Chapter 2 — The Daughter Eleanor Buried
Chapter 2 — The Daughter Eleanor Buried
For several seconds, nobody moved.
The woman standing in the ballroom entrance appeared almost unreal.
She was perhaps in her late forties.
Elegant.
Composed.
Her dark hair was streaked with silver.
Around her neck hung a jade pendant identical to Amelia's.
Eleanor stared at her.
“No.”
The woman smiled sadly.
“You've said that a lot tonight.”
Daniel stepped closer to Amelia.
“Who are you?”
The woman looked at him.
“That depends.”
“On what?”
“On which version of the Blackwood family history you believe.”
Richard, still held by security, began struggling.
“Get her out of here.”
The woman laughed.
“Still giving orders, Richard?”
Eleanor turned toward him.
“You know her.”
Richard said nothing.
“Richard.”
His jaw tightened.
“Yes.”
“Who is she?”
The woman answered for him.
“My name is Rebecca Vale.”
Eleanor's face went white.
The name meant nothing.
But something about the woman's eyes did.
The same gray-green eyes Eleanor remembered from a little girl who used to crawl into her bed during thunderstorms.
Eleanor looked at Amelia.
Then at Rebecca.
Then back at Amelia.
There were too many impossible pieces.
“You're Rose,” Eleanor whispered.
Rebecca's expression softened.
“No.”
Eleanor's heart dropped.
“My daughter was Rose.”
Rebecca nodded.
“I know.”
“Then who are you?”
Rebecca looked at Amelia.
“Someone who was supposed to die too.”
Daniel's voice was sharp.
“Enough riddles.”
He looked at Rebecca.
“Tell us why you're here.”
Rebecca walked slowly into the ballroom.
“I came because the truth can no longer be buried.”
She looked at Eleanor.
“You deserve to know what happened to your daughter.”
Eleanor's hands trembled.
“I've spent twenty-seven years wanting to know.”
“I know.”
“Then tell me.”
Rebecca stopped.
“Your daughter was stolen.”
Eleanor closed her eyes.
“I knew it.”
“But she wasn't killed.”
Eleanor opened her eyes.
“What?”
“She was taken.”
“By whom?”
Rebecca looked toward Richard.
“Your brother knows.”
Richard shook his head.
“Don't listen to her.”
Rebecca smiled.
“You've always been a terrible liar.”
Eleanor turned to Richard.
“Tell me.”
Richard remained silent.
Rebecca continued.
“Rose was three years old when she disappeared.”
“Yes.”
“Someone arranged for her to be taken from St. Catherine's Hospital.”
“Yes.”
“Someone changed her identity.”
“Yes.”
“Someone convinced you she was dead.”
Eleanor whispered:
“Who?”
Rebecca looked at her.
“Your husband.”
The room seemed to tilt.
Eleanor grabbed the edge of a chair.
“My husband?”
“He was terrified that Rose would inherit everything.”
“That makes no sense.”
“It does if you know the Blackwood trust.”
Eleanor stared.
Rebecca continued.
“Your father had created a succession clause.”
Daniel frowned.
“What clause?”
Rebecca looked at him.
“If Rose survived, she inherited the controlling interest in the family company when she turned thirty.”
Daniel's expression changed.
“And if she died?”
“The control passed to the next eligible heir.”
Daniel understood.
“Me.”
Rebecca nodded.
“That was the plan.”
Eleanor's eyes filled with tears.
“My husband knew?”
“He knew.”
“And Richard?”
“He helped.”
Richard shouted:
“That's not what happened!”
Rebecca turned.
“Then tell her.”
Richard said nothing.
Rebecca's expression hardened.
“You took money.”
“I was protecting the family.”
“You were protecting yourself.”
“I was told the child would be returned.”
“When?”
Richard looked away.
“After the succession changed.”
Rebecca laughed bitterly.
“You knew it had changed years later.”
“Yes.”
“And you still stayed silent.”
“I was afraid.”
“Of whom?”
Richard looked toward the ballroom doors.
“Of him.”
Eleanor whispered:
“Your brother?”
Richard nodded.
“Your husband.”
Amelia stood frozen.
Everything she'd ever believed about her childhood was collapsing.
She looked at Eleanor.
“If Rose was taken…”
Eleanor stepped toward her.
“Amelia…”
“If I'm Rose…”
Eleanor couldn't speak.
Amelia's voice broke.
“Then who am I?”
Eleanor reached toward her.
Amelia stepped backward.
“Don't.”
The older woman stopped.
“I need time.”
“I understand.”
“No.”
Amelia shook her head.
“You don't.”
She pointed at the ruined dress.
“You hated me.”
Eleanor's face crumpled.
“I thought you were trying to take my son.”
“You called me worthless.”
“I was wrong.”
“You tore my wedding dress apart.”
“I know.”
“You humiliated me in front of everyone.”
“I know.”
“And now you think I'm your daughter?”
Eleanor whispered:
“I hope you are.”
Amelia laughed through tears.
“That isn't enough.”
“No.”
Eleanor nodded.
“It isn't.”
Daniel stepped between them.
“Mother.”
Eleanor looked at him.
“What?”
“You owe her the truth.”
“I know.”
“And I want the truth too.”
Eleanor stared at her son.
For years, she had protected him from the darkest parts of the family.
Now she realized that protection had become another form of deception.
Daniel continued.
“Was I adopted because Rose disappeared?”
Eleanor nodded.
“Yes.”
His eyes filled with pain.
“Did you ever love me?”
Eleanor looked horrified.
“Of course.”
“Then why did I always feel like I was replacing someone?”
Eleanor began crying.
“You weren't replacing her.”
“Then why?”
“Because I was broken.”
Daniel looked away.
“You should have told me.”
“I was afraid.”
“Of what?”
“That you'd feel like you weren't enough.”
Daniel's voice softened.
“Mother…”
Eleanor shook her head.
“I loved you.”
“I know.”
“But I never stopped missing her.”
Daniel looked toward Amelia.
“I understand.”
For the first time, the two of them looked at each other without the confusion of the wedding.
Daniel saw his mother.
Amelia saw the family she might belong to.
And neither knew whether that was comforting or terrifying.
Rebecca suddenly spoke.
“There is something else.”
Eleanor looked at her.
“What?”
“Rose wasn't the only child taken that night.”
Daniel's expression changed.
“What?”
Rebecca nodded.
“There was another baby.”
Eleanor frowned.
“I had one child.”
“No.”
Rebecca shook her head.
“You had two.”
Silence.
Eleanor stared at her.
“That's impossible.”
“You gave birth to twins.”
The room erupted.
Daniel whispered:
“Twins?”
Eleanor shook her head.
“No.”
Rebecca nodded.
“One girl.”
“One boy.”
“Rose and another child.”
Eleanor pressed a hand against her chest.
“I would have known.”
“Not if one child was taken before you woke up.”
Eleanor's face drained of color.
“What happened to him?”
Rebecca looked at Daniel.
“He was given to another family.”
Daniel stared.
“Who?”
Rebecca answered:
“Your father.”
Daniel's expression changed.
“He gave me away?”
“No.”
Rebecca's eyes filled with tears.
“He kept you.”
Daniel stopped breathing.
Eleanor stared at her.
“What are you saying?”
Rebecca whispered:
“Daniel isn't adopted.”
The room became completely silent.
“He is your biological son.”
Eleanor nearly collapsed.
“No.”
Rebecca nodded.
“Daniel is Rose's twin brother.”
Daniel looked at Amelia.
His face was empty.
Amelia stared back.
Twins.
Brother and sister.
The wedding.
The humiliation.
The pendant.
Everything suddenly became even more horrifying.
Daniel stumbled backward.
“No.”
Rebecca continued.
“Your father separated the twins because he wanted control over both sides of the inheritance.”
Eleanor shook her head violently.
“You're lying.”
“Why would I?”
“Because you're a stranger.”
Rebecca's voice softened.
“I'm not.”
She reached into her coat.
Pulled out a photograph.
And handed it to Eleanor.
It showed Eleanor in a hospital bed.
Exhausted.
Smiling.
Holding two newborn babies.
One in each arm.
Eleanor stared.
Her entire world stopped.
On the back was a handwritten note.
Rose and Daniel — October 14.
Eleanor's knees gave way.
She sank into a chair.
“I remember.”
The words barely escaped her.
“I remember two cries.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“I remember nothing.”
“You were babies.”
Eleanor looked at him.
“I held you.”
Daniel's face broke.
“And her.”
Eleanor nodded.
“And her.”
She looked at Amelia.
“My babies.”
Amelia began crying.
The wedding was forgotten.
The guests were forgotten.
The ruined dress was forgotten.
There was only a mother staring at the two children she had believed she had lost.
Then Richard spoke.
“You're making a mistake.”
Everyone turned.
Richard looked terrified.
“You can't trust Rebecca.”
Eleanor stood.
“Why?”
“Because she wasn't there.”
Rebecca smiled.
“I was.”
Richard shook his head.
“You don't know what happened.”
“I know exactly what happened.”
“What do you know?”
Rebecca looked at Amelia.
“Sarah Hart didn't steal Rose.”
Amelia froze.
“What?”
“She rescued her.”
Eleanor stared.
“From whom?”
Rebecca looked at Richard.
“From him.”
Richard shook his head.
“No.”
Rebecca continued.
“Your husband ordered Sarah to take Rose because he intended to have her killed.”
Eleanor's face went white.
“What?”
“He changed his mind at the last moment.”
“Why?”
“Because he discovered there was another way.”
“What way?”
Rebecca whispered:
“Erase her identity.”
The room became silent again.
Rebecca explained.
“Rose was taken from the hospital and given to Sarah.”
“Sarah was supposed to raise her?”
“No.”
“She was supposed to deliver her to a family outside the city.”
“Why?”
“So Rose could grow up without knowing who she was.”
Eleanor looked at Amelia.
“That family was yours.”
Amelia swallowed.
“My adoptive parents?”
“Yes.”
“Did they know?”
“They knew she was adopted.”
“But not who I was.”
“Correct.”
Eleanor looked at the pendant.
“Then how did it survive?”
Rebecca smiled sadly.
“Sarah kept it hidden.”
“Why?”
“Because she wanted Rose to have one thing that belonged to her.”
Amelia touched the jade.
“That's why my mother said never to take it off.”
Rebecca nodded.
“She knew one day the truth might need to find you.”
Richard suddenly laughed.
Everyone looked at him.
“You think you've solved everything.”
Eleanor turned.
“What else is there?”
Richard looked at Amelia.
“You think the pendant proves she's Rose?”
Rebecca nodded.
“It proves enough.”
“No.”
Richard smiled.
“There's one problem.”
He looked at Daniel.
“Daniel isn't her twin.”
Silence.
Daniel stared.
“What?”
Richard continued.
“Your father changed the records.”
Eleanor frowned.
“What records?”
“Birth records.”
“Hospital records.”
“DNA records.”
Richard smiled.
“Everything.”
Daniel stepped forward.
“Then who am I?”
Richard looked directly at him.
“You're not Eleanor's son.”
Eleanor gasped.
Richard continued:
“And you're not Rose's twin.”
The room exploded with confusion.
Daniel stared at him.
“You said I was.”
“I lied.”
“Why?”
Richard's expression became cold.
“Because I needed Eleanor to believe the Blackwood heir had returned.”
Eleanor's face hardened.
“Why?”
Richard smiled.
“Because the real heir is still missing.”
He looked toward Amelia.
Then toward Rebecca.
Then whispered:
“And the person who knows where she is…”
He paused.
“…is standing in this room.”
Everyone turned toward Rebecca.
Rebecca's face went pale.
Charlotte—
No.
Amelia's eyes narrowed.
“Who?”
Richard smiled.
“Ask her about the little girl named Lily.”
Rebecca closed her eyes.
Eleanor stared.
“Who is Lily?”
Rebecca whispered:
“The daughter I was ordered to hide.”
Amelia's heart stopped.
“What daughter?”
Rebecca looked at her.
Then said:
“Yours.”
The ballroom fell silent.
And somewhere outside the hotel, a car engine started.
Someone was leaving.
May you like
Someone who had been listening to every word.
Someone who had just realized the secret was finally being uncovered.
