Chapter 4: The Father I Never Knew
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
I stared at the birth certificate until the letters blurred.
Thomas Reed.
My godfather.
The man who had taught me to ride a bicycle, attended every school recital, and walked me down the aisle when my father was too ill to stand for long periods.
The man who had called me his little girl since I was twelve.
My biological father.
“No,” I whispered.
Agent Hayes carefully placed the document on the desk.
“Mrs. Whitmore, we need to establish whether this certificate is authentic.””
I shook my head.
“It's impossible. My father was Daniel Hayes.””
Margaret stood near the doorway, her hands clasped tightly.
“Elena…”
I turned toward her.
“You knew?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Not everything.””
“That's not an answer.””
She swallowed.
“I knew Daniel wasn't your biological father. He told me when you were very young.””
I stepped backward.
“How young?””
“Six months old.””
My stomach twisted.
“Why?””
Margaret looked down.
“Your mother was involved with Thomas before she married Daniel. When she became pregnant, Thomas was already married. Daniel knew about the affair, but he loved your mother. He agreed to raise you as his own.””
I gripped the edge of the desk.
“And nobody thought I deserved to know?””
“Daniel wanted to tell you when you were older.””
“When?””
“After you turned eighteen.””
I laughed bitterly.
“I turned eighteen twenty years ago.””
Margaret began crying.
“He intended to. But Thomas threatened to take you away.””
Agent Hayes looked up.
“Threatened how?””
Margaret hesitated.
“He said Daniel had no legal right to keep a child who wasn't biologically his.””
I stared at the photograph again.
Thomas and Adrian.
Standing outside a restaurant.
My father had written that Thomas knew about the account.
I picked up another document.
It was a photocopy of an old bank transfer.
The amount was $4.8 million.
The recipient was a company called Reed Holdings.
The date was twenty-three years earlier.
The year I was born.
“Why would my father be transferring money to Thomas?””
Agent Hayes examined the statement.
“This may have been part of the financial operation your father mentioned.””
“Or something connected to my birth?””
She didn't answer.
I looked at Margaret.
“Tell me everything you know.””
She sat in the chair beside the desk.
“Your mother was frightened near the end of her pregnancy. She told Daniel that Thomas had been involved in something dangerous. She wanted to leave him permanently.””
“What kind of dangerous?””
“I don't know. But Daniel found documents in Thomas's office. He said money was being moved through companies that didn't actually exist.””
I looked at the transfer.
“Like the foundation?””
Margaret nodded.
“Daniel believed Thomas had been stealing from several businesses. When he confronted him, Thomas promised to destroy his reputation.””
“And my mother?””
Margaret's face crumpled.
“She died shortly after you were born.””
The room became painfully quiet.
I had been told my mother died from complications following childbirth.
I had spent my childhood looking at her photographs and wondering what her voice sounded like.
“Was that true?””
Margaret didn't answer immediately.
“I don't know, sweetheart.””
I closed my eyes.
Another lie.
Another carefully protected secret.
My phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number.
*I heard you're looking through Daniel's things. You need to stop.*
I showed Agent Hayes.
She immediately photographed the screen.
“Don't reply.””
Another message appeared.
*Thomas wasn't supposed to tell you about the account.*
My heart began pounding.
Then a third message arrived.
*Ask Margaret what happened to your mother.*
I looked up.
Margaret had gone completely white.
“Margaret?””
She shook her head.
“No.””
“What happened to my mother?””
She stood abruptly.
“I can't.””
“You just told me you wanted to protect me.””
“I did.””
“Then tell me the truth.””
Margaret pressed her trembling hands against her mouth.
“Your mother didn't die in the hospital.””
I couldn't breathe.
“What?””
“She was discharged. She went home.””
Agent Hayes stepped closer.
“Mrs. Ellis, are you saying the death certificate is false?””
Margaret nodded.
“Daniel found her unconscious in the house three days after you were born. The doctors said she had taken too much medication.””
I stared at her.
“Was it an accident?””
Margaret began sobbing.
“Daniel never believed it was.””
“Who was there?””
She looked at the photograph.
“Thomas.””
A terrible silence followed.
Agent Hayes immediately radioed for additional support.
I looked down at the papers scattered across the desk.
My entire life had been built on names that meant something different from what I believed.
Daniel had been my father, even if biology said otherwise.
Thomas had been my godfather, even if biology said otherwise.
And Adrian…
I picked up the photograph of my husband standing beside Thomas.
There was something written in the corner.
A date.
The day before my wedding.
I turned it over.
The marriage is finalized. Elena has access to everything now.
My blood ran cold.
Everything.
I looked at the account opened in my name.
The $4.8 million transfer.
The foundation's missing donations.
My forged signatures.
Suddenly, the pieces began connecting.
Adrian hadn't married me simply because he loved me.
He had married me for access.
“Agent Hayes?””
She looked up.
“I think I know why Adrian married me.””
Before she could respond, a loud crash came from upstairs.
Margaret screamed.
Agent Hayes drew her weapon.
“Federal agents! Stay where you are!””
Footsteps thundered across the floor above us.
Then a door slammed.
One investigator ran toward the staircase.
Another moved to cover the rear entrance.
I remained frozen beside the desk.
On top of the black metal box, someone had placed a fresh envelope.
It hadn't been there before.
My name was written across it.
May you like
And beneath my name were four words.
*YOUR MOTHER IS ALIVE.*
