Chapter 9: The Mother Who Was Never My Mother
For several seconds, I couldn't understand the words.
I read the sentence again.
Then a third time.
Evelyn is not your biological mother.
I looked at the woman who had raised me.
The woman who had taught me to ride a bicycle, packed my school lunches, attended my graduation, and stood beside me at my wedding.
The woman who had spent six years pretending my wife was dead.
“You're not my mother?””
Evelyn's lips trembled.
“Damien—”
“Answer me.””
She looked toward Victor.
He lowered his eyes.
Then she whispered, “I raised you.””
“That isn't what I asked.””
She swallowed.
“No.””
The word was barely audible.
I felt the room shift.
“Who is?””
Evelyn didn't answer.
I turned toward the letter.
My father's handwriting continued.
Your biological mother was a young woman named Margaret. She worked for our family when I first met her. She became pregnant with you, but Evelyn had been unable to have children. We made an arrangement that I believed would protect everyone.
I stopped reading.
An arrangement.
That word had followed my family for decades.
I looked at Evelyn.
“You took someone else's baby?””
She shook her head.
“Your father wanted a family.””
“You knew?””
“I knew.””
“You raised me knowing you weren't my biological mother?””
Her voice broke.
“I loved you.””
I stepped back.
“Then why would you do this to Olivia? Why would you take my daughters?””
Evelyn wiped her cheeks.
“Because I was afraid of losing everything.””
I stared at her.
“What does that mean?””
She finally sat down.
“Your father built the company with his brother and several investors. When you were born, he wanted to ensure you would inherit everything. But Victor discovered the adoption arrangement and threatened to expose it.””
Victor interrupted.
“It wasn't an adoption. It was an illegal transfer.””
Harris ordered him to remain silent.
Evelyn continued.
“Your father made a deal with me. I would raise you as my own, and he would ensure the family company remained under my control.””
I looked at the letter.
“Why did Dad hide this from me?””
“Because he thought you would hate him.””
I laughed bitterly.
“He was right.””
Evelyn began crying.
“Damien, you have to understand. I loved you more than anything.””
“Then why did you treat my daughters like they were pieces on a chessboard?””
She looked at me.
“Because your father made the same mistake twice.””
“What mistake?””
“He gave away control.””
I stared at her.
She continued.
“First, he gave you a name and an inheritance that weren't originally yours. Then he created a trust for Olivia's children and made sure I couldn't control it.””
I shook my head.
“So you punished two little girls because you couldn't control the money?””
“No.””
“Then what?””
She looked toward the safe.
“Your father left a provision in the trust. If the children were raised by both biological parents, the trust would transfer control to an independent foundation. Neither you nor I could touch it.””
I frowned.
“And?””
“If the children were separated, the guardian could be appointed by the family court. I believed I could secure that appointment.””
“You stole Ruby to manipulate a court?””
Evelyn nodded faintly.
“Victor said it would work.””
I turned toward him.
“You helped her?””
Victor shrugged.
“Your mother was trying to preserve the family.””
“By kidnapping a baby?””
“She was a newborn. She wouldn't remember.””
I took a step toward him.
Officer Harris intervened.
“Mr. Cole, stay back.””
Victor smoothed his jacket.
“Your father was no saint. He created this mess. I simply made sure the family survived.””
I looked at the photograph of Margaret.
My biological mother.
There was a handwritten address on the back.
A town outside Savannah.
I held it up.
“Where is she?””
Evelyn looked at it.
“I don't know.””
“Did Dad stay in contact with her?””
She hesitated.
Then she nodded.
“Occasionally.””
I felt my chest tighten.
“Is she alive?””
Evelyn looked away.
“Last I heard, yes.””
I couldn't process another revelation.
I had spent my entire life believing one woman was my mother.
Now I had learned that another woman had given birth to me.
And the person who had raised me had helped destroy my marriage and separate my children.
Officer Harris began collecting the documents.
Victor was placed in handcuffs.
Evelyn remained seated.
She looked suddenly old.
“Damien,” she whispered.
I didn't answer.
“I know you hate me.””
I turned toward her.
“Hate isn't the problem.””
“What is?””
“You knew what it felt like to raise a child who wasn't biologically yours. You knew how much I loved Sophie. You knew what Olivia meant to me.””
She started crying.
“And you still took Ruby.””
Evelyn covered her face.
“I thought I was protecting you.””
“No. You were protecting your control.””
I walked away.
But as I reached the doorway, she spoke again.
“There's one more thing.””
I stopped.
She lowered her hands.
“Your father didn't establish that trust because he wanted to protect the girls from me.””
I turned slowly.
“Then why?””
“Because he knew something about the genetic program that neither you nor Olivia understands.””
She reached into her handbag and removed a small photograph.
It showed two men standing outside a medical laboratory.
One was my father.
The other was a doctor I recognized from the old hospital records.
Dr. Richard Hale.
On the back, someone had written:
The original embryos were never destroyed.
My heart began pounding.
“What does that mean?””
Evelyn looked at Olivia.
“Your daughters weren't the only children created through that program.””
Olivia went pale.
“How many?””
Evelyn swallowed.
“Three.””
Silence.
I stared at the photograph.
“Where is the third child?””
Evelyn looked directly at me.
“That's what your father spent his final years trying to discover.””
Then she said something that made Olivia grip my arm.
“The third child has been living with you.””
I froze.
“What?””
Evelyn looked toward the door.
“Ask your daughter Sophie about the little boy who visits her school.””
I felt my blood turn cold.
Sophie had never mentioned a little boy.
Not once.
But Olivia suddenly began shaking.
“Damien,” she whispered.
I turned toward her.
“What?””
She looked as though she might faint.
“I know who she's talking about.””
“Who?””
Olivia closed her eyes.
Then she whispered a name.
“Daniel.””
My younger brother.
The brother I had buried eight years earlier.
May you like
The brother whose death certificate I had signed.
The brother who supposedly died in a boating accident before Sophie was born.
