Chapter 13: The Key That Changed My Family Forever
“Ask Brianna’s real father.””
I read the inscription three times, hoping the words would rearrange themselves into something less devastating.
Maya stood beside me, staring at the brass key in Elise’s palm.
“Does Brianna’s father know about the portfolio?”” she asked.
I shook my head.
“Vanessa told everyone he abandoned them when Brianna was a baby. She never spoke about him again.””
Elise turned the key beneath the studio light.
“Do you know his name?””
“Andrew Reed. At least, that’s the name Vanessa used.””
Elise went completely still.
“Andrew Reed?””
“You know him?””
She opened a drawer filled with old correspondence and pulled out a photograph. A younger Vanessa stood beside a man in a dark suit, smiling as he held her around the shoulders.
I recognized the silver bracelet on Vanessa’s wrist.
The man beside her was not my father.
“That’s Andrew,” Elise said.
“He worked in the administrative department at Bellamy House. He handled original design submissions before they reached the review committee.””
I stared at the photograph.
“Why would my mother want me to ask him about the key?””
“Perhaps he knew where the missing documents were hidden.””
“Or perhaps he knew what Vanessa did.””
Elise sat down.
“Either way, we need to find him.””
Daniel Price helped locate Andrew through public records and former business contacts. By the following morning, we had a possible address in Savannah.
Before we could leave, however, my phone rang.
Brianna.
I answered cautiously.
“What?””
“Where are you?””
“At Elise’s studio.””
“Are you looking for Dad?””
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“How do you know about the key?””
“Mom found out you had it. She came into my room last night and asked whether I knew what it meant.””
“What did you tell her?””
“That I didn’t know.””
For once, I believed her.
“Brianna, do you know where your father is?””
“No. But I found something in Mom’s old documents. A letter addressed to me. It says Andrew never abandoned us.””
My stomach tightened.
“What does it say?””
“That Mom told him to stay away. She said he would destroy our family if he came back.””
“Why?””
“I don’t know. But there’s something else.””
Her voice cracked.
“The letter says Dad wanted custody of me when I was little. Mom refused because he knew about the stolen designs.””
I looked at Elise.
She had heard enough to understand.
“Can you send me a photograph of that letter?”” I asked.
“I will. But I need you to promise me something.””
“What?””
“Don’t let Mom tell everyone I’m the only person responsible for what happened.””
I swallowed.
“I won’t lie for you. But I won’t lie about you, either.””
“That’s fair.””
When the call ended, Elise looked at me.
“If Andrew was involved in the original transfer, he may be able to explain why the documents were altered.””
“And why the key was left for me.””
We drove to Savannah the next morning.
The address led us to a modest house on a quiet residential street. A white porch stretched across the front, and potted plants lined the steps.
A man answered the door after our second knock.
He was older than the man in the photograph, with silver hair and tired eyes.
When he saw Elise, he stiffened.
“Ms. Monroe.””
“Andrew Reed.””
His gaze shifted to me. Then he noticed the brass key in my hand.
His face went pale.
“Where did you get that?””
“From my mother’s original butterfly gown.””
He stepped backward.
“Come inside.””
The house smelled of coffee and old books. Andrew led us into a sitting room and sat down heavily.
“I wondered when someone would find it.””
I held up the key.
“What does it open?””
“The old Carter sewing room.””
My heart hammered.
“You know about the address?””
“I helped Daniel secure the room after Lorraine discovered the theft.””
I stared at him.
“You knew my father?””
Andrew nodded.
“He was a good man. He trusted people who didn’t deserve it.””
“Did he know Vanessa had stolen my mother’s designs?””
“He knew she helped Bellamy obtain copies. He didn’t know how much she had done until it was too late.””
“Why didn’t he report her?””
Andrew looked away.
“He tried. Bellamy threatened to accuse Daniel of authorizing the transfer. Your father was terrified that the dispute would cost him his job and leave you without support.””
“So he stayed silent.””
“He tried to protect you.””
“By letting my mother’s work disappear?””
Andrew flinched.
“He made a mistake. He knew that.””
I had spent years imagining my father as someone who could always fix what was broken. Now I had to accept that he had been frightened, too.
“What happened before he died?”” I asked.
“He asked me to help preserve the evidence. We placed copies of the original designs in the old sewing room, along with records of the altered agreement. He gave me the key and told me to return it when you were old enough to understand what it meant.””
“Why didn’t you give it to me?””
“I tried to contact you after Daniel died. Vanessa told me the matter was closed. She threatened to accuse me of harassment if I approached you again.””
“So you let her keep everything.””
“I was ashamed. And afraid.””
Andrew reached into a desk drawer and removed a sealed envelope.
“Daniel left this with me. He said I should give it to you if you ever came asking about the butterfly collection.””
My hands trembled as I opened it.
Inside was a letter.
Nia,
If you’ve found this, the truth has finally begun to surface.
Your mother never gave up her designs. She fought for them until she realized the people responsible were using our family against her.
I signed the original delivery form because I believed Bellamy House would evaluate her collection and return it. I never authorized them to own it. When I discovered the altered agreement, I tried to correct the record.
I failed to protect her the way I should have.
But I protected one thing.
The original evidence is waiting where you first learned to sew.
Forgive me for leaving you with questions. I hope you’ll find the courage to ask them.
Love always, Dad.
I pressed the letter against my chest.
Andrew waited quietly.
Finally, I looked up.
“Why did you say I needed to ask Brianna’s real father?””
“Because Vanessa wasn’t the only person who knew what happened to the collection. Brianna’s father helped Bellamy transfer the stolen designs. He prepared the altered ownership documents.””
I stared at him.
“Andrew, you are Brianna’s father.””
He nodded.
“And Vanessa told Brianna I abandoned her because I refused to help her sell the designs a second time.””
The room fell silent.
I thought about Brianna’s jealousy, her desperation to win, and the way Vanessa had taught her to measure love through competition.
It didn't excuse what Brianna had done.
But it explained the poisoned soil in which her cruelty had grown.
May you like
Andrew stood.
“Take me to the sewing room, Nia. It’s time we finished what your father started.””
