Chapter 13: The Daughter My Wife Kept Hidden
For several seconds, I couldn't move.
Tara stood across the dining room, crying quietly.
I looked at her, waiting for her to take it back.
She didn't.
"Say that again.""
She wiped her cheeks.
"Daniel is Emma's biological father.""
I felt something tighten in my chest.
"How long?""
"Marcus—"
"How long have you known?""
She looked down.
"Since before we got married.""
I laughed once, without humor.
"Seven years.""
She nodded.
"And you let me raise his daughter without telling me?""
"Emma was a baby when I met you. Daniel wasn't involved in her life.""
"That's not an answer.""
Tara sat down.
"Daniel and I were together before I met you. We had a relationship that ended badly. When I found out I was pregnant, he refused to acknowledge the baby.""
I stared at her.
"Then why is he suddenly involved?""
"Because he found out.""
"When?""
"About a year ago.""
I remembered Daniel's first visit to our house.
The gifts.
The way he'd watched Emma.
The strange familiarity between them.
"Did Emma know?""
Tara shook her head.
"Not until recently.""
I pulled out a chair.
"Does she know now?""
"Yes.""
"How did she find out?""
Tara looked toward the staircase.
"Daniel told her.""
I closed my eyes.
He had been visiting my home, manipulating Lily, and building a relationship with Emma while I believed he was simply my estranged brother trying to reconnect with the family.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I was afraid.""
"Of what?""
"That you'd leave.""
I stared at her.
"You were afraid I'd leave because you lied about the identity of the child I've helped raise?""
Tara started crying harder.
"Marcus, I love Emma.""
"So do I.""
"Then please don't punish her for something I did.""
I stood.
"Don't you dare use Emma to protect yourself.""
Tara flinched.
I walked toward the kitchen and poured myself a glass of water.
My hands were shaking.
When I returned, Tara had placed another document on the table.
"This is why Daniel came back.""
I examined it.
It was a copy of Emma's birth certificate.
Under the father's name was a blank space.
Attached was a recent paternity test report.
Daniel Bennett.
Probability of paternity: 99.99%.
I looked at Tara.
"Was this done legally?""
"Yes.""
"Did Emma consent?""
"She agreed to the test.""
I sat down.
"Why would Daniel want to establish paternity now?""
Tara hesitated.
"Because of the company.""
I looked up.
"Explain.""
"Daniel told me that if he could establish himself as Emma's father, he could challenge the way your father divided the estate.""
I stared at her.
"Emma isn't related to Dad.""
"Exactly. But Daniel said there were other provisions.""
"What provisions?""
Tara shook her head.
"I never saw the full document.""
I laughed bitterly.
"So you helped him target Lily's inheritance without even knowing what he was planning?""
"He told me he was protecting Emma's future.""
"By taking Lily's?""
Tara lowered her head.
I looked at the birth certificate again.
Then something occurred to me.
"How did Daniel know about Emma?""
Tara didn't answer.
I repeated the question.
"How did he find out?""
"Rachel.""
I went still.
"What?""
"Rachel found out years ago. She contacted Daniel after she discovered the truth.""
"Why would she do that?""
"She wanted him to acknowledge Emma. She thought it would be better for both girls if he stopped hiding.""
I stared at her.
"Did he refuse?""
"At first.""
"And then?""
Tara looked at me.
"Then Rachel discovered something about your father.""
I felt my stomach drop.
"What?""
"Your father had known about Emma.""
I shook my head.
"That's impossible.""
"Daniel said your father knew Tara had a child with him. He said your father had quietly arranged money for Emma before he died.""
I sat down slowly.
My father had known.
Rachel had known.
And somehow, I'd been the last person to discover the truth.
"Where's Emma?""
"At school.""
"Does she know about the inheritance?""
"She knows Daniel has been promising to help her.""
I looked at Tara.
"What exactly did he promise?""
She whispered:
"He told her that one day, she'd own the company.""
I stood so quickly that my chair scraped against the floor.
"That company belongs to Lily.""
"I know.""
"Does she know?""
Tara nodded.
"Daniel told her Lily was getting everything because you and Rachel had manipulated Grandpa.""
I stared at her.
"Your daughter has been taught to resent mine.""
Tara covered her face.
I walked upstairs.
Emma was sitting on her bed when I entered.
She looked at me and immediately put her phone down.
"Mom told you?""
I nodded.
She stared at her hands.
"Are you angry?""
I sat beside her.
"Not with you.""
She swallowed.
"Daniel says you're going to hate me now.""
I felt something break inside me.
"Emma, look at me.""
She slowly lifted her eyes.
"You didn't choose who your biological father was. You didn't ask for any of this.""
"But he said I should get what Grandpa promised me.""
I took a breath.
"What did Grandpa promise you?""
"Daniel said Grandpa wanted me to have the company.""
"Did you ever meet Grandpa?""
Emma shook her head.
"He died before I was born.""
"Then how would Daniel know what he wanted?""
She looked down.
"He showed me a letter.""
"What letter?""
"One with Grandpa's signature.""
I leaned forward.
"Do you still have it?""
Emma nodded.
She opened her bedside drawer and pulled out a folded photocopy.
I recognized the handwriting immediately.
It was my father's.
The letter was addressed to Daniel.
If you choose to acknowledge your daughter, I want her to be protected. She should never suffer because of the mistakes of adults.
There was no mention of Bennett Construction.
No promise of ownership.
No inheritance.
Just a father's wish that a child not be punished for her parents' choices.
I looked at Emma.
"Did Daniel show you anything else?""
She hesitated.
"Yes.""
"What?""
She opened her phone and showed me a photograph.
It was a message from Daniel.
*Your mother and I are working on it. Once Lily is removed from the trust, everything will be fair. You just need to tell the lawyer that Marcus has been treating you badly.*
I stared at the screen.
Emma's eyes filled.
"I didn't do it.""
I pulled her into a hug.
"I believe you.""
She began crying.
"He said if I didn't help him, he'd tell everyone Mom had lied about me being his daughter.""
I held her tighter.
"That's not your burden to carry.""
She whispered something against my shoulder.
"Is Lily going to lose everything because of me?""
"No.""
I pulled back and looked directly at her.
"Your sister is not your enemy.""
Emma nodded.
For the first time since this nightmare began, I saw how frightened she was.
She wasn't simply Daniel's accomplice.
She was another child he'd been manipulating.
My phone rang.
Evelyn.
I answered.
"Marcus, we have a problem.""
"What happened?""
"Daniel's attorney has submitted an emergency challenge to the ownership transfer.""
"On what grounds?""
"He's claiming your father signed a separate amendment naming Emma as the rightful successor.""
I looked at the letter in Emma's hands.
"That's not true.""
"I know. But there's something else. They've submitted an original document, not a photocopy.""
My stomach tightened.
"What document?""
Evelyn paused.
"An amendment bearing your father's signature, witnessed by two people.""
"Who?""
She took a breath.
"Your mother and Tara.""
I looked across the room at Emma.
Then toward the staircase.
My wife had just admitted to helping Daniel.
May you like
But now she was listed as a witness to a document that could strip Lily of everything Rachel had fought to protect.
And if it was authentic, the entire inheritance could change.
