Chapter 10: The Daughter I Chose
I stared at the photograph until the two little girls began to blur.
They were sitting side by side on a wooden bench.
Both wore pink floral dresses.
Both had curly brown hair tied with enormous pink bows.
Both had the same round cheeks, the same tiny noses, and the same frightened expression.
One was Lily.
My Lily.
The little girl who had run across the patio screaming that her mother was beneath our swimming pool.
The little girl who had slept beside me after Elena's funeral.
The little girl who had whispered that she could hear her mother singing beneath the water.
The other child was the daughter Vanessa had supposedly lost.
But something didn't make sense.
If the babies had been switched, why did the photographs show them looking almost identical?
I enlarged the image.
There was a small detail near the bottom.
One girl had a tiny crescent-shaped birthmark on her left shoulder.
The other had a faint white scar near her right wrist.
I knew those marks.
Lily had the crescent-shaped birthmark.
The scar belonged to the other little girl.
My hands began shaking.
I called the number again.
No answer.
Then a message appeared.
*MIDNIGHT. THE OLD SERVICE BUILDING. COME ALONE. BRING THE SILVER KEY.*
I looked at Detective Harris.
"We have to go.""
He shook his head.
"Absolutely not.""
"They have my daughter.""
"We'll recover her.""
"They said midnight.""
"We don't negotiate with kidnappers.""
I grabbed my jacket.
"Then what do you suggest? Sitting here until they decide to move her?""
Harris studied the photograph.
"Mr. Hayes, there is something you're not considering.""
"What?""
"They may be deliberately confusing the children's identities.""
I looked at the two girls.
"What if they're not?""
He pointed to the birthmark.
"Then we establish which child is yours before we move.""
I stared at him.
"They're both children. They don't deserve to be part of this.""
His expression softened.
"I agree. And that's why we're going to bring both of them home.""
At 9:40 p.m., I returned to Elena's hospital room.
She was sitting upright, holding the original hospital bracelet.
The pink plastic looked impossibly small in her hands.
I showed her the photograph.
She immediately covered her mouth.
"Oh, my God.""
"You recognize them?""
She nodded.
"The girl on the left is Lily.""
"And the other?""
"Vanessa's daughter.""
I sat beside her.
"Why do they look so similar?""
Elena stared at the photograph.
"Because they're twins.""
I stopped breathing.
"What?""
She closed her eyes.
"Marcus, I never told you this because I didn't know how to explain it.""
I stared at her.
"Elena...""
"When I was pregnant, the doctors told me I was carrying twins.""
I felt my chest tighten.
"Twins?""
"Yes. Two girls.""
I looked at the photograph again.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because one of them disappeared.""
The room became silent.
Elena continued.
"I gave birth prematurely. Both babies were alive. I remember holding them. I remember kissing their foreheads.""
Her voice broke.
"But when I woke up after the emergency procedure, there was only one baby beside me.""
I stared at her.
"What did the hospital say?""
"They told me the second baby hadn't survived.""
I closed my eyes.
Elena began crying.
"They gave me a certificate. They told me not to look at the records because it would make my recovery harder.""
I looked down at the photograph.
One girl.
Two girls.
Two pink dresses.
Two identical faces.
"Which one did they leave with you?""
"Lily.""
"How do you know?""
Elena touched the photograph.
"Because Lily had a tiny crescent-shaped birthmark on her left shoulder. I remember kissing it when she was born.""
I thought about the second girl.
The faint scar on her wrist.
"Then who is the other child?""
Elena looked directly at me.
"Her twin sister.""
I felt a wave of anger.
"Where has she been?""
"I don't know.""
"Who took her?""
Elena hesitated.
Then whispered:
"Vanessa.""
I stared at her.
"Why would Vanessa take a newborn?""
"Because Michael wanted to use one of the twins as leverage.""
"Leverage against whom?""
"Robert.""
I rubbed my face.
The truth was becoming more horrifying with every minute.
Elena continued.
"Robert had changed his will before the girls were born. He wanted the twins to inherit his estate equally.""
I looked at her.
"So Vanessa took one of them?""
"She believed she could make the other disappear and claim the entire inheritance.""
I stared at the photograph.
"Which means the little girl in that photograph...""
"Is Lily's twin sister.""
I sat motionless.
For six years, my daughter had been living with a missing half of her story.
And I had never known.
Elena reached for my hand.
"Marcus, listen to me. You don't have to choose between them.""
I looked at her.
"Vanessa wants me to.""
"Then don't let her.""
I kissed her forehead.
"I'll bring both girls home.""
At 11:18 p.m., Detective Harris and I entered the old construction yard.
The police had established a perimeter around the service building.
Unmarked vehicles waited behind the trees.
Officers were positioned near the loading entrance and the rear access road.
I carried the silver key in my pocket.
Harris handed me a small communication device.
"Keep this in your ear. Don't remove it.""
I nodded.
"Understood.""
"Remember, we're not going to rush in unless there's immediate danger.""
I looked at the building.
One upstairs window was illuminated.
A pink curtain moved.
I recognized it.
It was the same curtain from Lily's bedroom.
"She's inside.""
Harris nodded.
"We know.""
We approached the entrance.
The front door opened before we reached it.
Vanessa stood in the doorway.
She wore a black dress.
Her hair was pulled back.
She looked perfectly calm.
"Marcus.""
I stared at her.
"Where are my daughters?""
Her smile disappeared.
"Your daughters?""
"Both girls.""
Vanessa stepped aside.
"Come in.""
I entered.
The building was quiet.
A small table stood in the center of the room.
Two plates of untouched food sat on it.
Two glasses of milk.
Two pink hair ribbons.
I looked toward the staircase.
"Where are they?""
"Upstairs.""
"Take me to them.""
Vanessa folded her arms.
"First, the key.""
I pulled it from my pocket.
She reached for it.
I kept my hand closed.
"Tell me why you did all this.""
She laughed softly.
"You're still asking questions?""
"You imprisoned Elena.""
"She was supposed to stay quiet.""
"You tried to steal my daughter.""
"Which one?""
Her smile returned.
I felt my stomach twist.
"You're sick.""
"No, Marcus. I'm the only person in this family who understands how the world works.""
She walked toward the table.
"You know what Robert told me when I was a child?""
I said nothing.
"He told me I was special. That I was going to inherit everything. Then he gave his attention to Elena.
Then to you. Then to those two babies.""
She picked up one of the pink ribbons.
"I was supposed to be his daughter.""
"You are his daughter.""
"Not the daughter he wanted.""
Her voice sharpened.
"He gave everything to Lily. Everything. The property, the trust, the company shares. All of it.""
I stared at her.
"So you destroyed my family over money?""
Vanessa slammed the ribbon onto the table.
"Don't pretend you understand.""
She stepped closer.
"You had everything. A wife who loved you. A beautiful daughter.
A home. A future. I had nothing.""
"You had a family.""
"I had a father who abandoned me.""
Her eyes filled.
"And then I discovered that he had another family. A family he actually cared about.""
I shook my head.
"Robert cared about Elena and me because we were his children. That doesn't justify what you did.""
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
"You're still defending him.""
"I'm not defending anyone.""
"Then give me the key.""
I held it up.
"After I see the girls.""
Vanessa studied me.
Then she turned toward the staircase.
"Come.""
The upstairs room was decorated like a nursery.
Two small beds stood beside the wall.
Two identical stuffed rabbits rested on the pillows.
And in the center of the room sat two little girls.
Lily looked up first.
"Daddy!""
I ran toward her.
She jumped from the chair and threw herself into my arms.
I held her tightly.
"My baby.""
She buried her face against my neck.
"I knew you would come.""
I kissed her hair.
"I'll always come.""
The second girl remained seated.
She watched us quietly.
Her eyes were identical to Lily's.
I slowly approached.
"Hello, sweetheart.""
She looked at Vanessa.
Vanessa immediately spoke.
"That's my daughter.""
The little girl shook her head.
"No.""
Vanessa turned sharply.
"Emily.""
The girl looked down.
Then whispered:
"She says I'm her daughter, but she never calls me that when other people are around.""
My heart broke.
I crouched in front of her.
"What's your name?""
"Emily.""
I smiled gently.
"That's a beautiful name.""
She looked at Lily.
"Are you her daddy?""
I nodded.
"Yes.""
Emily twisted her fingers together.
"Can I have a daddy too?""
I couldn't answer immediately.
I looked at Vanessa.
Her expression had become furious.
"Don't talk to her.""
I stood.
"She's a child.""
"She's mine.""
"She's your niece.""
Vanessa went completely still.
I continued.
"Both girls are Elena's biological children. They're twins. They're your nieces.""
Vanessa shook her head.
"No.""
"That's why you took one.""
"You're lying!""
I looked at Emily.
"Who told you your mother was dead?""
The little girl lowered her eyes.
"Vanessa said my real mommy didn't want me.""
I closed my eyes.
Then I looked at Vanessa.
"How could you?""
She slapped the table.
"She needed someone!""
"She needed her mother!""
"Her mother was dead to her!""
I stepped forward.
"Elena is alive.""
Vanessa's face drained of color.
For the first time, she looked genuinely frightened.
"That's impossible.""
"I pulled her out of the chamber beneath our pool.""
Vanessa stumbled backward.
"No.""
"She's alive.""
I took out my phone.
I showed her a photograph.
Elena sitting in her hospital bed.
Vanessa stared at it.
Then she whispered:
"She was supposed to die.""
The words hung in the room.
I looked at her.
"You just admitted it.""
Vanessa's expression changed.
She lunged toward my phone.
I stepped back.
She grabbed my wrist.
"Give me that!""
Lily screamed.
Emily began crying.
I pushed Vanessa away.
"Don't touch my children!""
A loud voice came from the hallway.
"POLICE! PUT YOUR HANDS WHERE WE CAN SEE THEM!""
Vanessa froze.
Two officers entered.
Detective Harris appeared behind them.
"Vanessa Morgan, you're under arrest.""
She looked around wildly.
Then she did something I never expected.
She pointed at Emily.
"She's the one you want!""
Everyone stopped.
Vanessa continued.
"She's not my daughter. She's not even supposed to exist!""
Emily began sobbing.
I moved between them.
"Enough.""
Vanessa struggled as the officers restrained her.
"Marcus! You don't understand! Michael will never let you keep them!""
I looked at her.
"Then he can try.""
As they led her downstairs, she turned one final time.
Her eyes locked onto mine.
"You still don't know which baby your mother took.""
I frowned.
"What?""
Vanessa smiled.
Then whispered:
"Ask Margaret who was in the second cot.""
At 11:53 p.m., both girls were safely inside a police vehicle.
Detective Harris had arranged for a child protection specialist to accompany them.
I sat between Lily and Emily.
Lily held my left hand.
Emily held my right.
Neither spoke.
I looked at them.
Two little girls who had been separated before they could even remember their own names.
Two children who had spent six years believing different stories.
I kissed Lily's forehead.
Then I kissed Emily's.
"You are both safe now.""
Emily looked up.
"Can I call you Daddy?""
I swallowed.
"Of course.""
She smiled.
A tiny, uncertain smile.
And I realized something.
Whatever their DNA said, whatever their birth certificates claimed, these girls deserved a childhood.
Not another investigation.
Not another secret.
Just love.
Then my phone rang.
My mother.
I answered.
"Mom?""
Her voice was barely audible.
"Marcus, did you find the girls?""
"Yes.""
She began crying.
"Thank God.""
"Where are you?""
A pause.
Then she whispered:
"At the place where everything began.""
I frowned.
"Which place?""
"The hospital.""
I looked toward the clock.
"Mom, we're coming.""
"No.""
Her voice became urgent.
"Listen to me. You need to understand something before you bring those children home.""
I closed my eyes.
"What now?""
She took a shaky breath.
"The second baby wasn't Vanessa's.""
I stared at the two girls.
"What?""
My mother began sobbing.
"The second baby was mine.""
The call disconnected.
I looked at Detective Harris.
Then at Lily.
Then at Emily.
And suddenly, I understood why my mother had spent thirty-five years hiding the truth.
There had been three babies.
May you like
Not two.
And one of them had never been accounted for.
