Chapter 7: The Woman Who Knew Everything
Emma didn’t answer Rachel’s call.
She watched the screen until it stopped.
Then she showed me the message.
“Your father doesn’t know the whole truth.””
Those words bothered me.
Not because they were threatening.
Because they might have been true.
I had spent years believing I knew everything about Emma’s childhood.
Maybe I didn’t.
“Call her back,” I said.
Emma looked shocked.
“What?””
“Call Rachel.””
“She might lie.””
“She already is.””
I pointed at the phone.
“If she wanted to stay hidden, she wouldn’t have sent that message.””
Emma hesitated.
Then she pressed call.
The phone rang twice.
Rachel answered.
“I was wondering when you would call.””
Emma put it on speaker.
“Why did you text me?””
A soft laugh came from the other end.
“Because I knew Daniel would eventually get caught.””
Emma’s face hardened.
“You knew what he was doing?””
“I knew everything.””
I stepped closer.
“What exactly does that mean?””
There was silence.
Then Rachel said:
“Ask your mother why Daniel really disappeared.””
Emma looked at Laura, who had just walked back into the room.
“What does she mean?””
Laura’s expression changed.
And that scared me.
Because Laura looked like someone who had been carrying a secret for a very long time.
“Laura,” I said quietly.
She looked down.
“Tell us.””
She sat at the table.
“I didn’t want this to come out like this.””
Emma’s voice trembled.
“Come out how?””
Laura looked at her daughter.
“Daniel didn’t just leave because of money.””
“Then why?””
Laura took a deep breath.
“Because he found out I was trying to get full custody.””
Emma stared.
“Why?””
“Because he threatened to take you.””
The room went still.
“He said he would disappear with you if I fought him.””
Emma covered her mouth.
“I don’t remember that.””
“You were eight.””
Laura’s eyes filled.
“You only remember the parts your heart could handle.””
I watched Emma struggle with the information.
Every belief she had built about her childhood was collapsing.
Rachel stayed on the phone.
“Are you done pretending?”” she asked.
Emma picked up the phone.
“Why are you telling me this?””
“Because Daniel betrayed me too.””
I frowned.
“Rachel, you helped him.””
“I did.””
She admitted it easily.
“But I didn’t know he planned to destroy his own daughter.””
Emma’s voice became colder.
“What did he plan?””
Rachel hesitated.
“Your grandmother’s trust.””
My stomach tightened.
“We already know about that.””
“No.””
Rachel’s voice dropped.
“You don’t.””
She continued.
“The money was never the only thing.””
“What else?””
“Your grandmother left you something else.””
Emma looked confused.
“What?””
Rachel said:
“Proof.””
After the call ended, none of us moved.
Proof.
That word stayed in my mind.
“What proof?”” I asked.
Laura looked at Emma.
“I thought Daniel destroyed it.””
“Destroyed what?””
Laura walked upstairs.
When she returned, she held an old wooden box.
I recognized it immediately.
Emma’s grandmother’s belongings.
She placed it on the table.
“She left this before she died.””
Emma opened it carefully.
Inside were old photographs, jewelry, and letters.
Then she found an envelope.
Her name was written on it.
Not Emma Carter.
Emma Williams.
Her birth name.
She looked at Laura.
“Why is this different?””
Laura’s eyes filled.
“Because Daniel wasn’t your only parent who lied.””
My heart dropped.
“What are you saying?””
Laura looked at both of us.
“There is something about your adoption paperwork that Emma doesn’t know.””
Emma froze.
“Adoption?””
I stared at Laura.
“Emma was never adopted by me.””
“No.””
Laura shook her head.
“She was adopted before you came into our lives.””
Emma looked confused.
“By who?””
Laura opened her mouth.
But before she answered, there was a loud knock at the door.
Everyone turned.
Another knock.
Then a voice from outside.
“Emma? Open the door.””
May you like
I recognized the voice.
Daniel.
