Chapter 5: The Daughter Vanessa Planned to Erase
I read Brielle's message three times before I believed it.
A death certificate.
My name.
My date of birth.
My heart hammered against my ribs.
"Where are you?"" I demanded when Caleb put the phone on speaker.
"At home," Brielle whispered.
"Mom went upstairs to pack. I locked myself in her office.""
"Why would she have a death certificate with my name?""
"I don't know. But it's not just that.""
There was a rustling sound.
Then Brielle said, "There's a photograph attached to it. You need to see it.""
Richard reached for my arm.
"Emily, don't go there.""
I pulled away.
"Why? What else are you hiding?""
He looked exhausted.
"Vanessa is dangerous when she's cornered.""
I almost laughed.
"She ripped my costume off in front of two hundred people. I think we've passed the point where I'm worried about her manners.""
Caleb grabbed his car keys.
"We're going.""
Richard insisted on coming too.
The drive to our house felt endless.
When we arrived, every light was on.
Vanessa's black SUV was still in the driveway, but the garage door stood open.
Brielle appeared at the front window.
She unlocked the door before we reached the porch.
"Come inside," she whispered.
She was still wearing my angel wings.
One strap hung loose from her shoulder.
I stopped when I saw her.
"Why are you still wearing those?""
Brielle looked down.
"Mom told me not to take them off.""
I stared at her.
"She told you to keep wearing something she stole from me?""
Brielle's eyes filled.
"I'm sorry, Emily.""
For the first time that night, I saw something other than jealousy in her face.
Fear.
Real fear.
She led us into Vanessa's office and locked the door.
On the desk lay a folder, a laptop, and a stack of documents.
Brielle pointed to the top sheet.
"That's what I found.""
I picked it up.
It was an official-looking document from a private medical facility.
My name appeared at the top.
Below it was my birth date.
But the date of death was listed as six years earlier.
The same year my mother died.
I read the details twice.
According to the document, I had died in a private medical facility after a severe allergic reaction.
But I had been twelve years old that year.
I was standing in our kitchen when I received the news about my mother's funeral.
I remembered the smell of lilies.
I remembered the black dress.
I remembered Vanessa telling me not to cry because my father was already struggling.
I had been alive.
I was alive now.
"This is fake," I whispered.
Richard took the paper.
His face turned white.
"Where did you get this?""
Brielle pointed toward a second folder.
"There's more.""
Inside were photocopies of insurance documents.
A life insurance policy had been taken out in my name.
The beneficiary was Vanessa Bennett.
The coverage amount was $750,000.
My hands went numb.
"Why would she insure me?""
Richard examined the dates.
"This policy was created without my authorization.""
Brielle shook her head.
"Mom said it was for family security.""
I looked at her.
"Did she ever talk about me dying?""
Brielle hesitated.
Then she nodded.
"Last month, she said you were becoming a problem. She said if you ever found out what happened to Laura, she would have to make sure you disappeared before your eighteenth birthday.""
Nobody spoke.
Caleb took photographs of every document.
"Emily, we need to call the police.""
"Yes.""
But before I could move, a sound came from the hallway.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Deliberate.
The office door handle turned.
Vanessa's voice came from the other side.
"Brielle? Open the door.""
Brielle went pale.
"Mom, we're busy.""
"Open it.""
She looked at me helplessly.
Vanessa tried the handle again.
Then she spoke through the door.
"I know Emily is in there.""
Richard stepped forward.
"Vanessa, we need to talk.""
There was a short laugh.
"Oh, Richard. You always did love choosing the worst possible moment.""
The door rattled.
Then came a heavy bang.
Vanessa had started kicking it.
"Give me the documents!""
Caleb pulled out his phone.
"I'm calling the police.""
Vanessa suddenly stopped.
Her voice became calm.
Almost sweet.
"Emily, sweetheart. Before you make another mistake, you should ask Brielle what she found in the laptop.""
I looked at Brielle.
She was staring at the screen.
Her lips parted.
"What is it?"" I whispered.
She slowly turned the laptop toward me.
An email was open.
The sender was Vanessa.
The recipient was someone named Daniel Cross.
The subject line read:
*THE GIRL'S EIGHTEENTH BIRTHDAY.*
I opened it.
The message contained only three sentences.
Once Emily turns eighteen, the trust transfers into her control. We cannot allow that to happen.
The paperwork is ready.
This time, there must be no surviving witness.
I looked at the door.
Vanessa was smiling.
I could hear it in her voice.
"Emily, darling, open the door. I think it's time we discussed your future.""
Then Brielle whispered something that made my blood run cold.
"Emily... Daniel isn't just Mom's former husband.""
She pointed to the email attachment.
It was a photograph of a hospital document.
May you like
The name beneath the words BIOLOGICAL FATHER was clearly visible.
*DANIEL CROSS.*
