Chapter 7: The Daughter Nobody Was Supposed to Know About
My father didn't answer Richard.
He simply ended the call, shoved the phone into his pocket, and ran toward the parking garage.
"Naomi, get in the car!""
I followed him, clutching the ledger against my chest.
He drove through downtown San Jose so fast that I had to grip the dashboard.
I called my mother repeatedly.
Nothing.
Then, on the fourth attempt, someone answered.
"Hello?""
It was a man's voice.
My blood turned cold.
"Who is this?""
"Your mother is fine, Naomi.""
"Put her on the phone.""
"Not yet.""
I recognized the voice.
Derek.
Brianna's brother.
The same man who had shoved my mother into the wall.
My father heard him through the speaker.
"Listen carefully," Daniel said.
"If you touch Miriam, I'll make sure you spend the rest of your life in prison.""
Derek laughed.
"You've been missing for twenty-five years. Nobody even knows what you look like anymore.""
"That's about to change.""
"Then perhaps you should hurry.""
The call ended.
I stared at my father.
"How did they find her?""
He gripped the steering wheel.
"Someone has been following us since the hospital.""
"Who?""
"I don't know.""
"You're telling me you spent twenty-five years hiding, and you never figured out who was working for Richard?""
He glanced at me.
"I figured out enough to stay alive.""
"Not enough to protect Mom.""
His expression crumpled.
I immediately regretted saying it.
But I couldn't take it back.
We reached my mother's neighborhood within twelve minutes.
Her front gate was open.
The front door stood ajar.
A ceramic flowerpot lay shattered across the porch.
I jumped out before my father had fully stopped the car.
"Mom!""
The living room was a mess.
Cushions had been thrown onto the floor. Drawers were open. Family photographs lay scattered across the carpet.
My mother's purse was overturned beside the sofa.
Then I heard a small noise from the kitchen.
"Naomi?""
I ran toward it.
Mom was sitting on the floor behind the kitchen island, holding a towel against her forehead.
Her face was pale, but she was conscious.
I dropped beside her.
"Mom! Are you hurt?""
"They wanted the envelope.""
My father knelt beside us.
"Did they take anything?""
She shook her head.
"No. I gave them nothing.""
I hugged her carefully.
"Who was here?""
Mom looked at my father.
"Richard's daughter.""
My father froze.
"Patricia?""
Mom nodded.
"She came with Derek. She said she wanted to talk about the old days.""
My father's face hardened.
"What did she say?""
Mom swallowed.
"She asked where you had hidden the ledger.""
He closed his eyes.
"Did you tell her?""
"No.""
Mom reached for my hand.
"Then she showed me a photograph.""
"What photograph?""
"Of Brianna as a baby.""
My father looked away.
Mom continued.
"She said Daniel had promised to take responsibility for the child. She said you abandoned her and left Patricia to raise her alone.""
I stared at him.
"Is that true?""
He didn't answer immediately.
Then he sat on the kitchen floor.
"Yes.""
I felt something twist inside me.
"Tell me everything.""
He rubbed his hands over his face.
"In 1996, Richard introduced me to Patricia. At the time, she was working in the company's accounting department. We became close. I was married to your mother, but our marriage was already struggling because of the work I was doing.""
Mom looked at him.
"Don't make it sound like that.""
He lowered his head.
"You're right. I betrayed you.""
I stared at him.
"Did you have an affair with Patricia?""
"Yes.""
The word landed heavily.
Mom looked away.
My father continued.
"When Brianna was born, Patricia told me the child was mine. I wanted a DNA test. Richard refused. He said the family would handle everything privately.""
"And you believed him?""
"No. But I was already discovering the fraud inside the company. Richard used Brianna to keep me close. He told me if I cooperated, he'd let me remain part of her life.""
I shook my head.
"That's disgusting.""
"I know.""
"Did you know she was your daughter?""
"I suspected. But Patricia refused to let me see the medical records. Richard arranged everything.""
Mom spoke quietly.
"Daniel promised me it was over.""
My father looked at her.
"I thought it was.""
"But it wasn't.""
"No.""
He turned toward me.
"When I discovered the financial crimes, I found documents connecting Richard to illegal property transfers. One of those transfers involved your grandfather's land. He had been using fake ownership records to steal properties from families who had no idea what was happening.""
"How was Brianna involved?""
"Richard wanted the company to look legitimate. He used her name in several transactions. She was a child, but her identity was used to create shell companies.""
I thought about the signature at the bank.
"That's why she's claiming to be your only surviving child.""
He nodded.
"If she can establish herself as your father's only legal heir, she can challenge the trust.""
Mom shook her head.
"But Naomi is his daughter.""
"Yes. And that's why Richard wants her married to Brandon.""
I felt sick.
My father looked at me.
"Brandon's marriage to you would have given Richard access to the family trust through a series of legal agreements.""
I remembered the wedding contracts.
Brandon had asked me to sign several documents two months earlier.
He'd said they were routine financial arrangements for married couples.
I had signed most of them without reading every page.
"Mom," I whispered, "I signed papers.""
My father went still.
"What papers?""
"Brandon said they were for the wedding and our future property.""
He held out his hand.
"Do you have copies?""
I nodded.
"They're in my email.""
My father immediately called Victor Bennett.
Within minutes, the attorney was reviewing the documents I forwarded.
His response came quickly.
*Do not sign anything else. These documents appear to include a broad power of attorney and an assignment of certain beneficial interests.*
My stomach dropped.
I had almost handed Brandon control over my financial affairs.
Then Victor called again.
"Naomi, there's something else. The marriage license application has not been finalized, but your fiancé submitted a separate affidavit claiming you had agreed to transfer certain trust interests after the wedding.""
"I never agreed to that.""
"I believe you. But we need to preserve evidence immediately.""
My father looked toward the front window.
"Richard knows we have the ledger. We need to move Miriam somewhere safe.""
Mom shook her head.
"I'm not leaving my home.""
"Please, Miriam.""
She looked at him.
"You don't get to disappear for twenty-five years and then come back telling me where to live.""
He lowered his eyes.
She was right.
Before we could continue, someone knocked on the front door.
Three slow knocks.
Then a woman's voice called from outside.
"Naomi? It's Brianna.""
My father immediately stood.
"Don't open it.""
But Brianna spoke again.
"I know you're inside. I came alone.""
Mom grabbed my wrist.
"Don't trust her.""
I looked through the narrow window beside the door.
Brianna stood on the porch.
Her hair was perfectly styled. She wore a cream-colored coat and held a small black handbag.
She looked nothing like the woman who had been screaming in the salon that morning.
Then she raised both hands.
"I brought something that belongs to you.""
My father approached the window.
Brianna saw him.
Her expression changed.
For a moment, she looked like a frightened child.
Then she lifted a photograph.
It showed a newborn baby wrapped in a hospital blanket.
On the back was a handwritten message.
Daniel, she's yours. Please don't let Richard take her.
My father staggered backward.
Brianna lowered the photograph.
"Can we talk now?""
He looked at me.
I shook my head.
"Not until we know what she wants.""
Brianna's voice cracked.
"I want to know why you let Richard tell me my entire life that my father was dead.""
My father went silent.
Then Brianna added something none of us expected.
"Because according to the hospital records, Daniel Hayes wasn't listed as my father.""
May you like
She looked directly at me.
"He was listed as my mother's husband.""
