Chapter 5: The Sister I Never Knew Existed
I couldn’t move.
The phone was still pressed against Gabriel’s ear.
But the only thing I could hear was my own heartbeat.
Emily.
The name that had existed only on paper.
The girl from the photograph.
My sister.
Gabriel stepped away from the table.
“Where are you?””
His voice was low.
A long pause.
Then he looked at me.
“She wants to talk to Matthew.””
My hands became cold.
I shook my head.
“I don’t know what to say.””
Gabriel covered the phone.
“You don’t have to say anything.””
“But she’s my sister.””
The word sounded strange.
But not wrong.
Gabriel handed me the phone.
I held it.
“Hello?””
For several seconds, there was only silence.
Then a woman whispered:
“Matthew?””
I closed my eyes.
Her voice sounded older than I imagined.
But somehow familiar.
“Yeah.””
“I don’t know if I should have called.””
“Why?””
Another silence.
“Because your father spent twelve years trying to find me.””
I looked at Gabriel.
“And you knew about me?””
“Yes.””
“Why didn’t you contact him?””
Her breathing changed.
“Because I thought he abandoned me.””
The answer hit me.
Because I knew that feeling.
Not the same.
But close.
I knew what it felt like to believe someone chose to leave.
“Why would you think that?””
She was quiet.
Then she said:
“Because Veronica told me he didn’t want me.””
My grip tightened around the phone.
The same person.
The same lie.
Different child.
“She told you that?””
“Yes.””
“When?””
“When I was six.””
I looked at Gabriel.
His face had gone pale.
“What happened?””
Emily’s voice became softer.
“She took me away after the accident.””
I froze.
“What accident?””
“The one your father blamed himself for.””
I sat down.
“What happened?””
She took a deep breath.
“My mother died.””
The room became silent.
“My father wasn’t there.””
I frowned.
“Wait.””
I looked at Gabriel.
“Your mother?””
Emily continued.
“Veronica wasn’t my mother.””
The words felt like another earthquake.
“Then who was she?””
Emily didn’t answer immediately.
Finally:
“She was the woman my father trusted.””
My stomach tightened.
The pieces weren’t fitting.
Not yet.
“Emily…”
“I know this is confusing.””
“Very.””
A small laugh came through the phone.
The first human sound from her.
“I know.””
For the next hour, she told me pieces of the past.
Not everything.
Just enough.
Before Veronica married my father, she had been involved in his life because of Emily’s mother.
After the accident, Veronica became the person who cared for Emily.
But then something changed.
Money disappeared.
Documents vanished.
And one day, Emily was gone.
“Where were you?””
I asked.
“Different places.””
“Why?””
“Because Veronica made sure nobody could find me.””
My chest tightened.
“But Dad looked for you.””
“Yes.””
“Then why didn’t he find you?””
“Because someone kept moving me.””
I knew the answer before she said it.
“Veronica.””
“Yes.””
That night, Gabriel drove me to Lucille’s house.
Nobody spoke much.
There was too much information.
Too many secrets.
Before I went inside, Gabriel stopped me.
“Matthew.””
I turned.
“Yes?””
“There is something else you need to know.””
I waited.
“Veronica didn’t just lie about Emily.””
My stomach dropped.
“What else?””
Gabriel looked toward the road.
“She lied about your father’s death.””
The world went quiet.
“What?””
He looked at me.
“Your father’s doctors believed his illness was natural.””
“Wasn’t it?””
Gabriel hesitated.
And that hesitation terrified me.
“Alexander believed someone was trying to harm him.””
I stared.
“Someone?””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
Gabriel didn’t answer.
Instead, he reached into the truck and pulled out another file.
“This was found in your father’s office after he died.””
I opened it.
Inside was a list of names.
Dates.
Payments.
At the top was one sentence.
My blood turned cold.
VERONICA BANKS.
I looked at Gabriel.
“You think she killed my dad?””
He didn’t respond.
Which was worse.
Because silence meant possibility.
The next morning, I woke up to a knock at Lucille’s door.
She opened it.
Then immediately called my name.
“Matthew?””
I walked into the hallway.
A woman stood outside.
She looked about twenty-two.
Dark hair.
Tired eyes.
She was holding a small box.
The moment she saw me, tears filled her eyes.
“I’m sorry.””
I couldn’t speak.
She stepped closer.
“I should have found you sooner.””
My voice barely worked.
“Emily?””
She nodded.
Then she handed me the box.
“Your father wanted you to have this.””
I opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
And beneath it…
A second CVS receipt.
But this time, there wasn’t a phone number.
There was a message.
Three words.
A message my father had written before he died.
Find the truth.
Emily watched my face change.
“What is it?””
I looked up.
And suddenly understood something.
My father hadn’t only been trying to protect me.
He had been trying to warn me.
Because hidden beneath the message was another name.
May you like
A name that belonged to someone I knew.
Someone I trusted.
