Chapter 15: The Husband's Confession
I turned toward Daniel.
He stood completely still.
For several seconds, I couldn't understand what Martin had said.
Then the words finally reached me.
"You took Emily?""
Daniel shook his head.
"Sarah, no.""
Martin laughed.
"Don't bother pretending. The security cameras caught your car outside the building.""
I looked at my husband.
"Tell me he's lying.""
Daniel opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
My chest tightened.
"Daniel.""
He lowered his eyes.
"I went to get her.""
I stepped backward.
"You went to get her?""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because I knew Martin wouldn't let her go.""
"Then why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I knew you'd try to stop me.""
I stared at him.
"Where is she?""
"Safe.""
"Where?""
"At my mother's house.""
Thomas moved toward him.
"Elizabeth's house?""
Daniel nodded.
Thomas looked furious.
"That house isn't safe.""
"She's protected.""
"By whom?""
Daniel didn't answer.
Martin slowly put his phone away.
"Well, this is interesting.""
He looked at Daniel.
"I thought we had an agreement.""
Daniel turned toward him.
"We never had an agreement.""
Martin smiled.
"Your mother certainly did.""
I looked at my husband.
"What is he talking about?""
Daniel rubbed his forehead.
Then he began speaking.
"When I was twenty-two, my mother told me about the military investigation. She said Robert and Thomas had been involved in something dangerous. She asked me to help protect the children.""
"Which children?""
"You and Emily.""
I shook my head.
"Why?""
"Because your identities had been switched. My mother knew the original records would eventually surface.""
"That's why you approached me at the charity event?""
He nodded.
"Yes.""
I closed my eyes.
"Keep going.""
"I was supposed to watch you. Make sure nobody approached you. Report anything unusual to my mother.""
"And you fell in love with me.""
"Yes.""
"Then what?""
Daniel looked at Thomas.
"Then I discovered the truth about Rebecca.""
Thomas's expression changed.
"What truth?""
Daniel continued.
"Rebecca wasn't killed because of the military operation.""
Martin's smile disappeared.
Daniel reached into his jacket and removed a small envelope.
"She was killed because she had discovered that someone had stolen her newborn daughter.""
Thomas stepped forward.
"What?""
Daniel placed the envelope on the workbench.
Inside were hospital records, adoption documents, and a photograph.
I recognized the baby immediately.
The same yellow blanket.
The same silver bracelet.
The same tiny crescent-shaped birthmark.
Emily.
Daniel pointed to the hospital record.
"Rebecca gave birth to Emily in 2008. Thomas was listed as the father. But the baby was never legally released to the Collins family.""
Thomas stared at the document.
"Then where did she go?""
Daniel looked at me.
"To Michael and Helen Mitchell.""
I felt sick.
"Why?""
"Because Robert arranged it. He wanted Emily hidden under a family name nobody would question.""
Thomas gripped the workbench.
"Why would Robert do that?""
Daniel took another document from the envelope.
It was a letter written by my father.
I read the first few lines.
Thomas,
I know you believe the child is yours. Biologically, she is. But Rebecca left something behind that makes her more dangerous than either of us understands.
If she grows up knowing the truth, the people involved will come looking.
I have arranged for her to be raised by Michael. She will be safe there.
I looked up.
"That's why Dad changed the adoption papers.""
Daniel nodded.
"He wanted Emily to grow up with a different identity.""
Thomas looked devastated.
"He stole my daughter.""
Martin laughed.
"Robert stole nothing. He simply moved the child before anyone could find her.""
Thomas turned on him.
"Rebecca died because of you!""
Martin shrugged.
"Rebecca died because she refused to cooperate.""
Thomas moved toward him.
Eric stepped between them.
"Stop!""
I looked at Daniel.
"What does this have to do with your mother?""
He swallowed.
"My mother was the person who arranged the transfer. She knew the child wasn't going to the Collins family. She knew Michael and Helen would raise her.""
"Then why did she pretend to be dead?""
"Because she discovered that Martin was monitoring the family.""
I looked at Martin.
"Why?""
He smiled.
"Because your father had something I wanted.""
"The recording?""
"No.""
He reached into his briefcase and removed a small photograph.
It showed a woman standing beside a military vehicle.
The woman was Margaret.
But she looked much younger.
Beside her stood Rebecca Collins.
And behind them was a little girl.
I recognized the girl from the photograph at the beginning of the story.
The girl in the white dress.
The one I'd believed was Emily.
Martin tapped the picture.
"Your father wasn't hiding a recording, Sarah. He was hiding the identity of the person who ordered the operation.""
Thomas looked at him.
"You're lying.""
Martin shook his head.
"Am I?""
He turned toward me.
"Your father signed the transfer order. But he didn't issue the command.""
"Then who did?""
Martin smiled.
"Your mother.""
The room went silent.
I stared at him.
"Margaret?""
"Yes.""
Thomas shook his head violently.
"No. She was trying to stop it.""
Martin opened another folder.
Inside was a handwritten authorization.
Margaret Mitchell's signature appeared at the bottom.
I felt the blood drain from my face.
"Why would Mom order Rebecca's transfer?""
Martin leaned closer.
"Because Rebecca had discovered that Thomas wasn't Emily's biological father.""
Thomas froze.
"What?""
Martin continued.
"Rebecca was involved with another man. A man whose identity was never recorded.""
I looked at the documents.
"Then who was Emily's father?""
Martin turned toward Daniel.
"Your husband knows.""
I looked at Daniel.
His face had gone completely white.
"Daniel?""
He shook his head.
"Sarah, I didn't know until recently.""
"Know what?""
He looked at me.
Then he said something that made the entire room fall silent.
"Emily isn't Thomas's daughter.""
I stared.
"Then whose daughter is she?""
Daniel's eyes filled with tears.
"She's mine.""
I couldn't move.
Martin smiled.
"Now you understand why your father hid the truth.""
Thomas stepped backward.
Eric stared at Daniel.
And I felt the world disappear beneath my feet.
My husband had known Emily's entire life.
He had watched her grow up.
He had attended her birthdays.
He had taught her to ride a bicycle.
And now he was telling me that he was her biological father.
I whispered the only question I could think of.
"How?""
Daniel looked down.
"Because Rebecca was my mother.""
I stared at him.
He continued, his voice breaking.
"She gave birth to me in 1986. She was killed before she could tell me the truth about my biological father. But she left documents.""
Thomas looked horrified.
"Then who is your father?""
Daniel lifted his eyes.
And pointed toward the photograph of my mother.
"Robert Mitchell.""
I felt my knees weaken.
Daniel was my father's biological son.
Which meant he was my brother.
My husband was my brother.
And Emily was not just my daughter.
She was my niece.
Martin watched my face with a satisfied expression.
Then he delivered the final blow.
"Your father knew all of this before your wedding, Sarah.""
I turned toward Daniel.
"Did Dad know?""
Daniel nodded.
"Yes.""
"And he let us get married?""
Daniel's voice broke.
"He told me the truth three days before the wedding.""
I felt the room spin.
"Then why did you go through with it?""
He covered his face.
"Because I loved you. And because I thought the documents were wrong.""
Martin closed his briefcase.
"Enough family history. I came here for the recording.""
He looked toward the warehouse entrance.
A black vehicle had just pulled up.
The door opened.
And my father stepped out.
Alive.
Holding a gun.
"Martin," Dad said quietly.
"Step away from my children.""
But before Martin could move, Dad looked directly at me.
And I saw something in his eyes that frightened me more than the gun.
He was afraid of what he was about to tell me.
"Sarah," he whispered.
"There's one final thing you need to know.""
He looked at Daniel.
"He's not your brother.""
Then he turned toward Thomas.
May you like
"He's not my son, either.""
And suddenly, nobody in that warehouse knew who Daniel really was.
