Chapter 4: The Daughter Nobody Knew Existed
For a moment, nobody moved.
Danielle stood frozen beside the dining table, the tiny silver key trembling between her fingers.
Victoria's voice came again from the other side of the door.
“Danielle, please. I know you're in there.””
Marcus looked at his brother.
Daniel had gone completely pale.
“Don't open that door,” he whispered.
Marcus turned toward him.
“Why? Afraid of what she'll say?””
Daniel grabbed his briefcase.
“She's unstable, Marcus. You know that.””
“Funny. That's exactly what you said seven years ago.””
Danielle looked between them.
“Someone needs to explain what's happening.””
Marcus walked to the entrance and unlocked the door.
A woman stood on the porch.
She was in her mid-thirties, with shoulder-length brown hair, a pale complexion, and a thin scar running along her left cheek. She wore a gray coat and held a small photograph against her chest.
Her eyes immediately found Daniel.
“You.””
Daniel stepped backward.
“Victoria, you shouldn't be here.””
She ignored him and looked at Marcus.
“Is she the one?””
Marcus nodded.
“Danielle, this is Victoria Hayes.””
Victoria extended her hand.
“I'm sorry we had to meet like this.””
Danielle didn't take it.
Instead, she asked the question that had been haunting her.
“Why did you tell everyone you disappeared before your wedding?””
Victoria's expression crumpled.
“Because I didn't have a choice.””
She stepped inside.
Marcus closed the door behind her.
Daniel stood beside the dining table, gripping his briefcase.
“She's lying,” he said.
Victoria slowly turned.
“You haven't changed at all, Daniel.””
“Don't start.””
“You told Marcus I ran away with another man.””
“You did run away.””
Victoria shook her head.
“No. You put me in a car, drove me to a motel outside Chicago, and told me that if I ever contacted Marcus again, my family would pay for it.””
Danielle felt a chill run through her.
Marcus's jaw tightened.
“Tell her the rest.””
Victoria looked down at the photograph in her hands.
“My daughter was born six months after I disappeared.””
Silence.
Danielle stared.
“Your daughter?””
Victoria nodded.
“Marcus is her father.””
Danielle slowly turned toward her husband.
Marcus didn't deny it.
Her voice broke.
“You have a child?””
Marcus closed his eyes.
“I found out three weeks ago.””
“Three weeks?””
“I swear I didn't know before then.””
Victoria placed the photograph on the table.
It showed a little girl with brown hair, bright eyes, and a wide smile.
She looked about six years old.
“Her name is Lily,” Victoria said softly.
Danielle picked up the photograph.
The little girl was holding a pink stuffed rabbit.
“Why didn't you tell me?”” she whispered.
Marcus approached her.
“Because I needed to confirm everything first. Victoria had been told that I knew about the pregnancy. Daniel made her believe I had refused to acknowledge the baby.””
Victoria wiped her eyes.
“He told me Marcus had chosen his family over us. He said Marcus had called me a liar and wanted nothing to do with the child.””
Marcus looked at his brother.
“And you told me Victoria had stolen money and left with another man.””
Daniel slammed his briefcase onto the table.
“Because I was protecting you!””
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“From my own daughter?””
Daniel pointed at Victoria.
“She was going to destroy your life!””
Victoria's voice suddenly rose.
“You destroyed mine!””
She pulled another photograph from her coat.
This one showed a hospital room.
A younger Victoria lay in bed, holding a newborn baby.
On the back was a handwritten date.
Seven years earlier.
Danielle stared at it.
“Why didn't you contact Marcus?””
“I tried.””
Victoria reached into her handbag and removed a stack of old letters.
“Twenty-three letters. Every one was returned.””
Marcus took the stack.
His fingers shook as he examined the envelopes.
The addresses were correct.
But every envelope had been stamped with the same message:
*RETURN TO SENDER. REFUSED.*
Marcus looked at Daniel.
“You told me she never contacted me.””
Daniel didn't answer.
Marcus opened one of the letters.
Inside was a photograph of a newborn baby and a short handwritten note.
Marcus, she has your eyes. I don't know how to explain what happened, but I need you to know that she's here. Please find us.
Marcus's face crumpled.
Danielle watched him read it again.
For the first time, she saw something in her husband that she hadn't seen in years.
Grief.
Real, unbearable grief.
“Where is Lily now?”” Marcus asked.
Victoria swallowed.
“At the hospital. She's been asking about you.””
“Why is she in the hospital?””
Victoria looked down.
“She has a heart condition. The doctors say she needs surgery.””
Marcus stepped toward her.
“Why didn't you tell me sooner?””
“I didn't know whether I could trust you. Daniel told me you were involved in everything.””
Marcus looked toward his brother.
Daniel's expression hardened.
“You don't understand what you're doing,” he said.
Marcus reached for his phone.
“I'm calling the police.””
Daniel immediately grabbed Danielle's arm.
“Don't let him do this!””
She pulled away.
“Don't touch me!””
Daniel stared at her.
“You think Marcus is going to protect you? You're the reason he came home this morning.””
Danielle froze.
“What?””
Daniel smiled coldly.
“He didn't forget his phone.””
Marcus slowly turned.
“Tell her.””
Daniel looked at him.
“Tell her what?””
Marcus took out his phone and opened a video.
The screen showed the front entrance of their house.
The timestamp read 10:38 a.m.
Marcus appeared on the recording, standing beside his car.
He wasn't searching his pockets.
He was looking directly at the house.
Then he walked back inside.
Danielle stared.
“You were watching?””
Marcus nodded.
“I received a notification from the security system. Someone had entered the house.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because I wanted to see who it was.””
He turned the screen toward her.
The video continued.
A man wearing a delivery uniform approached the front door.
He placed a small package on the doorstep.
Then he looked directly at the security camera.
He removed his sunglasses.
Danielle gasped.
It was Daniel.
Marcus paused the recording.
“He wasn't here to visit me. He was here to retrieve something.””
Victoria stepped closer.
“The hospital records.””
Daniel's expression changed.
Marcus nodded.
“That's right.””
Danielle looked at the silver key in her hand.
“What does it open?””
Marcus glanced at it.
“Victoria's old storage unit.””
Victoria nodded slowly.
“That's where I kept everything.””
Marcus looked at Daniel.
“And that's where you made your biggest mistake.””
Daniel suddenly pulled a small black device from his pocket and pressed a button.
A loud alarm sounded outside.
Then the lights went out.
Danielle screamed.
Something crashed in the hallway.
Marcus grabbed her hand.
“Stay behind me!””
Victoria shouted from the doorway.
“Marcus! The back door!””
A shadow moved across the kitchen.
Then a man's voice whispered:
“Give me the key.””
Danielle turned toward the sound.
And recognized the voice immediately.
May you like
It wasn't Daniel.
It was Ethan, the plumber.
