Chapter 9: The Truth About My Birth
Nobody spoke.
I stared at my mother.
The woman who had raised me, protected me, and sacrificed everything for me was crying in front of me.
"Say that again," I whispered.
Mom wiped her cheeks.
"Your biological mother wasn't me.""
I stepped backward.
"No.""
"Naomi—"
"No. You gave birth to me.""
She shook her head.
"I didn't.""
My father looked down at the floor.
I turned toward him.
"Did you know?""
He nodded.
The room seemed to disappear around me.
"All these years?""
"Yes.""
I felt my throat tighten.
"Then why did you let me call her Mom?""
My father looked at me.
"Because she is your mother.""
I shook my head.
"That's not what I asked.""
Mom reached toward me.
I stepped away.
She let her hand fall.
"I wanted to tell you," she whispered.
"When?""
"When you were older.""
"I'm thirty years old!""
Her face crumpled.
"I know.""
I looked at the photograph again.
Patricia holding Brianna.
My father standing beside her.
Then I looked at my mother.
"Who gave birth to me?""
She took a shaky breath.
"Patricia.""
I stared at her.
"No.""
Mom nodded.
"Patricia Cole gave birth to you in December 1996. Brianna was born earlier that year.""
My father sat down.
I looked at him.
"You're saying Brianna and I have the same mother and father?""
He nodded.
"Yes.""
The words felt unreal.
The woman who had cut my mother's hair was my biological sister.
The woman who had shoved my mother into a wall was connected to me by blood.
And the woman who had raised me wasn't my biological mother at all.
"How did this happen?""
Mom looked at my father.
He answered.
"After Brianna was born, Patricia discovered that Richard had been using her name in company transactions. She wanted to leave him. She knew about the fraud and was afraid Richard would hurt the baby.""
"Why would she give me away?""
"Because she believed you would be safer with us.""
I laughed in disbelief.
"Then why did she keep Brianna?""
My father hesitated.
"Richard refused to let her leave with both children. He threatened to destroy her and take Brianna away.""
Mom spoke quietly.
"Patricia came to me when you were a few days old. She was terrified. She said Richard knew about the documents Daniel had copied and wanted to use the children as leverage.""
I stared at her.
"You agreed to raise me?""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
Mom's eyes filled.
"Because I had already lost one child.""
I froze.
"What?""
She looked at me.
"Before you came into my life, I was pregnant. I lost the baby at five months.""
Her voice broke.
"I was told I might never have another child. When Patricia came to me holding you, I thought I was being given a second chance to be a mother.""
I couldn't speak.
She continued.
"I never wanted you to feel like you were borrowed. I wanted you to feel loved. And you were. Every single day.""
I looked away.
"Did Patricia know I was alive?""
Mom nodded.
"She knew where you were. We agreed that you would grow up believing I had given birth to you because Richard was dangerous.""
"And Dad?""
"He agreed to disappear to keep the arrangement secret.""
My father looked ashamed.
"I thought I could return once the danger passed.""
"But it never did.""
"No.""
I sat down slowly.
"Why did Patricia sign the affidavit saying Dad was dead?""
Mom looked toward the photograph.
"Because Richard forced her.""
My father leaned forward.
"Richard told Patricia that if she didn't cooperate, he'd expose the arrangement and accuse Miriam of kidnapping you.""
I closed my eyes.
"And Brandon?""
My father looked at me.
"Brandon knew.""
I opened my eyes.
"What?""
"He found out about the adoption arrangement two years ago. Richard showed him the original hospital documents.""
I remembered the wedding.
The expensive invitations.
The elaborate venue.
The financial agreements.
The way Brandon had insisted on handling every legal detail himself.
"He knew I was his sister?""
My father shook his head.
"No. You're not related to Brandon by blood. Brandon is Richard and Patricia's son. Patricia is your biological mother, but Richard isn't your biological father.""
I felt a wave of relief mixed with confusion.
"Then who is?""
My father looked directly at me.
"Me.""
I closed my eyes.
At least one thing was certain.
Daniel was my father.
Brianna was my sister.
And Patricia was the woman who had given birth to me.
I looked at the woman who had raised me.
"Did you ever regret it?""
Mom shook her head immediately.
"Never.""
"Even when things were difficult?""
"Especially then.""
She took my hand.
"Naomi, I changed your diapers. I stayed up when you had fevers. I sat outside your bedroom when you were afraid of thunderstorms.
I held your hand on your first day of school. I watched you graduate. I was there every time you needed someone.""
Tears ran down her cheeks.
"I didn't give birth to you. But I have never been anything other than your mother.""
I couldn't hold back anymore.
I hugged her.
She wrapped her arms around me carefully, avoiding her injured shoulder.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
I held her tighter.
"Don't apologize for loving me.""
For a moment, everything else disappeared.
Then Brianna spoke from the doorway.
"Does that mean we're sisters?""
I turned.
She was crying.
I looked at her for a long time.
"Apparently.""
She gave a small, broken laugh.
"I spent my whole life hating you.""
"Why?""
"Because Richard told me you stole everything that should have been mine.""
I stared at her.
"Like what?""
"My father. My inheritance. My mother's attention.""
She looked toward Patricia's photograph.
"I thought you were the reason everyone kept secrets from me.""
I shook my head.
"I didn't even know you existed.""
Brianna covered her face.
"I know.""
My father stood.
"Neither of you should have been put in this position.""
Then my phone rang again.
Victor.
I answered.
"Naomi, I need you to listen carefully.""
"What now?""
"Richard's attorneys have submitted additional evidence to the court.""
"What evidence?""
"A hospital birth record claiming Patricia Cole gave birth to twins.""
I looked at my father.
He went pale.
"Twins?"" I repeated.
"Yes. But the second child was listed as deceased shortly after birth.""
I felt my blood run cold.
"Who?""
Victor read the name.
"Naomi Hayes.""
I looked at Mom.
She shook her head.
"That's impossible.""
Victor continued.
"The document states that the child died in the hospital and that Miriam Hayes later adopted a different infant under the same name.""
My father grabbed the phone.
"That's a fabrication!""
"Perhaps. But Richard has submitted a witness statement from a nurse who worked at the hospital in 1996.""
My stomach tightened.
"Who is the nurse?""
Victor read the name.
"Elaine Porter.""
My mother gasped.
I turned toward her.
"Do you know her?""
Mom nodded slowly.
"She was the nurse who handed you to me.""
My father looked furious.
"She signed the original adoption papers. She knows what happened.""
I felt the room grow cold.
"Then why would she testify against us?""
Mom looked at the photograph of Patricia.
Then she whispered:
"Because Elaine wasn't the only person in that delivery room.""
My father turned toward her.
"Miriam, what are you saying?""
Mom closed her eyes.
"Patricia gave birth to three children that night.""
Silence.
I stared at her.
"Three?""
She nodded.
"Brianna. Naomi. And another baby.""
I felt my heart pounding.
"Where is the third child?""
Mom looked at me.
"I don't know.""
My phone vibrated.
A message appeared from an unknown number.
There was an attachment.
A photograph of a young woman standing outside the courthouse.
She looked remarkably like me.
Underneath it were nine words.
*You found your family. Now find the sister they buried.*
I showed the screen to my father.
He stared at the photograph.
Then he whispered something that made Brianna collapse into the chair.
"That's impossible.""
I looked at him.
"Who is she?""
He didn't answer.
Instead, he reached for the ledger and turned to a page near the back.
There were three names written in his handwriting.
*Brianna. Naomi. Evelyn.*
Beside Evelyn's name was a single word.
*ALIVE.*
And underneath it, in red ink, was a date from just three months earlier.
My father looked at me.
"Your third sister is alive.""
May you like
Then he added:
"And Richard knows exactly where she is.""
