Chapter 9: The Woman Who Took My Daughter
I ran.
I didn't wait for Detective Carter.
I didn't wait for the nurses.
I ran toward the maternity ward with Nathan's warning repeating inside my head.
Someone was looking for Ellie.
My daughter was at home with Rachel.
But the hospital had already been compromised.
"Claire!""
Detective Carter caught up with me.
"Stop. We have officers covering the entrances.""
"Someone is looking for my daughter!""
"I know.""
"Then move!""
We reached the maternity ward.
A nurse stood outside the reception desk, trembling.
"Where is the child?"" Carter demanded.
The nurse pointed toward the family waiting area.
"There was a little girl here earlier. She was with a woman.""
"What woman?""
"She said she was the child's aunt.""
My blood ran cold.
"Victoria?""
The nurse nodded uncertainly.
"She showed identification.""
I grabbed the desk.
"Where is my daughter?""
The nurse looked confused.
"Your daughter?""
I could barely breathe.
"Ellie Harper. Four years old.""
The nurse checked the visitor log.
"There's no Ellie Harper registered here.""
Then my phone rang.
Rachel.
I answered immediately.
"Rachel!""
Her voice was frantic.
"Claire, where are you?""
"At the hospital. What's happening?""
"Someone is outside your house.""
My heart stopped.
"What?""
"A woman came to the front door. She said she was your sister.""
I gripped the phone.
"Did you let her in?""
"No! But she knew Ellie's name. She knew where she slept. She knew everything.""
"Where's Ellie?""
"Upstairs. Mark is with her.""
I closed my eyes.
"Don't open the door. Call the police.""
"I already did.""
Then I heard a crash.
Rachel screamed.
The call ended.
"NO!""
I turned toward Detective Carter.
"My daughter!""
He immediately radioed the officers outside.
"Possible forced entry at the Harper residence. We need units there immediately.""
I called Mark.
No answer.
I called Rachel.
No answer.
I felt like I was drowning.
Then a text arrived.
It was from Victoria.
*I told you I needed to explain. Now you've made this much harder than it had to be.*
I typed with shaking fingers.
*WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER?*
The reply came almost instantly.
*Which one?*
I nearly dropped the phone.
Another message appeared.
*The girl you raised or the girl you were supposed to raise?*
I stared at the words.
Detective Carter took the phone from my hand.
"Don't respond.""
He made another call.
Within minutes, officers were dispatched to my house.
I stood motionless in the corridor.
Then I heard something behind me.
A familiar voice.
"Claire.""
I turned.
Daniel Price was standing near the elevators.
Two officers were escorting him.
His hands were cuffed.
He looked directly at me.
"Listen to me. Victoria has been lying to you.""
I stepped toward him.
"Where is my daughter?""
"I don't know.""
"You're the one who arranged the adoption.""
Daniel lowered his head.
"Yes.""
My hand struck his face before I realized I had moved.
One officer grabbed my arm.
"Ma'am!""
Daniel didn't react.
He simply looked at me.
"I deserved that.""
"You helped them steal a baby.""
"I thought I was protecting her.""
"From whom?""
Daniel closed his eyes.
"From Margaret.""
I stared at him.
"Explain.""
He glanced at the officers.
"Can we speak somewhere private?""
"No.""
He nodded.
"Then I'll tell you here.""
He took a breath.
"Four years ago, Victoria gave birth to a baby girl. She was young, frightened, and in a terrible situation. Margaret discovered the hospital mix-up and convinced her that the baby who went home with you was actually hers.""
I shook my head.
"Why would Victoria believe that?""
"Because Margaret showed her altered records.""
"And you?""
"I helped verify them.""
"Why?""
Daniel looked ashamed.
"Because Margaret threatened to expose my involvement in an earlier medical scandal.""
I stared at him.
"What scandal?""
"An experimental treatment program at Northbridge. The same program used on Nathan.""
My stomach tightened.
Daniel continued.
"I believed Margaret would use the hospital records to take Ellie away from you. I arranged for Victoria's biological daughter to be adopted by a family who had no connection to the Harpers.""
"Who?""
"The Morgans.""
I remembered the photograph.
"The little girl with the scar?""
Daniel nodded.
"Her name is Lily Morgan.""
I felt tears gathering.
"Where is she now?""
"With her adoptive parents.""
"And Victoria knows?""
"She found out last year.""
"Then why didn't she come to me?""
"Because Margaret offered her money to keep quiet. Victoria agreed initially. But when Nathan discovered the truth, everything changed.""
I looked at him.
"Why did Nathan keep it from me?""
Daniel swallowed.
"He wanted to establish the truth before telling you. He was afraid that if he made the wrong accusation, he could destroy two families.""
I looked toward the elevators.
"Then why did Margaret try to kill him?""
"Because he found the original documents. And because he was preparing to expose the entire arrangement.""
I felt sick.
"Where does Victoria fit into all this?""
Daniel looked at me.
"She wanted Lily back.""
I shook my head.
"Then she could have asked.""
"She didn't believe the Morgans would ever let her see the child.""
"And Margaret?""
"Margaret convinced her that if Nathan died and the inheritance was challenged, she could use the money to fight for custody.""
I stared at him.
"So she helped Margaret poison my husband?""
Daniel nodded.
I backed away.
The truth was worse than I had imagined.
My sister had been willing to destroy my family because she wanted the child she believed had been stolen from her.
And Margaret had used that pain to manipulate her.
My phone rang.
Detective Carter answered it on speaker.
An officer at my house was calling.
"We've secured the residence. Mrs. Harper's daughter is safe.""
I nearly collapsed.
"Where is Rachel?""
"She's conscious. She suffered a minor injury during the confrontation.""
"And the woman?""
"She escaped through the back entrance.""
"Was it Victoria?""
The officer hesitated.
"We believe so.""
I covered my mouth.
Then another voice came through.
Mark.
"Claire?""
I grabbed the phone.
"Mark! Where's Ellie?""
"She's here. She's okay.""
I began crying.
"Put her on.""
A small voice came through.
"Mommy?""
"Ellie!""
"Mommy, Aunt Victoria came.""
I closed my eyes.
"What did she do, sweetheart?""
"She said she wanted to take me to see another little girl.""
My heart stopped.
"Which little girl?""
"The girl in the picture.""
I looked at Daniel.
He went pale.
Ellie continued.
"She said the girl was my sister.""
I swallowed.
"Did you go with her?""
"No.""
"Good girl. You did the right thing.""
There was a pause.
Then Ellie whispered:
"Mommy?""
"Yes, baby?""
"Aunt Victoria said Daddy promised her something.""
"What did Daddy promise?""
"That when I got bigger, I would meet my real mommy.""
I couldn't breathe.
"What?""
Ellie's voice became smaller.
"She said you're not my real mommy.""
I pressed my hand over my mouth.
"Sweetheart, listen to me. I love you more than anything. Nobody can ever change that.""
"But she said...""
"Ellie, look at Mark. Stay with him. Mommy is coming home.""
I ended the call.
Then I turned toward Daniel.
"Did Nathan promise Victoria she could have Ellie?""
Daniel shook his head.
"No.""
"Then why would she say that?""
He hesitated.
"Because Nathan made a different promise.""
"What promise?""
Daniel looked toward the hospital room where Nathan was recovering.
"He promised Victoria that he would help her find Lily.""
I felt tears running down my face.
"And did he?""
Daniel nodded.
"Yes.""
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small photograph.
It showed Nathan standing beside a little girl in a park.
The girl was holding a pink balloon.
It was Lily.
On the back, Nathan had written:
*The two girls deserve to know the truth. But their childhood must come first.*
I stared at the words.
Then Daniel said something that changed everything.
"Claire, there's one more reason Margaret wanted Nathan dead.""
I looked up.
"What?""
"Because Nathan wasn't planning to divide the inheritance between the two girls.""
I frowned.
"Then what was he planning?""
Daniel swallowed.
"He was going to give both girls equal ownership of Harper Financial.""
I stared at him.
"Both girls?""
He nodded.
"Ellie and Lily.""
"But they're four years old.""
"Exactly. The trust would be controlled independently until they became adults. Neither Margaret nor Victoria would have access to the money.""
I understood.
Nathan wasn't simply protecting his business.
He was trying to protect two little girls from the adults fighting over them.
Then Daniel lowered his voice.
"There's something else. The original birth records were never destroyed.""
"Where are they?""
"Victoria has them.""
My phone vibrated again.
A new message appeared.
This time, it included a photograph.
Victoria was standing in front of a house.
Beside her was a little girl holding a pink balloon.
Lily.
Under the photograph were eight words.
*Come alone, Claire. It's time you met your other daughter.*
Then another message appeared.
*Bring the original adoption papers, or you'll never see her again.*
I stared at the screen.
Detective Carter reached for my phone.
"Don't go anywhere. We're tracking the number.""
But I couldn't stop looking at Lily's face.
She had Nathan's eyes.
And for the first time, I wondered whether the truth I had been fighting so hard to uncover was going to cost me the daughter I had raised.
My phone rang again.
It was Nathan.
I answered.
"Claire?""
"I'm here.""
His voice was weak.
"Have you found Victoria?""
"She has Lily.""
There was a long silence.
Then Nathan whispered:
"Then she's made her choice.""
"What choice?""
His answer was barely audible.
"Claire, the adoption papers aren't what you think.""
I froze.
"What do you mean?""
He took a breath.
"Victoria didn't lose Lily.""
My blood ran cold.
"Then what happened?""
Nathan closed his eyes.
"She gave her away.""
And suddenly, the entire story changed.
Victoria wasn't simply a mother trying to find her stolen child.
She had known where Lily was all along.
She had signed the papers herself.
May you like
And now she was using my daughter to get something back.
Something she had voluntarily surrendered four years earlier.
