Chapter 5: The Daughter Who Looked Like Mine
The police officer stared at me.
“Sir, do you have another child?””
I couldn't answer.
Elena held my hand.
“Marcus, we need to get Ava away from here.””
Vanessa began laughing.
Even with her injured shoulder, she seemed delighted.
“Too late.””
I turned toward her.
“What have you done?””
“Nothing that wasn't already arranged.””
The officer beside her tightened his grip.
“Ma'am, you need to remain silent.””
Vanessa ignored him.
“Do you remember the photograph you showed everyone at Ava's sixth birthday?””
I frowned.
“What photograph?””
“The one of your daughter in her little white birthday dress.””
My stomach tightened.
“What about it?””
Vanessa smiled.
“Evelyn used it to convince everyone that her daughter was yours.””
I looked down at Ava.
She was clutching my shirt.
“Daddy, who's Evelyn?””
I kissed her forehead.
“Someone who won't hurt you.””
Elena crouched beside us.
“Sweetheart, remember what Mommy told you about strangers?””
Ava nodded.
“Don't go with them.””
“That's right.””
The officer's radio crackled again.
“Control to basement team. The female is requesting to speak with Mr. Cole.””
I grabbed the radio.
“Tell her I'm coming.””
Elena caught my wrist.
“No.””
I looked at her.
“She's at the entrance with a child who looks like Ava. I need to see what's happening.””
“You don't understand.””
“Then explain.””
Elena glanced at Vanessa.
“Evelyn doesn't just look like me. She knows how to become me.””
I felt a chill.
“What does that mean?””
“She studied everything about my life. My voice. My handwriting.
My habits. Even the way I walked.””
I stared at her.
“Why?””
“Because she wanted to take my place.””
Vanessa interrupted.
“Not exactly.””
Elena turned toward her.
“Shut up.””
Vanessa smiled.
“Tell him about the photographs.””
I looked at Elena.
“What photographs?””
My wife lowered her eyes.
“Evelyn and I were identical twins. When we were children, our parents dressed us alike. Sometimes they couldn't even tell us apart.””
She paused.
“But after our mother died, everything changed.””
I waited.
“Evelyn blamed me. She believed our mother had loved me more. She started copying my clothes, my handwriting, my friendships. Eventually, she began telling people she was me.””
I shook my head.
“Why didn't you tell me any of this?””
“Because I thought she had disappeared years ago.””
“When?””
“Before I met you. She left after our father died. I received one letter from her saying she never wanted to see me again.””
I stared at her.
“And you never heard from her?””
“Not until the day she disappeared.””
The words settled heavily between us.
I remembered Elena mentioning a sister once, years ago, but she had described her as someone she had lost contact with.
I had assumed they simply weren't close.
I had never imagined this.
The officer approached.
“Mr. Cole, we need to move. The woman at the entrance is becoming agitated.””
I looked at Elena.
“Stay with Ava.””
She grabbed my hand.
“Marcus, don't let her touch you.””
“I won't.””
“And don't let her get close enough to whisper.””
I frowned.
“Why?””
Elena looked directly into my eyes.
“Because she knows things about you that nobody else knows. She'll use them to make you doubt yourself.””
I nodded.
Then I followed the officers upstairs.
The terrace was a disaster.
Champagne glasses lay broken across the marble. Guests were huddled near the garden entrance, while police officers secured the perimeter.
The engagement ring was still lying inside its open red velvet box.
I walked past it.
Near the main entrance stood a woman in a cream-colored coat.
Her blonde hair fell in loose waves over her shoulders.
Her green eyes were identical to Elena's.
She was holding the hand of a little girl.
The child wore a pink cardigan and white shoes.
She had Ava's blonde curls.
Ava's small nose.
Even the same tiny dimple on her left cheek.
For a moment, I couldn't move.
The woman smiled.
“Marcus.””
I stared at her.
“Evelyn?””
She nodded.
“It's been a long time.””
I looked at the little girl.
“Who is she?””
Evelyn gently pushed the child forward.
“This is Lily.””
The girl looked up at me.
“Hello, Daddy.””
The world seemed to stop.
I heard a police officer say something, but his words became distant.
I looked at Evelyn.
“What did she just call me?””
Evelyn smiled.
“She knows who you are.””
I shook my head.
“No. That's impossible.””
She tilted her head.
“Is it?””
I stepped backward.
“I'm married to Elena. Lily isn't my daughter.””
Evelyn's smile disappeared.
“You really don't remember?””
“Remember what?””
She reached into her coat and pulled out a photograph.
It showed me standing beside a woman wearing a red dress.
The woman's face was partly hidden by my shoulder.
The date printed on the bottom was eighteen months earlier.
I recognized the restaurant.
I recognized my suit.
I recognized the watch on my wrist.
But I didn't recognize the woman.
“Where did you get that?””
Evelyn handed it to me.
“You took me there.””
I stared at the picture.
“That isn't possible.””
“You were drunk that night. You told me you were unhappy. You told me Elena was becoming distant.””
I looked at her.
“Stop.””
“You said you wanted someone who understood you.””
“STOP!””
Lily began crying.
Evelyn immediately crouched and wrapped her arms around the child.
“It's okay, sweetheart. Daddy is just surprised.””
I stared at the photograph again.
Then I noticed something.
The woman's left hand.
A gold bracelet with a tiny diamond heart.
Elena owned one exactly like it.
She had worn it every day until the week she disappeared.
I looked up.
“Where is that bracelet?””
Evelyn smiled.
“I kept it.””
“Why?””
“Because it was mine.””
I felt nauseated.
A police officer stepped forward.
“Ma'am, we're going to need you to come with us.””
Evelyn calmly handed Lily to a female officer.
“Of course.””
Then she looked at me.
“But before we go, I think you should hear something.””
She pulled a small voice recorder from her coat.
I recognized it immediately.
It was an old digital recorder Elena used to keep in her office.
Evelyn pressed play.
A man's voice emerged.
My father's voice.
“Marcus, if you're listening to this, then something has happened to Elena.””
I stopped breathing.
My father had died eight years earlier.
The recording continued.
“There's something about our family you need to understand. Something I should have told you before I died.””
I stepped closer.
“Where did you get that?””
Evelyn held up one finger.
“Listen.””
My father's voice became quieter.
“Elena isn't the only child I tried to protect.””
I frowned.
What?
The recording continued.
“Before I married your mother, I had another family. A daughter. I never told you because I thought keeping the secret would protect everyone.””
I looked at Evelyn.
Her smile had disappeared.
The voice continued.
“Her name was Evelyn.””
I felt the ground shift beneath me.
Evelyn looked directly into my eyes.
“Now do you understand?””
I stared at her.
My father's secret daughter.
Elena's twin sister.
The woman who had spent fourteen months replacing my wife.
And suddenly, the family resemblance made horrifying sense.
But there was something else.
Something I couldn't ignore.
I looked at Lily.
“Who is her father?””
Evelyn smiled again.
“You are.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
She reached into her coat and removed another document.
A DNA test.
My name was printed at the top.
The result showed a 99.9 percent probability of paternity.
I looked at the date.
It was dated three months before Elena's disappearance.
I felt sick.
I had never taken a DNA test.
I had never met Lily.
And yet the document claimed I was her father.
“That's forged.””
Evelyn shrugged.
“Then let's take another one.””
The female officer approached.
“Ma'am, please come with us.””
Evelyn handed Lily over and allowed the officer to escort her toward a patrol car.
But before getting inside, she turned around.
“Marcus?””
I stared at her.
“Ask your wife what happened the night she disappeared.””
Then she added:
“And ask her why she was carrying a second wedding ring.””
The patrol car door slammed.
I stood motionless.
A few minutes later, Elena came outside with Ava.
She stopped when she saw the photograph in my hand.
“What is that?””
I held it up.
“Evelyn says she has a daughter.””
Elena's expression changed.
“She does.””
“She says Lily is mine.””
Elena closed her eyes.
“Marcus…”
“Is it true?””
She shook her head.
“Not the way she says.””
I stepped closer.
“Then explain the photograph. Explain the DNA test. Explain why she had my father's recording.””
Elena looked toward the police cars.
Then she whispered:
“Because your father knew Evelyn was coming.””
I stared at her.
“What?””
“He knew she would eventually try to take everything from us.””
Elena reached into the pocket of her borrowed jacket.
She pulled out a small envelope.
It was old, yellowed, and sealed with red wax.
My father's handwriting was on the front.
*FOR MARCUS — ONLY IF BOTH MY DAUGHTERS RETURN.*
My hands began trembling.
Both my daughters?
I looked at Elena.
“Why does he call Evelyn his daughter?””
Elena's eyes filled with tears.
“Because she was.””
I opened the envelope.
Inside was a single photograph.
It showed my father standing beside two newborn babies.
One wore a pink hospital bracelet.
The other wore a blue one.
On the back, my father had written:
One is my daughter. The other is my granddaughter. I made a promise to keep them apart.
I looked up.
“Elena, what does this mean?””
She began crying.
Then she said:
“Marcus, Lily isn't your daughter.””
I let out a breath.
But Elena wasn't finished.
“She's your sister's daughter.””
I froze.
“What sister?””
May you like
Elena looked at me.
“The sister your father gave away.””
