Chapter 7: The Aunt Who Was Never Supposed to Exist
For several seconds, I couldn't breathe.
The woman standing outside the diner looked like someone had stepped out of an old family photograph.
She had my mother's eyes.
The same narrow nose.
The same slight crease beside her mouth when she looked worried.
But it wasn't my mother.
It was the aunt I had spent my entire life believing was dead.
Helen grabbed my wrist.
“Don't go outside.””
I looked at her.
“Why?””
“Because you don't know what she's capable of.””
I pulled my hand away.
“You just told me she was alive.””
“I know.””
“And now you're telling me not to speak to her?””
Helen glanced toward the window.
“Your mother trusted the wrong people. Lena was one of them.””
The woman outside knocked on the glass.
Once.
Twice.
Then she held up a folded piece of paper.
I couldn't read the writing through the window.
But I recognized the handwriting.
My mother's.
I stood.
“I'm going out.””
Helen's voice sharpened.
“Aaliyah, wait!””
I walked toward the entrance.
The woman stepped back as I opened the door.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then she whispered, “You have Evelyn's face.””
My throat tightened.
“Are you Lena?””
She nodded.
“I'm your aunt.””
“Why did everyone tell me you were dead?””
Her eyes filled.
“Because your mother wanted you to grow up believing that.””
I stared at her.
“That doesn't make any sense.””
“It will.””
I held up my phone.
“Someone just sent me a message telling me not to trust Helen.””
Lena's expression changed.
She looked through the window at the older woman sitting in the booth.
Then she said, “You shouldn't.””
Helen appeared behind me.
“Lena, don't you dare.””
My aunt laughed bitterly.
“Still protecting Richard?””
Helen stood motionless.
Lena turned back to me.
“Come with me. I'll explain everything.””
I hesitated.
“I'm not getting into a car with a stranger.””
She nodded.
“Fair enough.””
She reached into her handbag and removed a photograph.
It showed my mother, Lena, and a man standing outside the old Brooklyn studio.
I recognized the man immediately.
Richard.
But something else caught my attention.
My mother was holding a baby.
A little girl wrapped in a pink blanket.
I looked at Lena.
“Who is that?””
She swallowed.
“You.””
My fingers tightened around the photograph.
“Where was this taken?””
“Three weeks before your mother died.””
I looked at the baby again.
Then I noticed something written on the back.
*For Aaliyah, when the truth is finally safe.*
My eyes filled.
“Why didn't she tell me about you?””
Lena looked toward the street.
“Because I was the reason Richard began stealing her work.””
Helen stepped forward.
“That's not what happened.””
Lena turned sharply.
“Then tell her the truth.””
Helen lowered her eyes.
For the first time, she looked ashamed.
I stepped between them.
“Enough. Both of you. I'm going to hear the truth from each of you, and neither of you gets to decide what I can handle.””
Lena nodded.
“Then we should go somewhere private.””
We met at Lena's apartment twenty minutes later.
It was a small place above a bookstore.
The walls were covered with framed photographs, most of them showing flowers, fabric, and old fashion sketches.
On a shelf stood a photograph of my mother.
I walked toward it.
“Why do you have so many pictures of her?””
Lena stood behind me.
“Because I missed her every day.””
I turned.
“You said you were the reason Richard started stealing her designs.””
Lena sat on the sofa.
“Your mother and I built the Garden Collection together.””
I frowned.
“But the ledger says it belonged to Evelyn.””
“She created the original designs. I helped develop the business side. We were partners.””
She opened a drawer and removed an old notebook.
Inside were handwritten calculations, fabric samples, and sketches.
“My mother wanted to build a fashion house,” Lena continued.
“Richard offered to invest. He was charming back then. He knew everyone. He promised to help us get our designs into major collections.””
“And he stole them.””
“Yes.””
“Why didn't you stop him?””
Lena looked down.
“Because I signed something I shouldn't have.””
She showed me a document.
It was a partnership agreement dated 2003.
Her signature appeared beneath my mother's.
But the final page had been replaced.
The original agreement gave both sisters equal control over licensing.
The altered version transferred the rights to DVC Creative Holdings.
“Richard changed the contract after we signed it,” Lena said.
“He told us it was a clerical correction.””
I stared at the document.
“Didn't you notice?””
“Not until it was too late.””
She took a breath.
“Your mother discovered the alteration. She confronted Richard. He threatened to ruin us.””
“And you?””
“I wanted to go to the police.””
“What happened?””
Lena's eyes filled.
“Richard told me he had evidence that I had participated in the unauthorized licensing. He said he would make sure I went to prison while your mother lost everything.””
I sat opposite her.
“So you stayed quiet?””
“I was terrified.””
She looked at the photograph of my mother.
“Then your mother discovered that Richard had been using the Garden Collection to secure loans. She found payments that had never been disclosed to us.””
“That's what the blue ledger recorded.””
Lena nodded.
“Exactly.””
I thought about the money transferred to my father.
“Why was Dad involved?””
Lena closed her eyes.
“Daniel loved your mother. But he was weak when it came to Richard.””
“Did Dad sign the agreement?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Richard told him the transfer would protect your mother from creditors.””
I looked away.
The explanation sounded familiar.
Too familiar.
Lena continued.
“Your mother eventually discovered that Richard had transferred some of the designs to another company. She planned to expose everything.””
“What happened to you?””
Lena stood and walked toward the window.
“I was supposed to meet her the night she died.””
My heart began pounding.
“What?””
“She called me that afternoon. She said she had found something important. She wanted me to bring the original partnership agreement.””
I stared at her.
“Did you go?””
“No.””
“Why?””
Lena turned.
“Because Richard called me first.””
The room went quiet.
“He told me your mother was planning to accuse me of stealing her work. He said she wanted to destroy my life.””
I shook my head.
“You believed him?””
“I didn't know what to believe.””
She wiped her eyes.
“By the time I reached the studio, the police were already there.””
I felt cold.
“What did you see?””
“Your mother was gone.””
I lowered my head.
For years, I had imagined my mother's final day.
I had wondered whether she had been afraid.
Whether she had thought about me.
Whether she had known how much I would miss her.
Now I was learning that the people closest to her had been hiding pieces of that day.
I looked up.
“Was her death really an accident?””
Lena didn't answer.
Then she opened another drawer.
She removed a small envelope.
Inside was a photograph of my mother standing outside St. Catherine's.
On the back was a handwritten note.
*Richard knows about the second ledger. If anything happens, give everything to Aaliyah.*
I stared at the words.
“Second ledger?””
Lena nodded.
“Your mother kept two.””
I froze.
“Where is the other one?””
“Richard has been searching for it for years.””
“Do you have it?””
She shook her head.
“No. But I know where your mother hid it.””
I leaned forward.
“Where?””
Lena looked directly at me.
“Inside the original pink gown.””
I stopped breathing.
“The gown?””
“The one she designed in 2003. The dress Richard has been trying to claim as his company's property.””
I thought about the photograph in the competition file.
The old pink gown.
The one that looked almost identical to mine.
I whispered, “Where is it now?””
Lena looked toward the door.
“Your stepmother has it.””
When I returned home, Vivienne was waiting in the living room.
Celeste sat beside her, scrolling through her phone.
Both looked up when I entered.
Vivienne smiled.
“Where have you been?””
“Out.””
“With whom?””
“People who tell me the truth.””
Celeste laughed.
“That's a dangerous hobby.””
I ignored her.
“Where is the original pink gown from Mom's collection?””
Vivienne's face went still.
Then she stood.
“Why are you asking?””
“Because I know about the second ledger.””
Celeste dropped her phone.
Vivienne stared at me.
For several seconds, the only sound was the ticking clock.
Then she walked toward me.
“You have been talking to Lena.””
I didn't answer.
She closed her eyes.
“Of course.””
I stepped closer.
“Where is the gown?””
Vivienne's expression hardened.
“You have no idea what you're getting yourself into.””
“I'm asking a simple question.””
“The dress is in storage.””
“Where?””
“Richard has it.””
I swallowed.
“Why?””
She looked at Celeste.
My stepsister suddenly seemed very interested in her phone.
Then Vivienne said something I wasn't prepared to hear.
“Because your mother gave it to him.””
I shook my head.
“No, she didn't.””
“You weren't there.””
“I know my mother.””
Vivienne laughed.
“You know the version of your mother your father allowed you to remember.””
I stared at her.
Then Celeste stood.
“Mom, stop.””
Vivienne turned.
“What?””
Celeste looked uncomfortable.
“Just stop.””
I studied her face.
“What do you know?””
“Nothing.””
“Celeste.””
She looked at me.
Then she whispered, “The gown isn't in storage.””
Vivienne's eyes widened.
“Celeste!””
My stepsister stepped back.
“It's in the competition's private archive.””
I froze.
“What?””
Celeste looked at me.
“Richard submitted it as part of his company's historical collection.””
I took out my phone.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
She laughed nervously.
“Because I didn't think you would ever find out.””
Vivienne grabbed her daughter's arm.
“Go upstairs.””
Celeste pulled away.
“No.””
Then she looked at me.
“Aaliyah, there's something else.””
“What?””
She swallowed.
“The second ledger isn't the only thing hidden inside that gown.””
And before she could finish, my phone rang.
Margaret Ellis.
Her voice was urgent.
“Aaliyah, we have a serious problem.””
“What happened?””
“Someone has broken into the competition archive.””
My stomach dropped.
“What was stolen?””
There was a pause.
May you like
Then Margaret said:
“The original Garden Collection gown.””
