Chapter 9: The Woman Who Knew Too Much
For several seconds, nobody moved.
I looked at the empty space beside the church entrance.
Margaret had been standing there only minutes earlier.
Now she was gone.
"Where is Margaret?"" I asked.
Daniel looked around.
"I thought she came with us.""
William adjusted his cufflinks.
"Apparently, she had somewhere else to be.""
I turned toward him.
"What did you mean by the police finding her remains?""
He looked at me coldly.
"Ask your father.""
Daniel's cane slipped from his hand.
"William, stop.""
Ethan stepped between them.
"You knew Margaret was missing?""
William ignored him.
"Daniel, this has gone far enough.""
My father looked older than he had an hour earlier.
"Where is she?""
William's expression hardened.
"Dead, apparently.""
I shook my head.
"No. Margaret was alive this morning.""
William turned toward me.
"Then perhaps you should ask why she disappeared.""
Elijah stepped forward.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?""
William looked at his son.
"Elijah, you have no idea what that woman was involved in.""
"I know she helped Amara find the truth.""
"She helped destroy this family.""
Elijah laughed without humor.
"You destroyed it yourself.""
Before William could respond, the church doors opened again.
Two uniformed police officers entered.
A third person followed them.
A woman in a dark navy suit.
She approached Daniel.
"Mr. Bennett?""
Daniel nodded.
"I'm Detective Harris. We need you to answer some questions.""
"About Margaret?""
"About a discovery made at your former property.""
My father swallowed.
"What discovery?""
Detective Harris glanced toward William.
Then she lowered her voice.
"An old storage container was found buried beneath the detached garage. Inside were several documents and personal belongings belonging to a woman named Rebecca Lewis.""
I frowned.
"Rebecca?""
The detective nodded.
"Margaret's younger sister.""
Daniel looked confused.
"Margaret never had a sister.""
"According to the records, Rebecca disappeared twenty-nine years ago.""
I felt a chill.
"Was she the woman in the photograph?""
Detective Harris looked at the picture Ethan was holding.
Her expression changed.
"Where did you get that?""
Ethan handed it over.
She studied the photograph.
"That's Rebecca Lewis.""
Vanessa suddenly grabbed Brielle's arm.
"We're leaving.""
The detective stepped in front of her.
"Mrs. Carter, I need you to stay.""
Vanessa's face hardened.
"On what grounds?""
"We have questions about a financial transfer made from your personal account to a woman named Rebecca Lewis.""
William stepped forward.
"Detective, I can assure you this is a private family matter.""
She looked at him.
"Mr. Carter, a woman's disappearance is not a private family matter.""
I watched Vanessa's fingers tighten around her handbag.
Then Brielle spoke.
"Mom, just tell them.""
Vanessa turned sharply.
"Be quiet.""
Brielle began crying.
"I can't keep doing this.""
Vanessa grabbed her shoulders.
"You will not say another word.""
I stared at my stepsister.
"What do you know?""
Brielle looked at me.
Then she looked at William.
Finally, she whispered:
"Rebecca was the nurse who switched the babies.""
The church erupted in whispers.
Vanessa closed her eyes.
William's expression became murderous.
Brielle continued.
"Mom paid her. But she didn't know the second baby was going to be taken away too.""
Detective Harris moved closer.
"Miss, I need you to explain exactly what happened.""
Brielle wiped her cheeks.
"Rebecca was supposed to switch the hospital identification bracelets. She was paid to make sure William's son was registered as his biological child and that Daniel's name disappeared from the records.""
Daniel looked devastated.
"But why take Ethan?""
Brielle looked at William.
"Because William wanted only one heir. He didn't want two sons fighting over the company.""
Ethan laughed bitterly.
"So they sold me?""
Brielle shook her head.
"They didn't sell you. They gave you away.""
"That's supposed to make me feel better?""
She lowered her eyes.
"No.""
Vanessa suddenly shouted.
"She has no idea what she's talking about!""
Brielle flinched.
I stepped closer to her.
"Why did you give me the flash drive?""
She looked at me.
"Because I found out Mom was planning to do the same thing to you.""
My stomach tightened.
"What?""
Brielle took a trembling breath.
"William wanted you to sign the marriage settlement. Once you signed, the trust would become his. But Vanessa was worried you'd discover the original hospital records before the wedding.""
I stared at her.
"So she destroyed my dress.""
Brielle nodded.
"She thought if you lost your wedding dress, you'd panic. She thought you'd call Elijah, he'd reassure you, and you'd sign whatever they put in front of you.""
I looked toward Vanessa.
"Was that your plan?""
She didn't answer.
Detective Harris stepped forward.
"Mrs. Carter, I need you to come with us.""
Vanessa suddenly laughed.
"You think I'm going anywhere?""
She reached inside her handbag.
Daniel shouted.
"Vanessa, don't!""
But she had already pulled out a small recording device.
She pressed a button.
A man's voice filled the church.
Daniel's voice.
"William, if anything happens to Elizabeth, I'll make sure the children know everything.""
Then another voice answered.
Vanessa.
"Then perhaps you should think about your own daughter.""
The recording continued.
Daniel's voice sounded desperate.
"Leave Amara out of this.""
Vanessa laughed.
"She's the only reason you'll do what we want.""
The recording stopped.
I stared at my father.
He looked as though someone had pulled the ground from beneath him.
"What's that?"" I whispered.
Vanessa smiled.
"Your father made a deal with us twelve years ago.""
Daniel shook his head.
"That recording is incomplete.""
"Is it?""
Vanessa pressed another button.
This time, a different voice spoke.
My mother's voice.
"Daniel, don't do it. If you give William the original trust documents, he'll never let Amara go.""
Then came a sound.
A loud crash.
A scream.
And silence.
I covered my mouth.
William reached for the recorder.
But Vanessa pulled it away.
"You see, everyone? Daniel wasn't some innocent victim. He helped hide the truth.""
I turned toward my father.
"Did you know Mom was in danger?""
Daniel's eyes filled with tears.
"Amara, I swear to you, I tried to save her.""
"Then why didn't you tell me?""
He looked at me.
"Because the night your mother died, I saw someone leaving our house.""
My blood ran cold.
"Who?""
Daniel pointed toward the back of the church.
A woman stood near the exit.
She wore a dark coat and held a walking stick.
Her face was partially hidden beneath a wide-brimmed hat.
She slowly removed it.
I recognized her immediately.
Margaret Lewis.
Alive.
She looked directly at me.
Then she said:
"Daniel, you promised you'd never tell her who was inside that house the night her mother died.""
My father closed his eyes.
Margaret took one step forward.
"And now, Amara, it's time you learned why your mother left you that red wedding box.""
She placed a small photograph on the nearest pew.
It showed my mother holding me as a baby.
Standing beside her was a woman I had never seen before.
But on the back, in my mother's handwriting, were four words:
*YOUR REAL MOTHER KNOWS.*
I looked at Daniel.
He was crying.
May you like
And Margaret whispered the sentence that changed everything.
"William Carter isn't the only person who lied about your birth.""
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