Chapter 7: The Father Lily Never Knew
“Tell me he's lying.””
Daniel's voice was barely recognizable.
He stood in the middle of the abandoned Carter house, his phone still pressed against his ear. Richard Hale's final words seemed to echo through the room.
Lily wasn't biologically his.
He looked at Vanessa.
She was crying now, one hand covering her mouth, the other gripping the edge of the old wooden table.
“Daniel, please.””
“Tell me he's lying.””
Vanessa couldn't look at him.
“Daniel—”
“LOOK AT ME!””
Lily jumped.
Marcus immediately moved toward her.
“Come here, sweetheart.””
He guided her into the hallway, away from the adults.
Daniel waited until she was out of earshot.
Then he turned back to Vanessa.
“Is Lily my daughter?””
Vanessa shook her head.
Daniel stepped closer.
“That's not an answer.””
“I don't know what Hale told you.””
“He said she's not mine.””
“He wants you to believe that.””
“Then prove him wrong.””
Vanessa wiped her face.
“I can't.””
Daniel felt something collapse inside his chest.
For six years, he had been Lily's father.
He had held her during thunderstorms. He had taught her to tie her shoes, helped her sound out difficult words, and carried her home when she fell asleep in the car.
He remembered the first time she called him Daddy.
She had been barely a year old, sitting in Rachel's lap, reaching toward him with both hands.
He had never questioned it.
Never needed to.
Now a man he barely knew had planted a doubt that threatened to destroy every memory.
Daniel pointed toward the laptop.
“Rachel knew something.””
Vanessa nodded.
“What?””
“She told me she had discovered a discrepancy in the hospital records.””
“What discrepancy?””
“Lily's birth certificate listed you as her father. But the original medical records had a different name.””
Daniel stared at her.
“Whose?””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“Thomas Carter.””
Daniel felt dizzy.
“Rachel's father?””
“Yes.””
“That makes no sense. Thomas died before Lily was born.””
“I know.””
“Then how could he be Lily's father?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“He wasn't. At least, not biologically. Rachel believed someone had deliberately altered the records to make it look that way.””
Daniel's anger turned into confusion.
“Why would anyone do that?””
“Because Thomas had left money for his descendants. If Lily was connected to him, she could become a beneficiary.””
Daniel looked at the bank statement.
“The account was in Lily's name.””
“Yes.””
“And Richard stole the money.””
Vanessa nodded.
“Rachel discovered the transfer. She confronted Hale, and he told her that the money had been moved legally.””
“Using her signature?””
“Yes.””
“While she was unconscious?””
Vanessa didn't answer.
Daniel turned away.
He needed air.
He walked to the doorway and stared outside.
The rain had stopped.
A weak afternoon sun was beginning to break through the clouds.
Behind him, Vanessa spoke.
“There's something Rachel told me that I never understood.””
Daniel turned.
“What?””
“She said Lily's birth was the beginning of everything.””
“What does that mean?””
Vanessa reached into her handbag.
She removed a folded document.
“I found this in Rachel's hospital room after she died.””
Daniel took it.
It was a copy of a genetic testing request.
The patient's name was Rachel Carter.
The second person listed was Daniel Carter.
The third was Lily Carter.
The purpose of the test was printed in bold.
*PATERNITY AND MATERNITY CONFIRMATION.*
Daniel stared.
“They tested all three of us?””
Vanessa nodded.
“Rachel wanted to make sure.””
“Make sure of what?””
“That Lily was biologically yours.””
Daniel's eyes moved down the page.
There was a result code.
But the actual results were missing.
“Where are they?””
“Richard Hale received the sealed report.””
Daniel looked at her.
“Why?””
“Because he claimed to be acting on behalf of the estate.””
“That's not his decision.””
“I know.””
Daniel studied the document.
“Did Rachel tell you the results?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“She only said that something didn't add up.””
He read the form again.
Then he noticed a date.
The test had been requested four months before Rachel died.
That meant Rachel had known there was a question about Lily's parentage long before the funeral.
“Why didn't she tell me?””
Vanessa's voice broke.
“Because she was afraid you would leave.””
Daniel stared at her.
“Did she think I would abandon my daughter?””
“She thought you'd be hurt. She thought you'd feel betrayed.””
Daniel shook his head.
“She should have trusted me.””
Vanessa lowered her eyes.
“She wanted to. But every time she got close to telling you, something happened.””
“What?””
“Hale would call. Or she'd receive another letter. Once, someone broke into her apartment.””
Daniel froze.
“Someone broke into our house?””
Vanessa nodded.
“Rachel told me not to involve the police because she thought they were watching her.””
Daniel felt sick.
His wife had been frightened in their own home.
And he hadn't known.
He had been there, sleeping beside her, believing that the worst thing they were facing was cancer.
He turned back toward Vanessa.
“Who is Lily's biological father?””
Vanessa's face tightened.
“I don't know.””
“You expect me to believe that?””
“Daniel, I swear. Rachel never told me.””
“Then why did Hale say you knew?””
Vanessa stared at the floor.
“Because I was there when Rachel first received the test results.””
Daniel went still.
“You saw them?””
“Only briefly.””
“What did they say?””
Vanessa began shaking.
“I saw your name. I saw Lily's name. Then Rachel started crying.””
“Why?””
“Because the result didn't match what she expected.””
Daniel grabbed the edge of the table.
“What result?””
Vanessa whispered:
“The test showed that you were not Lily's biological father.””
The room seemed to disappear.
Daniel looked toward the hallway.
Lily was sitting on the floor beside Marcus, drawing a flower on a piece of paper.
She looked up and smiled at him.
“Daddy! Look!””
He forced himself to smile.
“That's beautiful, sweetheart.””
She held up the drawing.
Three people stood beneath a yellow sun.
One tall man.
One woman.
One little girl.
Across the bottom, Lily had written her name.
*THE CARTER FAMILY.*
Daniel turned away before she could see his face.
Marcus approached quietly.
“Are you okay?””
“No.””
“What are you going to do?””
Daniel looked at Vanessa.
“Find the original test results.””
Vanessa nodded.
“I know where they are.””
Daniel turned sharply.
“Where?””
“At Hale's office.””
Marcus shook his head.
“Absolutely not. We're not walking into that man's office without legal help.””
Vanessa looked toward the door.
“Then we'll never get them.””
Daniel took out his phone.
He called the family attorney who had handled Rachel's estate.
After several minutes, he explained the situation.
The attorney, a woman named Catherine Brooks, listened without interrupting.
When Daniel finished, she said, “Do not confront Hale. Do not sign anything. And do not allow him access to Lily.””
Daniel glanced toward his daughter.
“Can you get the records?””
“I can request them. But if Hale has placed a legal restriction on the file, we may need a court order.””
“How long?””
“Several days, possibly longer.””
Daniel looked at Vanessa.
She shook her head.
“He won't wait several days.””
Catherine heard her.
“Who's that?””
“Vanessa Reed. Rachel's friend.””
There was a pause.
Then Catherine asked a question that made Daniel look up.
“Is she the same Vanessa Reed who works for Hale & Whitmore?””
Daniel stared at Vanessa.
“Yes.””
Catherine exhaled.
“Daniel, listen carefully. I have been reviewing Rachel's estate documents. There is a second beneficiary listed in a sealed amendment.””
“Who?””
“Vanessa Reed.””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
Daniel felt his anger return.
“What does she inherit?””
“Nothing directly. But she is named as the person authorized to receive certain medical and financial records if Rachel is unable to do so.””
Daniel looked at Vanessa.
“Why?””
Vanessa whispered, “I don't know.””
Catherine continued.
“And there's something else. Rachel signed that amendment two days before her final hospitalization.””
Daniel looked at the date.
Two days.
He remembered that day.
Rachel had been in terrible pain. She had barely eaten. He had held her hand while she slept.
And somewhere during those hours, she had signed legal documents appointing Vanessa to handle private records.
“Why would she do that?””
Catherine answered carefully.
“I'm not sure. But the signature appears genuine.””
Daniel ended the call.
He stared at Vanessa.
“Did Rachel trust you?””
Vanessa's voice was almost inaudible.
“I think she wanted to.””
“That's not good enough.””
He took Lily's hand.
“We're leaving.””
As they walked toward the door, Vanessa followed.
“Daniel, wait.””
He stopped.
“What?””
She reached into her bag again.
This time, she removed a small photograph.
It showed Rachel sitting in a hospital room, holding a newborn baby.
Daniel stared.
He had never seen the photograph.
Rachel looked exhausted but happy.
And the baby wore a tiny white bracelet.
On the bracelet was a handwritten name.
*BABY CARTER — GIRL.*
But the photograph had something else written on the back.
A sentence in Rachel's handwriting.
*The truth about Lily began before she was born. Ask Grace what happened at St. Mary's on October 14.*
Daniel looked at Vanessa.
“October 14 was Rachel's birthday.””
Vanessa nodded.
“Exactly.””
Daniel stared at the photograph.
Then he understood something.
Rachel wasn't simply questioning Lily's biological father.
She was questioning the circumstances of her own birth.
And the hospital where she had been born was the same hospital where she had died.
He looked toward the road.
“We're going to find Grace.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“Daniel, you can't.””
“Why?””
“Because I think she's already looking for us.””
Before Daniel could respond, his phone vibrated.
An email had arrived from an unknown sender.
The subject line read:
*THE TRUTH ABOUT YOUR DAUGHTER.*
There was one attachment.
A scanned hospital document.
Daniel opened it.
The first line showed Rachel Carter's name.
The second showed Lily Carter's name.
The third showed a handwritten note.
*NEWBORN IDENTIFICATION ERROR — TWO INFANTS AFFECTED.*
Daniel stopped breathing.
Beneath the note were two names.
Lily Carter.
May you like
And another baby girl.
*EMILY HALE.*
