Chapter 8: The Daughter Nobody Knew About
I stared at the birth certificate.
My hands shook.
The name printed under “father” wasn’t Daniel Parker.
It was another man.
I couldn’t breathe.
“No.””
The word escaped before I could stop it.
Claire moved closer.
“Emma…”
“No.””
I pushed the phone toward her.
“Tell me this is fake.””
She looked at the screen.
Her face changed.
That was enough.
I already knew.
“Claire.””
She looked at me.
“I’m sorry.””
My father stood.
“What did you receive?””
I didn’t answer.
I handed him the phone.
The second he saw it, he sat back down.
Like someone had taken the strength from his body.
“Dad?””
He looked up.
His eyes were filled with pain.
“Did you know?””
The question hung between us.
I wanted him to say no.
I wanted him to look confused.
I wanted him to be innocent about one thing.
But he didn’t.
“I knew.””
Everything inside me went quiet.
“You knew?””
My voice became a whisper.
“You knew I wasn’t your daughter?””
He immediately shook his head.
“No.””
“Then what?””
He stood.
“Emma, listen to me.””
“No.””
I backed away.
“You don’t get to tell me to listen.””
My entire life felt like it was collapsing.
Every memory.
Every birthday.
Every time he called me his little girl.
Was it all a lie?
“I raised you.””
His voice broke.
“I loved you.””
“Then why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because your mother asked me not to.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Everyone keeps using Mom as an excuse.””
He looked hurt.
But he didn’t argue.
That was the worst part.
Because maybe everyone had been hiding behind my mother.
Maybe even she had secrets.
I turned to Claire.
“Who was my biological father?””
She looked away.
That answer terrified me.
“Claire.””
She took a deep breath.
“His name was Michael Reed.””
The name meant nothing.
Until my father reacted.
His face went pale.
“You know him.””
It wasn’t a question.
My father looked at the floor.
“Yes.””
“Who was he?””
He didn’t answer.
I stepped closer.
“Who was he?””
“He was Robert’s business partner.””
The room went silent.
I felt sick.
“So my real father was connected to all of this?””
“Yes.””
“Was Mom with him?””
“No.””
The answer came immediately.
My father looked at me.
“Your mother loved me.””
“Then why?””
He swallowed.
“Because Michael knew things about Robert.””
My head spun.
“This is insane.””
Claire sat down.
“Your mother discovered that Robert had been manipulating everyone around him.””
“Everyone?””
“Yes.””
She looked at my father.
“Daniel included.””
My father nodded slowly.
“I was young. I trusted Robert. I thought he was helping me build the company.””
“And then?””
“He started controlling everything.””
I looked at the birth certificate.
“So my mother hid who my father was?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
My father answered quietly.
“Because Michael was killed.””
I froze.
“What?””
“Before you were born.””
The room became silent.
“He knew Robert was dangerous. He tried to expose him.””
“And Robert killed him?””
“We don’t know.””
The uncertainty made it worse.
I walked to the window.
Outside, the city continued moving.
People buying coffee.
Cars driving.
Normal life.
Meanwhile, mine was a puzzle made of lies.
“I need air.””
I left the apartment before anyone could stop me.
I walked for almost an hour.
No destination.
Just moving.
Because if I stopped, I would have to feel everything.
My mother.
My father.
My identity.
My entire life.
Eventually, I ended up outside the cemetery.
I didn’t remember driving there.
But somehow, I was standing in front of my mother’s grave.
I sat down.
“I don’t know who I am anymore.””
The words disappeared into the wind.
For the first time since she died, I wished she could answer.
Then I noticed something.
A small envelope tucked behind the flowers.
My name was written on it.
Emma.
My heart raced.
I opened it.
Inside was one sentence.
“Your father is not the person you should fear.””
I looked around.
Nobody was there.
Another line followed.
“The person who destroyed our family is closer than you think.””
I turned the paper over.
At the bottom was a signature.
A name.
May you like
Vanessa.
My stepmother.
