leaned across the table.
"Inside something your father gave Noah.""
My mind immediately returned to the blue toy truck.
But Emily shook her head.
"Not the truck. The birthday gift Sarah bought him before she died.""
I frowned.
"What other gift?""
Emily looked toward the diner window.
Then she whispered:
"The music box.""
I remembered it.
A small wooden music box on Noah's bedroom shelf.
Sarah had given it to him when he turned seven.
Emily reached for my hand.
"Marcus, Vanessa knows where it is.""
And just then, my phone rang.
It was Officer Collins.
"Mr. Reed, I need you to come home immediately.""
"What's happened?""
May you like
He paused.
"Your wife has returned. And she isn't alone.""
