Chapter 5: The Woman in the Photograph
For several seconds, I couldn't understand what Meline had said.
Then I looked at her face.
She wasn't afraid of me.
She was afraid of the truth.
"What do you mean, he was talking about you?""
Meline wiped a tear from her cheek.
"My father died when I was six.""
I frowned.
"You told me your father died when you were eleven.""
"I lied.""
The admission came quietly.
I sat beside her bed.
"Why?""
"Because your father made me promise.""
I looked toward the incubator.
Our daughter was impossibly small beneath the warm lights.
A tiny chest rising and falling.
A tiny hand curled beside her cheek.
"What did my father make you promise?""
Meline stared at the floor.
"That I would never tell you who I really was.""
I felt something inside me crack.
"Who are you?""
She looked up.
"My name is Meline Carter.""
"I know.""
"No.""
Her voice shook.
"That's the name your father gave me.""
I stared at her.
"My real name is Meline Vance.""
The room went silent.
I stood so quickly the chair scraped across the floor.
"You're lying.""
"I wish I were.""
"You're saying you're a Vance?""
"Yes.""
"My sister?""
"No.""
She shook her head.
"I'm your father's daughter.""
My stomach turned.
"You just said the baby isn't my sister.""
"She isn't.""
"Then how are you my sister?""
"I'm your half-sister.""
I couldn't speak.
Meline looked toward the window.
"Your father had an affair with my mother.""
"Who was your mother?""
"Her name was Claire Carter.""
The name meant nothing.
Until I remembered an old portrait hanging in my father's study.
A woman with dark hair.
A silver locket.
My father had always called her an old family friend.
"Claire Carter," I whispered.
Meline nodded.
"He loved her.""
"My father didn't love anyone.""
"He loved her enough to destroy two families.""
I sat down again.
"Why didn't he acknowledge you?""
"Because your grandfather threatened him.""
I looked at her.
"Threatened him with what?""
"Everything.""
She swallowed.
"Your grandfather controlled the company. He told your father that if he acknowledged me, he would lose his inheritance.""
"So he abandoned you.""
"He tried.""
Her eyes hardened.
"My mother wouldn't let him.""
Meline reached toward the bedside table.
She pulled out an old envelope.
"I found this in your father's private safe after he died.""
She handed it to me.
Inside was a letter.
The handwriting was unmistakable.
*Damen,*
*If you are reading this, then I have failed to protect you from the truth.*
I stopped.
My hands trembled.
*Meline is my daughter. She is also the person I trust most with the future of Vance Holdings.*
I looked up.
"Meline had control of the company?""
"Not control.""
She shook her head.
"Protection.""
I continued reading.
*I built a second trust for Meline because I knew what my family would do if they discovered her existence. The trust contains voting rights equal to yours. Together, you and Meline can protect the company. Separately, either one can destroy it.*
I lowered the letter.
"Elena knew.""
"Yes.""
"How?""
"She found out from her father.""
I stared at her.
"And that's why she wanted your shares.""
Meline nodded.
"She needed yours and mine.""
I remembered Elena's words from the video.
When your pathetic company shares are transferred to my father's consortium.
She hadn't been bluffing.
She had known exactly what she was doing.
"But why did she push you?""
"Because I refused to sign.""
"You had the documents.""
"I had the documents and the authority.""
"Then why didn't you tell me?""
Meline looked at me.
"I did.""
My chest tightened.
"You told me you were innocent.""
"I told you everything I could.""
"No. You said the files were stolen.""
"They were.""
"You never said you were my father's daughter.""
"I was terrified.""
"Of me?""
"Of what you'd do when you found out.""
Her voice broke.
"You hated me for something I didn't do.""
I looked away.
She was right.
I had spent months accusing her.
Calling her manipulative.
Calling her greedy.
Calling her a liar.
While she carried my child and protected a secret that could have destroyed both of us.
"I’m sorry," I whispered.
Meline looked at me.
"Sorry doesn't bring back the night I fell down those stairs.""
I had no answer.
The heart monitor beside her bed continued its steady rhythm.
Then another sound came from the hallway.
A crash.
I turned.
The door flew open.
Thomas stumbled inside.
"Mr. Vance.""
"What happened?""
"The security team found Elena's car.""
"Where?""
"Outside the children's wing.""
My blood ran cold.
"She knows about the baby.""
Meline grabbed my wrist.
"Damen.""
"We're getting her out.""
"No.""
She shook her head.
"She won't come for the baby.""
"Then what does she want?""
Meline's eyes filled with terror.
"She wants me.""
The lights flickered.
Thomas drew the blinds.
"We need to move.""
I looked at Meline.
"Can you walk?""
"No.""
"Then I'll carry you.""
"Damen, listen to me.""
"No.""
"She wants me because I'm the only person who can activate the trust.""
I froze.
Meline continued.
"And there's one more thing.""
"What?""
"My father left something else.""
"What?""
She reached beneath her pillow and pulled out a small silver key.
"The original trust agreement.""
I took it.
"What does it open?""
"The place where your father hid the beneficiary records.""
"Where?""
She stared directly into my eyes.
"Your childhood home.""
I shook my head.
"That house burned down twelve years ago.""
"I know.""
"Then what's there?""
Meline's voice dropped to a whisper.
"Your father's grave isn't the only thing buried beneath that property.""
Before I could respond, every monitor in the room went black.
The hospital lights died.
A second later, the emergency generator kicked in.
Red lights washed the room.
Then my phone buzzed.
A video had been sent from an unknown number.
I pressed play.
The footage showed our daughter's hospital incubator.
Someone was standing beside it.
A woman in a nurse's uniform.
She leaned toward the baby.
Then slowly turned toward the camera.
It was Elena.
Her lips moved.
The audio was barely audible.
But I heard every word.
May you like
"Come home, Damen.""
The screen went black.
