Chapter 9: The Heir Nobody Knew Existed
Elizabeth locked the apartment door.
Then she closed the curtains.
Nobody spoke for several seconds.
I stood in the middle of the small living room, staring at the photograph on the wall.
The little girl looked about seven years old.
She had dark hair, a narrow face, and a small gold necklace.
Around her wrist was a hospital identification bracelet.
My mother's handwriting was visible beneath the photograph.
My beautiful little sister.
I turned toward Elizabeth.
"Who is she?""
Elizabeth sat down.
"Her name is Charlotte.""
"Charlotte what?""
"Charlotte Callaway.""
Nathaniel frowned.
"That's impossible. My father never mentioned another daughter.""
"That's because he wanted her hidden.""
I looked at Margaret.
She was standing near the door, pale and silent.
"Did you know about Charlotte?""
Margaret nodded.
"Yes.""
My voice rose.
"How many secrets are there?""
Elizabeth reached for my hand.
"Please. Let me explain.""
I sat opposite her.
She took a deep breath.
"After Richard discovered that I had evidence of Victoria poisoning him, I went into hiding. Eleanor helped me get treatment at St. Agnes. But before I disappeared, I discovered something in Richard's private office.""
"What?""
"A second trust.""
Nathaniel leaned forward.
"Another one?""
Elizabeth nodded.
"The first trust was created for you and Nathaniel. The second was created for Charlotte.""
"Why?""
"Because Charlotte was the only child Richard believed could inherit the company without interference.""
Nathaniel shook his head.
"That makes no sense. I was his son. I was the heir.""
Elizabeth gave him a sad smile.
"Richard never trusted you.""
Nathaniel looked wounded.
"Why?""
"Because you were raised by Eleanor.""
I glanced at my brother.
Elizabeth continued.
"Richard believed Eleanor had made you too compassionate. He thought you would eventually dismantle the empire instead of expanding it.""
Nathaniel looked down.
"Maybe he was right.""
Elizabeth squeezed my hand.
"Charlotte was different. Richard took her away when she was an infant and placed her with a family in Switzerland. They were paid to raise her without revealing her identity.""
I stared.
"Did she know?""
"Not until she was sixteen.""
"What happened then?""
Elizabeth looked toward the window.
"She came to New York looking for Richard. She found me first.""
I swallowed.
"Did you meet her?""
"Yes.""
"Where is she now?""
Elizabeth hesitated.
"That's what we need to find out.""
Nathaniel stood.
"Why didn't you contact the police?""
Elizabeth gave him a tired look.
"Because the police were already involved.""
"What?""
"Victoria had friends in the department. When Richard died, she made sure every investigation pointed toward a convenient explanation.""
Nathaniel rubbed his forehead.
"Then how did you survive?""
Elizabeth glanced at Margaret.
"She helped me.""
I turned sharply.
"She told me she didn't know where you were.""
"She didn't. Not for a long time.""
Margaret stepped forward.
"I never stopped looking for you.""
Elizabeth looked at her.
"You kept the money.""
Margaret lowered her head.
"What money?""
"The money Richard gave you.""
Margaret closed her eyes.
I stood.
"Wait. What money?""
Elizabeth turned toward me.
"Richard paid Margaret to raise the child who was supposed to be sent away.""
Margaret began crying.
"At first, I thought I was helping.""
Elizabeth shook her head.
"You knew what he wanted.""
"I didn't know he planned to separate the children forever.""
"You knew enough.""
Margaret looked at me.
"I loved you, Rose.""
I felt my chest tighten.
"Did you?""
"Yes.""
"Then why didn't you tell me who I was?""
Margaret reached toward me.
I stepped back.
"Don't.""
She stopped.
"I made mistakes. Terrible ones. But I never stopped loving you.""
Elizabeth stood.
"That's not the point, Margaret.""
She walked toward the photograph.
"The point is that Richard didn't just pay you to raise Rose. He paid you to keep her away from me.""
I looked at Margaret.
She began shaking her head.
"I was afraid.""
"Of Richard?""
"Of everyone.""
Elizabeth's voice softened.
"Do you know what Rose did every year on her birthday?""
Margaret looked down.
"She visited Grace's grave.""
Elizabeth's eyes filled.
"Grace used to do the same thing for me. She would leave flowers on my birthday because she couldn't be with me.""
I pressed my hands against my face.
For seventeen years, I had believed my mother was gone.
Now I was learning that my grandmother had been the person who loved me most consistently, while my biological mother had spent years watching from a distance.
There was no simple villain.
Only people who had made choices.
And children who had paid for them.
Nathaniel interrupted.
"Where is Charlotte?""
Elizabeth returned to the sofa.
"Three weeks ago, she contacted me.""
"From where?""
"London.""
My heart skipped.
"She's alive?""
"Yes.""
"Why didn't you tell us?""
"Because she said she was coming to New York to confront Victoria.""
Nathaniel immediately reached for his phone.
"That's dangerous.""
Elizabeth nodded.
"She knows.""
"Does she know about the murder?""
"She knows everything.""
"Then why would she go alone?""
Elizabeth looked at me.
"Because she believes Victoria murdered Richard to protect the inheritance.""
I stared.
"But if Charlotte inherited everything, why would Victoria still care?""
Elizabeth took a small flash drive from her handbag.
"Because the second trust contains a clause.""
She placed it on the table.
"If Charlotte dies without children, her inheritance transfers to the next eligible Callaway descendant.""
Nathaniel frowned.
"Which would be me.""
"Not anymore.""
Elizabeth turned toward me.
"Because Richard amended the trust.""
She opened the document on her laptop.
The final page contained a list of beneficiaries.
Charlotte Callaway.
Rose Carter.
Nathaniel Callaway.
The distribution was not equal.
Charlotte received the majority of the estate.
But there was another clause.
In the event of fraud, coercion, or criminal interference in the identification of any beneficiary, the entire trust shall be transferred to the person who proves the original identities of all four children.
I stared at the sentence.
"That means...""
"That means the entire empire could belong to you," Elizabeth said.
I shook my head.
"I don't want it.""
Nathaniel gave a faint smile.
"Neither do I.""
Elizabeth looked at us.
"That's exactly what Richard hoped you would say.""
I frowned.
"What?""
"He believed that the person who didn't want the fortune would be the only one capable of protecting it.""
Suddenly, a phone rang.
Not mine.
Not Nathaniel's.
Margaret's.
She looked at the screen.
Her face changed.
Elizabeth immediately stood.
"Who is it?""
Margaret didn't answer.
I reached for the phone.
The caller ID displayed a name.
CHARLOTTE.
I answered.
"Hello?""
A young woman's voice came through.
"Rose?""
"Yes.""
"My name is Charlotte.""
I looked at Elizabeth.
She nodded.
"Where are you?""
"At the Callaway estate.""
Nathaniel stepped closer.
"Get out of there!""
Charlotte laughed nervously.
"I can't. Victoria is here.""
Elizabeth grabbed the phone.
"Charlotte, listen to me. Leave immediately.""
"I can't.""
"Why?""
"Because I found the original trust.""
Elizabeth closed her eyes.
"Where?""
"In Richard's study.""
Nathaniel looked toward the window.
"Are you alone?""
Charlotte hesitated.
Then she whispered:
"No.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Who is with you?""
Charlotte's voice broke.
"Victoria.""
A loud crash sounded through the phone.
Then Victoria's voice came through.
"Hello, Elizabeth.""
My mother froze.
Victoria laughed.
"I told you we'd meet again.""
Elizabeth grabbed the phone.
"Don't touch her.""
"Oh, I won't.""
There was a pause.
"Not yet.""
Nathaniel immediately called the police.
I leaned toward the phone.
"Victoria, listen to me.""
She laughed.
"Rose. How lovely.""
"Let Charlotte go.""
"Why would I do that?""
"Because you already lost.""
Victoria went quiet.
Then she said something that made my blood run cold.
"Have you asked your mother why she never told you that Charlotte was your twin?""
I stared at Elizabeth.
My mother slowly closed her eyes.
"What?"" I whispered.
Victoria continued.
"That's right, Rose. Charlotte isn't just another Callaway child.""
A faint sound came through the phone.
A woman crying.
Then Victoria spoke again.
"She's the other baby Grace delivered the night you were born.""
My mind went blank.
"That's impossible.""
"Ask Elizabeth.""
I turned toward my mother.
She looked devastated.
"Mom?""
Elizabeth couldn't meet my eyes.
"Charlotte was born eleven minutes after you.""
I felt my knees weaken.
"Then why did you tell me I was Richard's daughter but not his twin?""
Elizabeth started crying.
"Because I thought Charlotte had died.""
Victoria laughed.
"She didn't.""
Then the phone went silent.
Nathaniel drove us back to the estate.
The police were already on their way, but Elizabeth insisted we couldn't wait.
"Victoria knows about the original trust," she said.
"If she destroys it, she'll destroy the only proof that Charlotte is the rightful beneficiary.""
Nathaniel kept both hands on the steering wheel.
"Why would she need to destroy it if she can simply kill Charlotte?""
Elizabeth looked at him.
"Because Richard included a recording.""
"What recording?""
"The one where Victoria admits what she did to him.""
I turned toward her.
"Where is it?""
"In his study.""
Nathaniel accelerated.
The mansion appeared beyond the trees.
Several lights were on.
A black SUV stood outside.
Marcus was waiting near the entrance.
"Mr. Callaway!""
Nathaniel stopped.
"What happened?""
"Victoria has taken control of the estate security system. She locked the main doors.""
Elizabeth looked at me.
"There's another entrance through the library.""
We hurried around the side of the building.
Marcus led us through a service corridor.
Inside, the mansion was silent.
No guards.
No staff.
No wedding guests.
Just the faint sound of music coming from the second floor.
Nathaniel stopped outside his father's study.
The door was slightly open.
He pushed it.
And there, standing beside the enormous mahogany desk, was Victoria.
Charlotte stood in front of her.
She looked almost exactly like me.
Same eyes.
Same dark hair.
Same small scar above the eyebrow.
My twin.
Victoria held a document in one hand and a glass of champagne in the other.
"How touching," she said.
"All four children of Richard Callaway, finally reunited.""
Charlotte looked at me.
"Rose?""
I stepped forward.
"Charlotte.""
She began crying.
"I thought I was the only one.""
I wanted to run toward her.
But Victoria lifted the document.
"Before you two start hugging, perhaps you should read this.""
Nathaniel looked at the paper.
"What is it?""
Victoria smiled.
"Richard's final amendment.""
Elizabeth moved closer.
"That's not the original.""
Victoria raised an eyebrow.
"How would you know?""
"Because I watched him sign it.""
Victoria's smile disappeared.
Elizabeth pointed to the bottom of the page.
"Look at the date.""
Nathaniel examined it.
Then his face hardened.
"This was signed after my father died.""
Victoria said nothing.
Elizabeth looked directly at her.
"You forged it.""
Victoria placed the paper on the desk.
Then she reached into a drawer and pulled out a small recorder.
"Maybe.""
She pressed play.
Richard's voice filled the room.
If anything happens to me, the person responsible must never be allowed to inherit my estate.
Then came a second voice.
Victoria's.
You won't be around long enough to see what happens.
A sharp metallic sound followed.
Then Richard gasped.
The recording ended.
Charlotte covered her mouth.
Nathaniel looked at Victoria.
"You murdered him.""
Victoria slowly set down her champagne.
"Yes.""
The word was so quiet that it took a moment to register.
Elizabeth began crying.
Victoria looked at all of us.
"And now, unless you want the same thing to happen to Charlotte, you'll sign the transfer documents.""
Nathaniel stepped forward.
"Never.""
Victoria smiled.
"Then I suppose I have no choice.""
She reached into the desk drawer.
And pulled out a second gun.
But before she could raise it, Charlotte spoke.
"Don't.""
Victoria turned.
Charlotte held up a small silver bracelet.
A hospital identification bracelet.
"I know what you did to the babies," she said.
Victoria's expression changed.
Charlotte looked at me.
"And I know which one of us Richard actually wanted dead.""
Victoria went completely still.
Because Charlotte had just revealed that the final secret had never been about the inheritance.
May you like
It had been about which daughter Richard had tried to erase.
And Charlotte was holding the evidence.
