Chapter 8: The Woman Who Had Been Living Among Us
I replayed the recording three times.
Each time, the same sentence destroyed another piece of everything I thought I knew.
Your sister is alive. And she is much closer than you think.
Elina sat on the edge of the old nursery bed, holding her injured leg.
I paced beside the fireplace.
“Who could she be talking about?””
Elina shook her head.
“I don't know.””
I picked up the hospital bracelet.
“Amelia Cole. If Richard was her father, why would my mother call her a Hale?””
“Because your mother raised her as her daughter, Marcus.””
I turned.
“What?””
Elina pointed toward the photograph.
“Look at the dates.””
The photograph had been taken twenty-three years earlier.
I was three years old.
Ethan was a newborn.
The little girl was barely a few months old.
My mother had apparently hidden her existence from everyone.
I examined the photograph more closely.
The woman standing behind my mother was Mrs. Bennett.
Our housekeeper.
I felt a chill.
“Margaret Bennett?””
Elina nodded.
“She's the one who helped your mother hide the baby.””
I shook my head.
“Mrs. Bennett has worked for my family for decades.””
“Exactly.””
I remembered how she had reacted when Lily pointed toward the pool.
She had known about the underground chamber.
She had known about the renovation.
And she had seemed frightened when Victoria mentioned the maintenance room.
I pulled out my phone and called her.
No answer.
I tried again.
This time, someone picked up.
“Mr. Hale?””
It was Mrs. Bennett.
“Where are you?””
Silence.
“Margaret, I need you to tell me the truth.””
Her breathing became uneven.
“Have you found the Blue Room?””
“Yes.””
Another pause.
“Then you know about the little girl.””
I closed my eyes.
“Who is Amelia?””
Mrs. Bennett began crying.
“She was your mother's daughter.””
“Where is she?””
“I can't tell you over the phone.””
“Margaret, my daughter has been kidnapped. Richard is threatening us. I need the truth now.””
She whispered, “Come to the old chapel. Alone.””
The call ended.
I looked at Elina.
“We're going.””
She stood carefully.
“Marcus, Richard told you to meet him at midnight.””
“I know.””
“Then we have less than two hours.””
We left the mansion through the rear entrance.
The old chapel stood at the far end of the estate, surrounded by overgrown rose bushes. It had been closed since my mother's funeral.
A single light glowed through the stained-glass window.
Mrs. Bennett was waiting inside.
She looked much older than she had that afternoon.
When she saw me, she began to cry.
“I'm sorry, Marcus.””
I stopped in front of her.
“Tell me everything.””
She nodded.
“Your mother gave birth to Amelia before your father married her. Richard was the baby's biological father. But he wanted nothing to do with the child until he discovered that Margaret had inherited a large portion of the family estate.””
I frowned.
“Why would that matter?””
“Because the inheritance was placed in a trust for all three children. Richard wanted control of Amelia's share.””
Elina stepped forward.
“So your mother hid her?””
Mrs. Bennett nodded.
“She gave Amelia to a trusted family friend. I was responsible for checking on her. But when Margaret died, everything changed.””
“Who took her?”” I asked.
Mrs. Bennett looked down.
“Your father.””
I stared at her.
“What?””
“He believed he was protecting the child. He arranged for Amelia to be raised under another name, away from Richard.””
“Then why did he tell us she was dead?””
“Because Richard threatened to take both boys if he ever discovered where the girl was.””
I rubbed my forehead.
“Where is she now?””
Mrs. Bennett looked toward Elina.
“She's been here for years.””
I turned.
“What do you mean?””
Mrs. Bennett's eyes filled with tears.
“Amelia never left the family.””
I looked around the empty chapel.
Then I heard footsteps behind me.
A woman stepped out from the shadows.
She was in her late twenties, with dark hair pulled into a loose ponytail. Her face was pale, and her eyes were filled with tears.
I recognized her.
She had been working at the mansion for almost three years.
She was our estate administrator.
The woman who handled our staff schedules, maintenance records, and household accounts.
“Claire?”” I whispered.
She nodded.
“My name isn't Claire.””
She took a shaky breath.
“It's Amelia.””
I couldn't move.
The woman who had organized my wife's funeral arrangements, prepared my daughter's school documents, and stood beside me during the darkest days of my life was my younger sister.
She stepped closer.
“I wanted to tell you.””
“Why didn't you?””
“Because your father made me promise.””
I stared at her.
“You knew Elina was alive?””
Amelia shook her head.
“No. I only found out three months ago. I discovered Victoria's payments to the security company and realized something was happening beneath the pool.””
“Then why didn't you tell me?””
“Because I was afraid Richard would find out I was still alive.””
Elina stepped forward.
“Amelia, do you know where Richard took Lily?””
Amelia nodded.
“He took her to the old railway station.””
My heart lurched.
“Then we need to go.””
But Amelia caught my arm.
“Marcus, wait.””
“What?””
She reached into her bag and pulled out a photograph.
It showed Richard standing beside a young woman.
The woman was holding a baby.
I stared at the photograph.
“Who is that?””
Amelia's voice trembled.
“Your mother.””
I looked closer.
The photograph was dated six months after the funeral.
My mother was alive in it.
I looked up.
“That's impossible.””
Amelia shook her head.
“Your mother didn't die when you were children. She disappeared because Richard threatened her. Your father helped her escape.””
Elina covered her mouth.
I felt dizzy.
“Where is she now?””
Amelia looked toward the chapel doors.
“Richard knows where she is. That's why he took Lily.””
I grabbed her shoulders.
“Where?””
Amelia whispered a name.
“Blackthorn House.””
I knew the place.
An abandoned country estate almost two hours outside the city.
My father had forbidden us from going there as children.
Then my phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number.
It contained a photograph of Lily sitting in a wooden chair.
Her pink rabbit rested in her lap.
Underneath was a message.
Midnight. Bring the USB drive. No police. If you want your daughter and your mother back, come alone.
Elina looked at the screen.
“Marcus, we have to tell the police.””
I shook my head.
“Richard has people inside the department.””
Amelia stepped forward.
“Then don't go alone.””
I looked at her.
She opened her handbag and placed a small object on the chapel bench.
A silver key.
“Your mother gave me this before she disappeared.””
“What does it open?””
Amelia swallowed.
“The vault beneath Blackthorn House.””
I stared at the key.
“What vault?””
“The place where Richard keeps the original records.””
Then she said something that made my blood run cold.
“There's another reason Richard wants Lily. He believes she inherited your mother's trust.””
I looked at Elina.
Our daughter had no idea what any of this meant.
She was just a little girl who wanted her mother back.
And now powerful people were hunting her because of an inheritance she had never known existed.
I picked up the key.
“Then we're going to get her.””
Amelia shook her head.
“Marcus, there's something I haven't told you.””
I turned.
“What?””
She looked directly into my eyes.
“Richard isn't the only person waiting at Blackthorn House.””
May you like
She hesitated.
“Your father is already there.””
