Chapter 7: The First Disappearance
Margaret placed the photograph on the desk.
I stared at the little girl.
The yellow coat.
The white shoes.
The red ribbon in her hair.
I remembered them.
Not clearly, but enough to feel the memory opening inside my mind.
“Where was this taken?””
“St. Mary's Hospital,” Margaret answered.
“Why was I there?””
Grace sat down.
“Because you had been injured in a car accident.””
I looked at her.
“What accident?””
“You were six. Richard had arranged for you to be taken to a private clinic for medical examinations. He wanted to confirm your identity.””
Nathaniel frowned.
“Why would he need to confirm her identity?””
Margaret answered.
“Because Richard discovered that the hospital records had been altered.””
Grace nodded.
“He knew Eleanor had given birth to a girl. He also knew the child had been declared dead. But he eventually discovered that you were alive.””
I felt sick.
“So he found me?””
“Yes.””
“And what did he do?””
Grace stared at the photograph.
“He tried to take you.””
I stepped away from the desk.
“Why didn't anyone tell me?””
“Because you were six,” she whispered.
“You were frightened, and I thought you would forget.””
I shook my head.
“I didn't forget.””
A memory surfaced.
A dark car.
A man in a gray suit.
My mother screaming my name.
I gripped the desk.
“I remember someone grabbing my arm.””
Grace began crying.
“That was Richard's driver.””
Nathaniel looked horrified.
“Thomas?””
“No. Thomas wasn't there that day. It was another employee.””
Margaret opened her handbag again.
She removed a folded newspaper clipping.
The headline read:
*MISSING CHILD FOUND AFTER FIVE-HOUR SEARCH IN CONNECTICUT.*
I read the article.
It described a six-year-old girl who had wandered away from a private medical facility.
No name.
No photograph.
But the date matched my birthday.
“Who found me?””
Margaret looked at Grace.
“I did.””
I stared at her.
“You?””
She nodded.
“I was working for Eleanor then. I saw Richard's men carrying you toward a car. I followed them.””
Grace took my hand.
“Margaret brought you back to me.””
“Why didn't you go to the police?””
“Richard controlled the local police chief. He had already paid several officials to keep the adoption records hidden.””
I looked at Nathaniel.
“Your father was powerful enough to kidnap a child and make it disappear.””
Nathaniel lowered his head.
“I didn't know.””
“I know.””
For the first time, I believed him.
He looked as sickened by the truth as I was.
Margaret continued.
“After that incident, Grace arranged for you to live under another surname. She thought the danger had passed.””
“But then the fire happened.””
Grace nodded.
“Richard died, and Victoria's father began threatening us. I knew they would come looking for the journal.””
I looked at Margaret.
“Why did you help us?””
She hesitated.
“Because I loved Eleanor.””
“Then why did you stay with Victoria?””
Margaret's expression darkened.
“Because she had something on me.””
“What?””
Margaret reached into her handbag and pulled out a small envelope.
Inside was a photograph of a young man.
He was standing beside a car, smiling.
Margaret touched the photograph.
“My son, Daniel.””
I looked at her.
“What happened to him?””
“Victoria had him arrested for a crime he didn't commit. She promised to have him released if I continued working for her.””
Nathaniel frowned.
“What crime?””
“Fraud. She planted stolen financial records in his apartment. He spent four years in prison.””
Margaret's voice broke.
“I stayed because I thought I could protect him.””
I looked at the photograph.
“Is he still in prison?””
“No.””
She swallowed.
“He died last year.””
Silence filled the room.
“I never got to tell him the truth,” she whispered.
Grace put a hand on her shoulder.
“I'm sorry.””
Margaret wiped her eyes.
“Victoria told me she would destroy the evidence if I helped her get the silver key. I agreed because I thought I could finally bring everything to an end.””
Nathaniel looked at her.
“Where is the key now?””
Margaret opened her palm.
A small silver key rested there.
I stared.
“Victoria's key?””
Margaret nodded.
“I took it from her bouquet before she escaped.””
Nathaniel immediately stood.
“Then we can open the vault.””
Margaret shook her head.
“Not without the second key.””
“Where is it?””
“In Eleanor's possession.””
Nathaniel looked at his phone.
“She's at the hospital.””
Grace stood.
“Then we need to go.””
Before we could leave, Marcus entered.
His shoulder was bandaged.
“The police have taken Thomas into custody. But there's a problem.””
Nathaniel looked up.
“What?””
“Victoria has filed an emergency motion to freeze the Callaway estate.””
Nathaniel frowned.
“On what grounds?””
“She claims you're not legally entitled to inherit the company.””
I looked at him.
“Can she do that?””
Marcus handed him a document.
“She says Richard's original will names Victoria as the sole beneficiary.””
Nathaniel read the paper.
Then he laughed.
A short, bitter laugh.
“That's impossible.””
“Why?””
“Because my father changed his will two months before he died.””
Marcus nodded.
“Apparently, the new will was never registered.””
Nathaniel looked at Grace.
“Did you know?””
She nodded.
“Richard told me.””
“Who has it?””
Grace looked toward the journal.
“Thomas.””
Nathaniel's face hardened.
“Then the police have it.””
Marcus shook his head.
“No. Thomas says he doesn't know anything about a second will.””
I looked at Margaret.
She seemed troubled.
“There's another possibility.””
“What?””
“Victoria.””
Nathaniel shook his head.
“Why would she have it?””
Margaret looked at him.
“Because she was Richard's favorite.””
The room went silent.
Margaret continued.
“Richard trusted Victoria more than anyone. He believed she was the only person who understood his business.””
Grace whispered, “He was wrong.””
I looked at the journal.
“There's something I don't understand. Why did Richard leave a recording if he wanted the truth hidden?””
Grace turned toward me.
“Because near the end of his life, he regretted what he had done.””
Nathaniel looked up.
“Then why didn't he confess?””
Grace gave a sad smile.
“Because Richard Callaway was a coward.””
She took a breath.
“He wanted to leave behind a way for the truth to come out without having to admit it while he was alive.””
Nathaniel stared at the floor.
“I spent my entire life trying to make him proud.””
Grace reached toward him.
He stepped back.
“I'm sorry,” she whispered.
Nathaniel looked at her.
“You don't have to apologize for what he did.””
For the first time, he called her something different.
“Mom.””
Grace began to cry.
I looked away.
I didn't know what to call her yet.
I wanted to.
But there was too much pain between us.
My phone vibrated.
A message appeared from an unknown number.
*Come alone to the Callaway Tower. Bring the journal. If you want to know what happened to your mother's first child, you have one hour.*
I showed Nathaniel.
He immediately shook his head.
“Absolutely not.””
I looked at Grace.
She was staring at the message.
Then she whispered:
“It's Victoria.””
“How do you know?””
Grace pointed to the final sentence.
“Because she knows something none of us have admitted.””
“What?””
Grace looked at me.
“Your mother's first child wasn't Nathaniel.””
I felt the blood drain from my face.
“Then who was it?””
Grace's eyes filled with tears.
“Your older brother.””
May you like
She paused.
“And I know exactly where he is.””
