Chapter 4: The Father Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
I stared at the hospital record until the words began to blur.
The photograph showed a newborn baby wrapped in a pale yellow blanket. A tiny hospital bracelet circled her wrist.
Lily.
There was no doubt about it.
But the name listed under BIOLOGICAL FATHER belonged to someone who had been dead for twelve years.
Thomas Wilson.
My mother's first husband.
The man I had grown up calling Dad.
The man whose funeral I had attended when I was nineteen.
I looked at the police officer.
“That's impossible.””
Officer Harris pulled a chair closer.
“Do you recognize the name?””
“Of course I recognize it. Thomas Wilson was my father. He died twelve years ago.””
Harris examined the document.
“Your husband had this in his carry-on. It appears to be a copy of an older hospital record, along with a more recent genetic report.””
I grabbed the second page.
It was a DNA relationship assessment.
The report identified Thomas Wilson as the biological father of a child born seven years earlier.
My daughter.
I felt dizzy.
“Where did this come from?””
“We're trying to establish that,” Harris replied.
“But there's a date on the laboratory report. It was processed six months ago.””
Six months.
Daniel had known something about Lily's parentage for half a year.
And he had said nothing.
My phone rang again.
Mom.
I answered immediately.
“Tell me the truth. Was Thomas Lily's biological grandfather?””
My mother sobbed.
“Sarah, I never wanted you to find out this way.””
“That's not an answer!””
“Thomas wasn't your biological father, sweetheart.””
I closed my eyes.
“What?””
“He raised you. He loved you. But he wasn't your biological father.””
I gripped the edge of the table.
“Who was?””
She hesitated.
“His name was Richard Hayes.””
I searched my memory.
Nothing.
“Why have I never heard that name?””
“Because Thomas promised he would raise you as his own. Richard left before you were born.””
“And Thomas knew?””
“Yes.””
I looked at Lily.
She was coloring quietly beside Officer Harris.
“Mom, why is Thomas listed as Lily's father?””
My mother's breathing became uneven.
“Because Richard was Thomas's older brother.””
The room seemed to shrink.
My father, the man I had mourned for twelve years, was actually my biological uncle.
And his brother was Lily's biological grandfather.
But why had Daniel hidden this?
“Did Thomas know about Lily?”” I asked.
“No.””
“Did Richard?””
My mother didn't answer.
“Mom!””
“He died before Lily was born. That's what I was told.””
I pressed my fingers against my forehead.
“Then why does Daniel have a DNA report?””
My mother whispered, “Because he went looking.””
“Looking for what?””
“For Richard's family.””
A cold sensation moved through my stomach.
My mother continued.
“Thomas left behind a trust. It was established for his direct descendants. When Daniel discovered the family connection, he started asking questions about inheritance.””
I looked at the hospital record again.
“Are you telling me this is about money?””
“I don't know everything, Sarah.””
“Then why did you sign that statement saying I'm unfit to raise Lily?””
She began crying harder.
“Daniel told me he was protecting her.””
“From me?””
“He said Lily would be safer with the family.””
I stood so abruptly that my chair scraped against the floor.
“Mom, you helped him take my daughter!””
“I thought it was temporary!””
“Did you know about the flight?””
A pause.
“Yes.””
I felt my eyes burn.
“Did you know he had another woman and another child?””
Another pause.
“Yes.””
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
My own mother had known about Vanessa, Nathan, the forged documents, and the flight.
And she had still allowed Lily to believe her daddy was coming home.
Officer Harris motioned for me to lower my voice.
I nodded, then asked one final question.
“What did Daniel discover about Lily that made him so desperate?””
My mother whispered:
“Thomas's trust was never intended for you, Sarah. It was intended for the first living child descended from Richard Hayes.””
I looked at Lily.
“Meaning?””
“Meaning Lily may inherit everything.””
Before I could respond, another voice came through the phone.
A man's voice.
“Margaret, hang up. You've said enough.””
My blood froze.
“Who is that?””
My mother immediately disconnected.
Officer Harris took the phone number and wrote it down.
“Do you know that voice?””
I shook my head.
But I knew one thing.
Someone else was controlling this situation.
And Daniel's affair was beginning to look like the smallest part of a much larger betrayal.
Then Officer Harris returned from speaking with another investigator.
“Mrs. Carter, we've found something else in your husband's travel records.””
He placed a printed reservation on the table.
It wasn't for London.
May you like
It was for a private medical facility in Switzerland.
And the appointment was scheduled under Lily's name.
