Chapter 5: The Account Nobody Knew About
I didn't cry this time.
I couldn't.
There was nothing left in me that knew how.
I stood completely still while my father stared at Vanessa.
“Another account?””
Dad's voice was quiet.
Vanessa nodded.
“Sophie had a second savings account.””
I looked at Dad.
“I did?””
He frowned.
“You didn't know?””
“No.””
Vanessa's face tightened.
“It was opened when she was twelve.””
I stared at her.
“How?””
“Your grandmother set it up.””
Dad immediately shook his head.
“My mother?””
“Yes.””
“Why didn't I know?””
“Because she asked me to manage it.””
Dad looked at me.
“Sophie, your grandmother left instructions that the account was for your education.””
My mouth went dry.
“How much?””
Vanessa looked away.
Dad asked again.
“How much was in it?””
“Twenty-seven thousand.””
I grabbed the edge of the table.
“Twenty-seven thousand?””
She nodded.
Dad stared at her.
“And you took it?””
“I borrowed it.””
I laughed.
It came out empty.
“That's what you call it?””
Vanessa looked at me.
“I intended to replace it.””
“With what?””
She didn't answer.
Dad walked toward her.
“When did you take it?””
“Last year.””
“How?””
“I transferred it.””
“To the investigator?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
She looked at me.
“Because I needed to know who Evelyn was.””
Dad's jaw tightened.
“You knew who she was.””
“I needed proof.””
“You had proof.””
“I needed to know what she wanted.””
“She wanted her father.””
Vanessa flinched.
Dad turned away.
Andrew remained silent near the doorway.
I looked at him.
“Did you know she had stolen from me?””
He shook his head.
“No. I was told the funds were legitimately available.””
Vanessa whispered, “I never said they were stolen.””
Andrew looked at her.
“You told me they were marital funds.””
Dad laughed bitterly.
“Of course she did.””
He walked to the kitchen counter and grabbed a glass of water.
His hand was shaking.
He took one sip.
Then put the glass down untouched.
“I want every account.””
Vanessa looked frightened.
“What?””
“Every account you've opened. Every credit card. Every transfer. Everything.””
“I don't have to—”
“You do.””
“No.””
Dad turned.
“Then I'll get a court order.””
Vanessa went silent.
Marcus looked at her.
“Mom, just tell him.””
She stared at her son.
“I was trying to keep this family together.””
Marcus shook his head.
“You destroyed it.””
She started crying.
I looked away.
The words hurt because they were true.
Dad walked into his office.
A few minutes later, he came back carrying a thick black folder.
He placed it on the table.
“This is from the bank.””
Vanessa stared at it.
“I thought you said you were going to get the statements.””
“They emailed them.””
He opened the folder.
“You've been moving money for almost three years.””
Vanessa's shoulders dropped.
“Daniel…”
“Don't.””
He pulled out the first page.
“$4,800.””
Another.
“$7,200.””
Another.
“$3,600.””
Another.
“$11,500.””
He looked up.
“What was this?””
“Bills.””
“What bills?””
“Household expenses.””
“We have a household account.””
“I needed extra.””
“You needed extra for what?””
Vanessa didn't answer.
Dad pulled out another page.
“This one says luxury hotel.””
She closed her eyes.
“You went to Miami?””
“It was one weekend.””
“How much?””
“Three thousand.””
“Three thousand dollars?””
“I needed a break.””
Dad stared at her.
“You needed a break with Sophie's money?””
She said nothing.
He turned another page.
“Jewelry.””
“I returned it.””
“Did you?””
“Yes.””
“Where's the refund?””
Vanessa froze.
Dad looked at the statement.
“It's not here.””
“I must have spent it.””
“You must have?””
He threw the page onto the table.
“How can you not know where my daughter's money went?””
I stepped closer.
“Because she never thought she would have to answer.””
Vanessa looked at me.
“I was going to make it right.””
“You've said that six times.””
“I mean it.””
“You said it while spending another $15,000.””
She lowered her head.
Dad closed the folder.
“There's only one thing I want to know now.””
Vanessa looked up.
“What?””
“Why Evelyn?””
She wiped her cheeks.
“I told you.””
“No.””
Dad shook his head.
“You've lied too many times.””
He leaned forward.
“Why were you so afraid of my daughter?””
Vanessa stared at him.
Then she looked at Andrew.
The attorney's expression changed.
“Mrs. Carter?””
She whispered, “Because she knew.””
“Knew what?””
“That Daniel didn't abandon her.””
Dad froze.
“What?””
Vanessa looked at him.
“Rebecca told her the truth.””
Dad's face drained.
“What truth?””
“She told Lily that you tried to find her.””
He swallowed.
“Then why would Lily think I abandoned her?””
“Because someone gave Rebecca a letter.””
“What letter?””
Vanessa's eyes filled.
“A letter supposedly from you.””
Dad stared at her.
“I never wrote one.””
“I know.””
“Then who did?””
Vanessa couldn't speak.
Andrew stepped in.
“We found a copy.””
Dad turned.
“Where?””
“In Rebecca's records.””
Andrew removed another document.
He placed it on the table.
Dad picked it up.
The letter was short.
Daniel doesn't want you or the baby.
Dad's hands shook.
“That isn't my handwriting.””
Andrew nodded.
“I know.””
Dad looked at Vanessa.
“Who wrote this?””
Vanessa whispered, “My mother.””
Dad's eyes widened.
“Why?””
“Because she hated Rebecca.””
“Why?””
“She thought Rebecca was going to ruin my life.””
Dad's voice became sharper.
“Your life?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“My mother thought you would marry Rebecca.””
Dad stared.
“And she wanted me to marry you?””
Vanessa nodded.
“She believed if Rebecca disappeared, you'd eventually move on.””
Dad stepped backward.
“That was twenty years ago.””
“Yes.””
“And you knew?””
“I found out later.””
“When?””
“When my mother told me.””
“How long?””
“Six years ago.””
Dad looked stunned.
“Six years?””
Vanessa nodded.
“And you never told me.””
“I was afraid.””
“Of what?””
“That you'd leave me.””
Dad shook his head slowly.
“You kept a woman from me for twenty years.””
“I didn't know where she was.””
“You knew about Lily.””
“I knew she existed.””
“You knew she was my daughter.””
“Yes.””
“You knew Rebecca believed I abandoned her.””
“Yes.””
“And instead of telling me, you spent my daughter's college money searching for Lily.””
Vanessa began sobbing.
“I thought if I could find her first, I could control what happened.””
Dad stared at her.
“Control?””
“If she came into your life, I didn't know what she'd want.””
“She wanted her father.””
“I didn't know that.””
“You could have asked.””
Vanessa said nothing.
Dad's phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Hello?””
A woman's voice came through.
Soft.
Careful.
“Is this Daniel Carter?””
Dad froze.
“Yes.””
“This is Lily.””
His eyes closed.
I watched his face.
Every bit of anger disappeared.
He looked terrified.
Not of her.
Of the years he had lost.
“Lily…”
There was silence.
Then she said, “I don't know if I should call you Dad.””
He sat down.
“You can call me whatever you want.””
I covered my mouth.
Lily continued.
“I found your name in some old paperwork.””
Dad looked toward Andrew.
“Where are you?””
“Two hours away.””
“Please.””
He stopped.
“What?””
“Please don't hang up.””
Dad's eyes filled with tears.
“I won't.””
Vanessa stared at him.
I watched her expression.
For the first time, she looked less like a woman defending herself and more like someone watching the consequences finally arrive.
Lily said, “There are things I need to ask you.””
Dad whispered, “I have things I need to tell you.””
“I was told you didn't want me.””
“I did.””
“I was told you never tried to find us.””
“I did.””
“I was told you sent my mother away.””
“I never did.””
There was a long silence.
Then Lily asked the question that made Dad cover his face.
“Then why did you never come?””
Dad couldn't answer.
Because he didn't know.
Andrew suddenly stepped forward.
“Mr. Carter.””
Dad looked up.
Andrew held another document.
“There is something else.””
Dad covered the phone.
“What?””
Andrew pointed to a line on the page.
“This is the original hospital record.””
Dad took it.
His eyes moved down the page.
Then he stopped.
His face changed.
“What?””
I stepped closer.
Dad whispered, “Lily wasn't born where I thought she was.””
Andrew nodded.
“Your wife knew that.””
Vanessa's face went white.
Dad looked at her.
“You knew where Lily was born.””
She shook her head.
“No.””
Andrew answered for her.
“She provided the hospital name when she hired us.””
Dad stared.
“Why would she know that?””
Vanessa couldn't speak.
I looked at the document.
There was an address.
A hospital.
And beneath it, the name of a doctor.
Dad suddenly stood.
“That's impossible.””
“What?”” I asked.
He pointed to the page.
“I know this doctor.””
Andrew nodded.
“Exactly.””
Dad looked at Vanessa.
“You didn't spend my daughter's money looking for Lily.””
His voice became cold.
“You were looking for something else.””
Vanessa began trembling.
Dad stepped toward her.
“What were you trying to find?””
May you like
She whispered one sentence.
“I was trying to find the adoption papers.””
