Chapter 1: The Birthmark
Chapter 1: The Birthmark
The ballroom fell silent.
Pieces of torn lace drifted to the polished floor as Emily instinctively covered her shoulder.
No one spoke.
No one moved.
Margaret Bennett stared at the butterfly-shaped birthmark as though she had seen a ghost.
Her hands began to tremble.
"No..."
She whispered again.
"It can't be."
Daniel immediately stepped between his mother and Emily.
"That's enough."
He removed his tuxedo jacket and gently wrapped it around his bride.
"You've humiliated her enough."
But Margaret wasn't looking at Daniel.
Her eyes remained fixed on the birthmark.
Slowly, tears filled them.
"I've seen that mark before."
Emily frowned.
"What are you talking about?"
Margaret reached into her evening purse with shaking hands.
From inside, she pulled out an old photograph.
Its edges were faded from decades of being unfolded and folded again.
The picture showed a smiling little girl wearing a yellow sweater.
On her tiny shoulder...
Was the same butterfly-shaped birthmark.
The room became impossibly quiet.
Daniel looked between the photograph and Emily.
"...Who is she?"
Margaret's voice broke.
"My daughter."
The words echoed through the ballroom.
Emily's heart skipped a beat.
"I was told my birth parents died."
Margaret slowly shook her head.
May you like
"No."
"You disappeared."
