Chapter 8: The Mother Who Came Back From the Dead
Vincent reached the foyer first.
Elena followed close behind.
Daniel came down the staircase, holding his phone and watching the security cameras.
Victoria remained in the study.
The woman standing beside the front door was in her late fifties. She wore a long beige coat, simple black shoes, and a dark scarf.
Her hair was streaked with silver.
She looked tired.
But there was something familiar in her face.
The shape of her eyes.
The curve of her mouth.
Elena stopped halfway down the stairs.
“Rebecca?””
The woman turned.
Her expression changed.
“Elena.””
Elena descended the remaining steps.
For a moment, she simply stared.
Then Rebecca opened her arms.
Elena rushed into them.
The embrace was awkward at first, as though neither woman knew whether the other was real.
Then Elena began crying.
“You were supposed to be gone,” she whispered.
Rebecca held her tightly.
“I know.””
“You never came back.””
“I couldn't.””
“You knew I was alive?””
Rebecca closed her eyes.
“Not until recently.””
Elena stepped back.
“Why?””
Rebecca looked at Vincent.
“Because Thomas told me both of my daughters were dead.””
Vincent frowned.
“Both?””
Rebecca's eyes moved toward the staircase.
“Where is Grace?””
“She'll be down shortly,” Vincent replied.
Rebecca nodded.
Then she looked at Thomas.
“Why did you bring him here?””
Thomas smiled.
“Family reunion.””
Rebecca's expression hardened.
“This isn't a reunion.””
She turned toward Vincent.
“I need to speak to you privately.””
“Not until you explain why you've been missing for thirty years.””
Rebecca looked down.
Then she slowly removed her scarf.
A pale scar ran across the side of her neck.
“I was attacked shortly after Daniel was born.””
Daniel stepped closer.
“You were attacked?””
Rebecca nodded.
“Your father arranged for me to disappear. He said the family would never accept you. I refused to surrender my child, so he arranged an accident.””
Daniel stared at her.
“You left me.””
Rebecca began crying.
“I thought I was protecting you.””
“You left me with strangers.””
“I was told they would keep you safe.””
Daniel turned away.
Thomas laughed quietly.
“Such a touching story.””
Rebecca looked at him.
“You should be ashamed.””
Thomas shrugged.
“I'm not the one who abandoned two children.””
Vincent moved between them.
“Enough.””
He looked at Rebecca.
“Where have you been?””
“In a small town outside Charleston. I changed my name. I worked in a nursing home.””
“Why come back now?””
Rebecca reached into her coat and removed a photograph.
It showed a younger Richard Sterling standing beside a woman holding a baby.
Vincent recognized his father.
The woman was Rebecca.
But the baby was not Daniel.
It was a little girl.
“Who is that?”” Vincent asked.
Rebecca swallowed.
“My second child.””
Elena looked at her.
“You had another baby?””
Rebecca nodded.
“After Daniel was taken from me, I became pregnant again. Richard promised he would protect the child. He told me the baby would be raised with everything I had been denied.””
Vincent's expression tightened.
“Who was the child?””
Rebecca looked toward the stairs.
“Grace.””
Grace appeared a few minutes later.
She held the railing as she descended, one hand protecting her belly.
When she saw Rebecca, she stopped.
Her lips trembled.
“Mom?””
Rebecca turned.
For several seconds, she couldn't speak.
Then she took one step forward.
“Hello, sweetheart.””
Grace began crying.
She descended the remaining stairs and stood in front of her mother.
“Where have you been?””
Rebecca reached for her face.
“I'm here now.””
“Why did Grandma tell me you were dead?””
“Because she believed it was the only way to keep you safe.””
Grace shook her head.
“I waited for you.””
Rebecca closed her eyes.
“I know.””
“I used to think you would come back every Christmas.””
Rebecca began sobbing.
“I wanted to.””
Grace placed one hand against her mother's chest.
“Then why didn't you?””
Rebecca had no answer.
Vincent watched the reunion in silence.
He understood grief.
But this was something different.
These women had spent decades living with stories that were deliberately constructed to keep them apart.
And now the truth was finally standing in the same room.
They gathered in the dining room.
Rebecca sat beside Grace.
Daniel sat opposite her.
Elena remained close to Vincent.
Thomas stood near the fireplace, refusing to sit.
Vincent placed Eleanor's letter on the table.
“Tell me about the original deed.””
Rebecca nodded.
“Your grandmother hid it in the old west wing. She told me before she died.””
“Why didn't you retrieve it?””
“Because Thomas had people watching the estate.””
Thomas laughed.
“You're exaggerating.””
Rebecca looked at him.
“You tried to have me killed twice.””
Thomas's smile faded.
Vincent turned.
“Explain.””
Rebecca folded her hands.
“After Richard died, Thomas came looking for the trust documents. He believed the original deed gave him control of the entire foundation.””
“It does,” Thomas said.
Rebecca shook her head.
“No. It gives control to the Morgan descendants. All of them.””
Daniel leaned forward.
“Why would Thomas believe otherwise?””
“Because he had a copy of the amended deed. The real document was changed before Richard died.””
Vincent looked at the paperwork.
“Who changed it?””
“Your father.””
Thomas stepped forward.
“That's a lie.””
Rebecca continued.
“Richard realized what he had done. He had spent years taking money from the foundation, manipulating the trust, and hiding his children. Before he died, he attempted to correct everything.””
Vincent looked at the family ring.
“Then why did he give Thomas the ring?””
Rebecca's face changed.
“He didn't.””
Everyone turned toward her.
Rebecca reached into her handbag.
She removed a small velvet pouch.
Inside was another gold signet ring.
The same Sterling family crest.
But the initials on the inside were different.
R.S.
Rebecca placed it on the table.
“Richard gave me the original ring. He said it was supposed to go to the rightful heir.””
Vincent looked at Thomas's hand.
“Then where did yours come from?””
Thomas slowly removed his ring.
He examined it.
Then he looked at Rebecca.
“You stole it.””
Rebecca shook her head.
“No. I gave it to you.””
Thomas frowned.
“What?””
“Thirty years ago. You were a little boy. You came to see your father at the old estate. He told me to give you something to remember him by.””
Thomas stared at the ring.
Rebecca continued.
“I never said it made you the heir.””
Thomas's face darkened.
“You're lying.””
“No. You're wearing a replica.””
Daniel looked at the ring.
Then at the pouch.
The difference was obvious.
Thomas had spent years believing the ring proved his father's affection.
It was nothing more than a copy.
Vincent looked at Rebecca.
“Why did you come tonight?””
Rebecca reached into her bag again.
This time she removed a small metal key.
“Because I found something Richard left behind.””
She placed it beside the original ring.
“It's the key to the west wing's foundation compartment.””
Vincent stared at it.
“Where did you get this?””
“Your father's solicitor gave it to me.””
Thomas immediately moved toward the table.
Vincent stood.
“Don't.””
Thomas stopped.
His expression had changed.
The friendly smile was gone.
“Give me the key.””
Rebecca shook her head.
“No.””
Thomas took another step.
Vincent moved in front of him.
“You're finished.””
Thomas laughed.
“You still think this is about a piece of paper?””
He looked directly at Vincent.
“Your father left something else in that foundation compartment.””
“What?””
Thomas's eyes moved toward Grace.
“Something that proves her baby shouldn't exist.””
Grace instinctively placed both hands over her stomach.
Rebecca stood.
“Don't you dare.””
Thomas smiled.
“Ask your mother what happened the night you were born.””
Grace looked at Rebecca.
“Mom?””
Rebecca's face went pale.
Vincent turned toward her.
“What happened?””
Rebecca closed her eyes.
Then she whispered:
“Grace wasn't supposed to survive.””
The room went silent.
Daniel stood.
“What does that mean?””
Rebecca looked at her daughter.
“Richard ordered the hospital to record your birth as a stillbirth. He wanted you erased from the Morgan family records.””
Grace began shaking.
“Why?””
“Because you were the only child who could inherit everything.””
Thomas nodded.
“And because she was the only one whose existence could invalidate my father's agreement.””
Vincent looked at Rebecca.
“Who saved her?””
Rebecca turned toward the hallway.
Before she could answer, a phone vibrated on the table.
It belonged to Vincent.
An unknown number.
He answered.
“Vincent Sterling.””
A man's voice spoke.
“Mr. Sterling, this is Detective Reed. I need you to leave the mansion immediately.””
Vincent frowned.
“Why?””
“Because we just found the original fire investigation records.””
“And?””
“The report identifies the person who ordered the fire.””
Vincent looked toward Thomas.
“Who?””
Detective Reed hesitated.
Then he said:
“Your mother.””
Vincent's face went completely blank.
His mother had been dead for seven years.
But according to the original report, she had signed the authorization herself.
May you like
And the second signature belonged to someone who was still inside the mansion.
Victoria.
