Chapter 13: The Secret Behind Lily's Birth Certificate
"Tell me she's lying.""
I stared at my mother.
Eleanor was crying, her hands trembling against the wooden cane.
"Michael, please let me explain.""
I pointed toward the photograph of Lily.
"Not another secret. Not another lie. Tell me who my father is.""
She looked at Richard, who was lying on the floor while Sarah pressed a towel against his wound.
Richard opened his eyes.
"Michael...""
I dropped beside him.
"Don't talk. Help is coming.""
He grabbed my wrist.
"You deserve the truth.""
I shook my head.
"Not now.""
He tightened his grip.
"Listen to me. Your mother and I raised you. I loved you as my own son. But Victor Hale is your biological father.""
The room seemed to tilt.
Victor Hale.
The man who had orchestrated the financial fraud.
The man who had threatened my wife.
The man who had just kidnapped my daughter.
My biological father.
I pulled my hand away.
"How?""
Richard struggled to breathe.
"Before your mother married me, she worked for Victor. They had a relationship. When she became pregnant, Victor wanted nothing to do with the child.""
Eleanor covered her mouth.
"I was young, Michael. I was frightened. Richard promised to raise you as his own.""
I looked at the woman who had once tucked me into bed every night.
"Did you ever love me?""
She immediately stepped toward me.
"More than anything.""
"Then why did you let me believe Richard was my father?""
"Because he was your father in every way that mattered.""
I looked toward Richard.
He nodded weakly.
"I never regretted raising you. Not for one second.""
My eyes filled with tears.
But I couldn't think about that now.
Lily was missing.
And Victor had just called her his daughter.
Daniel approached with his phone.
"I've traced the vehicle.""
"Where?""
"An industrial property near the river. Victor has a private warehouse there.""
Sarah stood up.
"I'm coming.""
I shook my head.
"No. You've already been through enough.""
She grabbed my arm.
"Michael, that's my daughter.""
I looked at her.
"She's my daughter too.""
Sarah's expression softened.
"Then let's bring her home.""
Before we could leave, Daniel received a call.
He listened carefully.
Then his face changed.
"What do you mean the officers are withdrawing?""
He walked toward the window.
"Who gave that order?""
A pause.
Then he ended the call.
"Hayes has people inside the local department. The first team assigned to the warehouse has been reassigned.""
I clenched my fists.
"Then we'll find someone else.""
Daniel nodded.
"I've contacted a federal investigator who has been monitoring Victor's financial operation. They're sending a team, but we need to keep Victor occupied until they arrive.""
Sarah looked at the photograph of Lily.
"I know how.""
Everyone turned toward her.
She reached into her bag and removed a small memory card.
"Victor believes I still have the original ledger.""
Daniel examined it.
"Do you?""
Sarah shook her head.
"No. But I have something he wants even more.""
"What?""
She looked toward Eleanor.
"The recording of the night your mother disappeared.""
Eleanor's face went white.
"Sarah, no.""
I stared at them.
"What recording?""
Sarah inserted the memory card into Daniel's laptop.
A video appeared.
The image was grainy, but the date was clear.
Eleven years earlier.
The footage showed Victor standing in a room with Eleanor.
He was shouting.
"You signed the transfer agreement!""
Eleanor's recorded voice answered.
"I signed nothing.""
Victor slammed a folder onto the table.
"Then your son will pay for your stubbornness.""
The recording continued.
Richard appeared.
He stepped between them.
"Leave Michael out of this!""
Victor laughed.
"He's my son, Richard. You were only raising him.""
I felt sick hearing those words.
Then something unexpected happened.
Eleanor moved toward Victor.
She slapped him.
"You will never touch my child.""
Victor grabbed her arm.
"You should have thought about that before you betrayed me.""
The video ended abruptly.
I stared at the screen.
"Where did you get this?""
Sarah looked at me.
"Your mother hid it inside the lining of her wedding dress. Richard recovered it after she disappeared.""
I turned toward Eleanor.
"Why didn't you use it?""
She looked down.
"Because the recording contains something else. Something Victor would kill to keep hidden.""
Daniel replayed the final seconds.
This time, he increased the volume.
Just before the recording ended, another voice could be heard.
A young woman.
"Victor, the girl is already registered.""
I froze.
I knew that voice.
It was Vanessa.
But there was something else.
Victor answered:
"Good. Once she's old enough, we'll have access to everything.""
Daniel stopped the recording.
"Michael, what did he mean?""
I remembered the trust agreement.
The forged signatures.
The emergency guardianship.
Lily's identity.
Then I understood.
Victor hadn't suddenly decided Lily was his daughter.
He had been planning to claim her since before she was born.
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
Victor's voice came through.
"Family resemblance is a wonderful thing, Michael.""
"Where is Lily?""
"She's safe.""
"Let me speak to her.""
A few seconds later, I heard my daughter's voice.
"Daddy?""
I closed my eyes.
"Sweetheart, I'm coming.""
"Please hurry.""
Then Victor returned.
"Bring me the original recording and the ledger. You have thirty minutes.""
I tightened my grip on the phone.
"If you hurt her—"
"You'll do what? Kill your own father?""
I looked at Daniel.
He was already recording the call.
Victor laughed.
"Thirty minutes, Michael. And come alone.""
The line went dead.
I turned toward Sarah.
She was crying silently.
Then Eleanor reached into her coat and handed me a small brass key.
"There's something you need before you go.""
"What?""
She looked directly at me.
"The original ledger isn't in the warehouse.""
She pointed toward the old family photograph on the table.
"It's buried beneath the house where you grew up.""
May you like
Then she whispered:
"And the name on the first page will explain why Victor has been trying to claim Lily for six years.""
