Chapter 8: My Sister Was Never the Enemy
I couldn't sleep that night.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Brianna standing over my broken trophy.
I remembered the satisfaction on her face as she tore the wings from my gown.
Now I knew she might have been my twin sister.
The thought was unbearable.
At seven the next morning, I was still sitting by the hotel window when Daniel entered with two cups of coffee.
He placed one beside me.
"Did you get any sleep?""
"No.""
He sat opposite me.
"Neither did I.""
I looked at him.
"Did Mom ever talk about Lily?""
He nodded.
"She used to talk to both of you when you were babies. She had two tiny blankets, two identical cribs, and two names embroidered on everything.""
"Then why did I never see photographs of us together?""
"Vanessa said she had removed them because they upset her.""
I looked down.
"She removed my sister from my life.""
Daniel didn't disagree.
He opened his phone.
"Eleanor contacted the hospital's security team. They've recovered some footage from the archives.""
"Did they see who broke in?""
"Not yet.""
I stood.
"I want to speak to Brianna.""
Daniel frowned.
"Why?""
"Because if she's my sister, she deserves to know.""
He studied me.
"After what she did to you?""
I looked at the ruined gown hanging from the wardrobe.
"Yes.""
The police arranged a meeting at the station that afternoon.
Vanessa was already there when we arrived.
Brianna sat beside her, wearing a gray sweater and no makeup.
For once, she didn't look like the girl who had always entered a room expecting everyone to admire her.
She looked frightened.
When she saw me, she immediately looked away.
Vanessa stood.
"This is unnecessary.""
Detective Morgan gestured toward the chairs.
"Please sit down, Mrs. Carter.""
"I have nothing to discuss.""
"Then this should be brief.""
Eleanor placed the birth register photocopies on the table.
Vanessa's eyes immediately went to the documents.
Her face changed.
Brianna noticed.
"Mom?""
Vanessa didn't answer.
Detective Morgan opened the folder.
"Mrs. Carter, we have reason to believe that Nia Carter and Brianna Carter were born as twins.""
Brianna stared.
"What?""
Vanessa shook her head.
"This is ridiculous.""
Eleanor placed the original hospital record in front of her.
"These are the records from the maternity ward.""
Brianna picked up the paper.
Her eyes moved across the names.
Then she looked at me.
"No.""
I said nothing.
She looked at Vanessa.
"Mom?""
Vanessa reached for the document.
"Give me that.""
Brianna pulled it away.
"Is this real?""
Vanessa's lips tightened.
"You're my daughter.""
"That's not what I asked.""
Detective Morgan leaned forward.
"Mrs. Carter, did you know the girls were twins?""
Vanessa stared at the table.
Then she said something I hadn't expected.
"I knew they were born together.""
Brianna went completely still.
"What?""
Vanessa looked at her.
"I raised you. I fed you. I gave you everything.""
"You knew she was my sister?""
Vanessa's expression hardened.
"I did what I had to do.""
Brianna pushed her chair backward.
"You told me she was some charity case your husband brought home!""
Vanessa raised her voice.
"Because you were never supposed to know!""
Silence.
Brianna's face crumpled.
I watched her.
For years, she had mocked me for having no parents.
She had laughed when I asked for money.
She had taken my clothes and designs.
She had stood beside Vanessa while I was made to feel like an unwanted guest.
But now I saw something in her expression that I had never seen before.
A child discovering that her entire childhood had been built on a lie.
"Why?"" she whispered.
Vanessa reached for her.
"Brianna, listen to me.""
"No!""
Brianna stood.
"Why did you tell me I was your only child?""
Vanessa's eyes filled.
"Because I loved you.""
"Then why did you steal my sister?""
Vanessa's face twisted.
"She was supposed to inherit everything!""
Brianna stared.
"What?""
"Your mother had everything. The company. The house.
The money. And Daniel was going to give it all to Nia.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
Vanessa turned toward me.
"Your mother always favored you. Even before you were born, she talked about how special you were going to be.""
Eleanor's voice was cold.
"Margaret wanted both daughters protected.""
"Don't pretend you knew her better than I did!""
Vanessa slammed her hand against the table.
"I was there! I was the one who stayed when everything fell apart!""
Detective Morgan stood.
"Mrs. Carter, lower your voice.""
Vanessa looked at Brianna.
"Everything I did was for you.""
Brianna shook her head.
"You made me hate her.""
Vanessa didn't answer.
"You told me she was lazy. That she stole my designs. That she was jealous of me.""
Brianna looked at me.
Her voice cracked.
"Did you really make that blue dress?""
I nodded.
"The one you wore to the regional competition?""
"Yes.""
She closed her eyes.
"And the white coat?""
"Yes.""
"And the red gown you won with?""
"I made that too.""
Brianna began crying.
"I thought...""
She stopped.
Then she looked at Vanessa.
"You told me Mom had made all those things for me.""
Vanessa stood abruptly.
"Enough.""
But Brianna stepped away.
"No. I want to know everything.""
Detective Morgan closed the folder.
"We'll continue this conversation after Mrs. Carter has had an opportunity to speak with her attorney.""
Vanessa looked furious.
"You can't separate me from my daughter.""
Brianna's voice was barely audible.
"I'm not your daughter.""
Vanessa froze.
I watched her face.
For the first time, she looked genuinely defeated.
Outside the interview room, Brianna approached me.
"Nia?""
I stopped.
She stood several feet away, twisting the sleeve of her sweater.
"I know you probably hate me.""
I looked at her.
"I don't know what I feel.""
She nodded.
"I deserve that.""
We stood silently.
Then she said, "I didn't know.""
I looked down.
"About being twins?""
"About the money. The company. Your mother. Any of it.""
She swallowed.
"Mom told me you were always trying to take things from me. She said you were jealous because I was her real daughter.""
I looked at her.
"And you believed her?""
Brianna's eyes filled.
"Yes.""
I wanted to shout.
I wanted to remind her of every time she had humiliated me.
Instead, I asked, "Why did you destroy my gown?""
She looked at the floor.
"Because I was angry.""
"That isn't an answer.""
She wiped her cheek.
"Mom told me the judges were going to announce that my dress had been copied from someone else's design.""
I frowned.
"What?""
"She said you had stolen my sketches. She told me that if you won, everyone would know I wasn't talented.""
I stared at her.
"She told you I stole your work?""
Brianna nodded.
"She said she had proof.""
I shook my head.
"Your dress was mine.""
"I know that now.""
"No. You knew it was mine before tonight. You took it from my room.""
She lowered her eyes.
"I did.""
For the first time, she didn't make an excuse.
"I wanted people to admire me," she whispered.
"And Mom always said you were the reason I never got enough attention.""
I looked at her.
"You had everything.""
"I know.""
She began crying harder.
"I know, Nia.""
I turned away.
Then she said something that stopped me.
"Mom told me something else.""
I looked back.
"What?""
"She said our father was dead.""
My chest tightened.
"Daniel?""
Brianna nodded.
"But when I asked why there were two names on the birth record, she said he had abandoned one of us.""
I stared at her.
"Which one?""
"She said he chose you.""
I closed my eyes.
Another lie.
Another carefully constructed story designed to make us hate each other.
Brianna reached into her pocket.
"I have something.""
She handed me a small silver key.
"Mom kept it in her jewelry box. She told me never to touch it.""
I looked at the key.
It had the same five-petal flower engraved on it.
"Where did she get this?""
"I don't know.""
I turned it over.
There was a tiny inscription.
*C-17.*
Eleanor approached.
When she saw the key, her face changed.
"Where did you find that?""
"Brianna gave it to me.""
Eleanor took a careful look.
"This belongs to a storage facility.""
Daniel joined us.
"What storage facility?""
Eleanor looked at the inscription.
"Your mother's company used a private archive in the city. Unit C-17.""
I looked at Brianna.
"Does Vanessa know you have it?""
Brianna shook her head.
"She doesn't know I took it.""
"Then why give it to me?""
Brianna's voice trembled.
"Because I think it's the only thing Mom was afraid of losing.""
We arrived at the storage facility shortly before closing.
Detective Morgan had arranged for two officers to accompany us.
The manager checked the key against his records.
"Unit C-17," he said.
"Registered to Margaret Carter.""
He led us down a long corridor.
The metal doors were numbered in white paint.
C-13.
C-15.
C-17.
The manager inserted the key.
The lock turned.
Inside was a small room filled with cardboard boxes, garment bags, and filing cabinets.
Dust covered everything.
I stepped inside.
The air smelled of old paper and cedarwood.
On the nearest shelf sat a box labeled:
*NIA AND LILY — ORIGINAL COLLECTION.*
My hands trembled.
I opened it.
Inside were two tiny dresses.
One crimson.
One blue.
Each had a name embroidered along the collar.
Nia.
Lily.
I touched the blue dress.
My mother had made these for us.
Beside them was a photograph of two babies lying in matching cribs.
On the back, she had written:
My girls. Together, always.
I began crying.
Brianna stood beside me.
She touched the photograph with one finger.
"That's us.""
I nodded.
She looked at the dresses.
"She made one for me.""
"Yes.""
We stood together for a moment.
Then Daniel opened the largest filing cabinet.
Inside were hundreds of documents.
Bank statements.
Company contracts.
Photographs.
And a thick envelope marked:
*RICHARD HALE — PATERNITY AND FINANCIAL RECORDS.*
Eleanor opened it.
She read the first page.
Then her expression changed.
"Daniel.""
He looked up.
"What?""
She handed him the paper.
He read it silently.
His face went pale.
I stepped closer.
"What does it say?""
Daniel looked at Brianna.
Then at me.
"The DNA records confirm that Brianna is your biological twin.""
I nodded.
We already knew that.
But he continued.
"There's another report.""
He handed me the document.
It contained the results of a paternity test.
Richard Hale.
And beside his name was a percentage.
I stared.
"That's impossible.""
Eleanor shook her head.
"No. It's very possible.""
Daniel looked at the final page.
"Richard isn't Brianna's father.""
I looked at him.
"Then who is?""
He slowly turned the paper around.
A name appeared at the bottom.
*DANIEL CARTER.*
My father was Brianna's biological father.
Which meant the two of us were full sisters.
But that wasn't the most disturbing part.
A second document lay beneath the test.
It was a letter from Vanessa to Richard.
And its first sentence read:
Now that Daniel believes Lily is dead, we can finally proceed with the plan.
I looked at Eleanor.
"What plan?""
She turned the page.
Her eyes widened.
Then she whispered:
"They weren't just trying to steal the inheritance.""
She pointed to the date.
May you like
The letter had been written six months before my mother's accident.
"They were planning to take both girls away from Margaret.""
