Chapter 4: The Daughter Who Was Never Dead
"She's alive?""
Marcus's voice barely rose above a whisper.
Ethan nodded, still holding his phone.
"That's what the hospital told me.""
Marcus grabbed the phone.
"Give me that.""
"Dad, wait.""
"Give me the phone, Ethan!""
Ethan handed it over.
Marcus pressed the device against his ear.
"This is Marcus Cole. Who am I speaking with?""
A woman's voice answered.
"Mr. Cole, my name is Rebecca Miller. I'm calling from St.
Mary's Medical Center. We received a request from a patient named Olivia Hart to contact you.""
Marcus closed his eyes.
"Olivia?""
"Yes, sir. She provided your name as her biological father.""
He gripped the edge of the coffee table.
"Is she all right?""
"She's safe. She's currently receiving treatment for a minor injury. However, there's something important you should know. She's been trying to reach you for several weeks.""
Marcus looked at me.
I lowered my eyes.
"Why didn't anyone tell me?"" he asked.
There was a pause.
"According to Olivia, she has attempted to contact you through several different channels.""
Marcus's expression hardened.
"Nobody told me.""
"She also said someone informed her that you didn't want contact.""
Marcus went completely still.
Ethan slowly turned toward me.
I couldn't look at either of them.
"Who told her that?"" Marcus demanded.
"I'm afraid I can't disclose another person's information over the phone.""
"Then let me speak to Olivia.""
"Of course. I'll ask her to call you directly.""
The call ended.
Marcus lowered the phone.
For several seconds, he stared at the floor.
Then he looked at Daniel.
"How long have you known?""
Daniel swallowed.
"About six months.""
"Six months?""
"Yes.""
"And you never told me?""
Daniel rubbed his forehead.
"Vanessa contacted me after she discovered the investigation. She said Olivia was attempting to blackmail you.""
Marcus's eyes narrowed.
"Blackmail me?""
"She claimed Olivia had fabricated the relationship and was threatening to release false information about your family.""
I let out a shaky breath.
"That's what I was told.""
Ethan turned toward me.
"You were told?""
"Yes.""
"By whom?""
I looked at Daniel.
He didn't move.
Ethan shook his head.
"Unbelievable. You investigated my father's daughter, found out she was alive, and decided to keep it from him?""
"You're twisting everything.""
"Then explain it!""
I stood.
"Because I was trying to protect this family!""
Marcus looked at me.
"From my own daughter?""
I swallowed.
"Marcus, you have to understand. When we got married, you told me you wanted a peaceful life. You said you were finished with all the drama surrounding your first marriage.""
"I never said I wanted to abandon my child.""
"You barely knew she existed!""
"She is my daughter!""
His voice echoed through the living room.
I flinched.
He took a step toward me.
"Where is she?""
I shook my head.
"I don't know.""
"Who knows?""
"I don't know, Marcus.""
Daniel quietly interrupted.
"I do.""
Marcus turned.
"What?""
Daniel opened his briefcase and removed another folder.
"Olivia contacted Vanessa directly last year. She had a copy of a DNA test that confirmed her identity.""
Marcus's eyes widened.
"Last year?""
Daniel nodded.
"She sent photographs, medical records, and a letter from her adoptive mother.""
"Why didn't I see them?""
Daniel looked at me.
"Vanessa intercepted the correspondence.""
Ethan's hands curled into fists.
"How?""
"She controlled the household mail. She also had access to the email account where some of the messages were sent.""
Marcus stared at me.
I felt trapped.
"Those letters were suspicious," I said.
"Anyone could have sent them.""
Daniel shook his head.
"They included independently verified medical records.""
I snapped.
"Stop talking!""
Daniel fell silent.
Marcus looked at me as if he were seeing a stranger.
"How many letters?""
I didn't answer.
"Vanessa, how many?""
"Three.""
Ethan let out a stunned breath.
"Three?""
I looked at him.
"Don't act like you understand anything about this marriage.""
He stepped forward.
"I understand that my father has been grieving a daughter who was alive the entire time.""
Marcus turned away.
He walked toward the window.
Outside, the garden lights illuminated the fountain. The water continued flowing as if nothing had happened.
"I went to her grave," he whispered.
Nobody spoke.
Marcus pressed one hand against the glass.
"For twenty-three years, I visited a grave.""
His voice broke.
"I brought flowers every birthday. Every Christmas. I told her I was sorry.""
He turned.
"Who was buried there?""
Daniel hesitated.
"According to the investigation, the grave was registered under an incorrect identity.""
Marcus stared.
"You're telling me I was visiting an empty grave?""
"Not exactly. There was a child buried there, but the records appear to have been confused during a hospital transfer.""
Marcus sank into an armchair.
Ethan knelt beside him.
"Dad.""
Marcus covered his face.
I watched them.
Something inside me began to unravel.
For years, Marcus had carried that loss. I had used it to make him depend on me.
Now the truth was sitting in his living room.
And it was breathing.
His phone rang.
An unknown number appeared on the screen.
Marcus answered immediately.
"Hello?""
A soft female voice came through.
"Dad?""
Marcus stopped breathing.
The entire room went still.
"Olivia?""
There was a pause.
Then the woman began crying.
"Yes.""
Marcus pressed the phone against his ear.
"Sweetheart...""
The word seemed to break something inside him.
"I thought you were dead," he whispered.
"I know.""
"I looked for you.""
"I know, Dad.""
"Why didn't you come sooner?""
Her voice trembled.
"I tried. I really did.""
Marcus began crying.
Ethan sat beside him, his own eyes wet.
"Where are you?"" Marcus asked.
"St. Mary's.""
"I'm coming.""
"Wait.""
"What is it?""
Olivia took a shaky breath.
"There's something you need to know before you come.""
Marcus straightened.
"What?""
"I didn't contact you because I wanted your money.""
He glanced at the cash still scattered in the dining room.
"I never thought that.""
"Vanessa told me you had already given me away once. She said you would never forgive my mother for keeping me.""
Marcus's face turned white.
"What?""
"She said if I contacted you again, she'd make sure I regretted it.""
I stepped backward.
Ethan looked at me.
"Did you threaten her?""
I said nothing.
Olivia continued.
"And Dad...""
Marcus pressed the phone tighter.
"Yes, sweetheart?""
"There's another reason I needed to find you.""
"What reason?""
A long silence followed.
Then Olivia whispered:
"Your first wife didn't die in the accident the way you were told.""
Marcus stood so abruptly that the chair scraped across the floor.
"What did you say?""
Olivia started crying again.
"Mom was alive when I was born. And she left something for you.""
Marcus stared at the phone.
"What did she leave?""
"A letter.""
His voice dropped.
"Where is it?""
Olivia hesitated.
"Vanessa knows where it is.""
May you like
Every head in the room turned toward me.
And for the first time that night, I understood that the woman I had spent years trying to erase was about to destroy everything I had built.
