Chapter 14: The Person Behind Emily
We spent the next morning trying to find Emily.
Not the memory.
Not the daughter Vanessa lost.
The person.
The living person who had called her.
Claire hired someone to trace the number from the original footage.
I waited in her office, staring at the clock.
Every minute felt like an hour.
Mason sat beside me.
He looked exhausted.
“Do you think she’s alive?””
I looked at him.
“Emily?””
He nodded.
“I don’t know.””
He looked down.
“I spent years thinking Mom was just broken.””
“What do you mean?””
“I thought she was angry because she lost someone.””
I waited.
“But now…”
He shook his head.
“Now I think someone made her worse.””
I understood what he meant.
Vanessa was responsible for her choices.
But someone else might have pushed her toward them.
The door opened.
Claire walked in.
She had a file.
“I found the number.””
My heart jumped.
“Who is it?””
She placed the file down.
“The number belongs to someone named Emily Harper.””
The room went silent.
Mason stared.
“Harper?””
Claire nodded.
“Different last name.””
I looked at her.
“Is she alive?””
“Yes.””
I felt the ground shift.
“Where is she?””
Claire hesitated.
“She lives three states away.””
“Then why was she calling Vanessa?””
Claire opened the file.
“Because Emily Harper is not Vanessa’s daughter.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“She’s Vanessa’s former therapist.””
My stomach dropped.
“What?””
Claire continued.
“She worked with Vanessa after her daughter died.””
Mason looked confused.
“Why would she pretend to be Emily?””
That was the question.
The question nobody could answer.
Until Rachel called.
Her voice sounded terrified.
“Michael, you need to come here.””
“What happened?””
“I know who Emily Harper is.””
I looked at Claire.
“How?””
Rachel paused.
“Because I saw her with Vanessa.””
“When?””
“Before you married her.””
My blood ran cold.
Rachel showed us a photograph.
Vanessa.
And Emily Harper.
Standing together.
Years ago.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
Rachel looked ashamed.
“Because I thought she was helping Vanessa.””
“Helping her do what?””
Rachel looked at the picture.
“Move on.””
Mason shook his head.
“She didn’t move on.””
“No.””
Rachel’s voice lowered.
“She became obsessed.””
I looked at the photo.
“Why?””
“Because Emily Harper encouraged her.””
My stomach tightened.
“Encouraged her to do what?””
Rachel opened another folder.
Inside were therapy notes.
Private notes.
I knew we shouldn’t have them.
But at that moment, I didn’t care.
One sentence caught my attention.
*Patient displays unhealthy attachment toward replacement child. Intervention recommended.*
Replacement child.
Lily.
I turned the page.
Another note.
*Patient believes she can recreate lost daughter through another child.*
I looked up.
“Emily knew.””
Rachel nodded.
“She knew Vanessa’s obsession.””
“Then why didn’t she stop her?””
Nobody answered.
Because we already knew.
Maybe she didn’t want to.
That night, Vanessa agreed to speak with us.
Not because she trusted us.
Because she was scared.
She sat across from me.
“Emily was never my friend.””
I looked at her.
“Then what was she?””
Vanessa looked away.
“Someone who understood my pain.””
“That doesn’t explain anything.””
“She told me grief needed somewhere to go.””
I waited.
“She told me I could find a way to feel whole again.””
My anger returned.
“So you chose Lily.””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“Yes.””
“You chose my daughter because you couldn’t accept losing yours.””
“Yes.””
“And you hurt her.””
Tears fell down her face.
“Yes.””
For once, she didn’t defend herself.
She didn’t blame anyone.
She admitted it.
But then she said:
“There’s something you don’t know.””
I stared at her.
“What?””
“Emily Harper didn’t just advise me.””
“What did she do?””
Vanessa looked toward the window.
“She helped me find you.””
The room went silent.
“What?””
“She knew about Lily before I met you.””
My blood ran cold.
“She chose me?””
Vanessa nodded.
“She told me you were the perfect father.””
I stood up.
“Why?””
Vanessa whispered:
“Because Emily wanted to prove something.””
“What?””
Her voice trembled.
“That no father can truly protect a child.””
I felt a chill.
“Why would she want that?””
Vanessa looked at me.
May you like
And answered:
“Because her own father failed her.””
