Chapter 9: The Daughter Nobody Knew About
The words stayed in my mind.
The other child.
I read them again.
Then again.
But they didn’t change.
“Vanessa.””
She walked into the room.
The second she saw the photograph, she stopped.
Not confused.
Not surprised.
Terrified.
“You know something.””
She looked at the floor.
“Marcus…”
“No.””
My voice was quiet.
“I need the truth.””
The girls were watching.
I lowered my voice.
“Not tomorrow. Not later. Now.””
Vanessa sat on the edge of the bed.
She looked exhausted.
“I had a baby before Nia.””
The room went silent.
I felt like the air had disappeared.
“You never told me?””
“I was going to.””
“When?””
She looked at me.
“I don’t know.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Apparently never.””
She wiped her eyes.
“Her name was Lily.””
I looked at the photograph.
“Where is she?””
Vanessa didn’t answer.
That was the worst answer.
“Where is she?””
“She died.””
The words were soft.
But they destroyed the room.
Ava covered her mouth.
Nia looked at me.
I didn’t know what to say.
“Died when?””
“Before Nia was born.””
“How?””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“She was sick.””
I stared at the photograph.
“Then why did Daniel say there was another child?””
“I don’t know.””
Ethan stepped forward.
“Maybe because Lily wasn’t the secret.””
Everyone looked at him.
“What do you mean?””
He pulled out a folder.
“I found this in the investigator’s files.””
He handed it to me.
Inside was a medical report.
I read the first line.
Then stopped.
“This isn’t possible.””
Vanessa looked away.
“What?””
I looked at her.
“Why does this report say Lily was transferred to another hospital?””
Her face went white.
“What?””
Ethan pointed.
“Someone changed the records.””
I flipped through the pages.
There were missing documents.
Altered dates.
Something had been covered up.
“You told me she died.””
Vanessa started shaking.
“That’s what I was told.””
“By who?””
She didn’t answer.
Then Diane appeared in the doorway.
Nobody had heard her enter.
Her face was pale.
“I need to tell you something.””
I looked at her.
“Every time someone says that, my life gets worse.””
She nodded.
“I know.””
Diane stepped inside.
“When Lily was born, Vanessa was very sick.””
Vanessa looked at her mother.
“Mom…”
“I thought I was protecting you.””
My voice hardened.
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
Diane looked down.
“I made a decision.””
“What decision?””
She swallowed.
“I signed papers.””
Vanessa stood.
“What papers?””
Diane’s eyes filled with tears.
“Adoption papers.””
The room froze.
Vanessa stepped back.
“No.””
“I’m sorry.””
“No.””
Vanessa’s voice broke.
“You told me she died.””
“I thought you couldn’t survive knowing the truth.””
I stared at Diane.
“You gave away Vanessa’s child?””
She shook her head.
“I thought she was gone forever.””
“Thought?””
Ethan looked at the document again.
Then his expression changed.
“Wait.””
He turned the paper toward the light.
“There’s something here.””
We gathered around.
At the bottom of the page was a signature.
A signature that shouldn’t exist.
Because the person who signed it was listed as deceased.
Ethan whispered:
“This adoption was reversed.””
My heart started pounding.
“Meaning?””
He looked at Vanessa.
“Meaning Lily wasn’t adopted.””
Nobody spoke.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message.
From an unknown number.
I opened it.
There was a picture attached.
A young woman standing outside our house.
She looked around eighteen years old.
And beneath the photo was a message:
*I know who my real mother is.*
I looked at Vanessa.
She was already crying.
Because she recognized the girl.
“She’s alive,” Vanessa whispered.
May you like
Then the second message arrived.
*Mom, I’m coming home.*
