Chapter 4: The Woman Waiting Downstairs
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
I stared at Lily, trying to understand what she had just said.
“Sweetheart,” I whispered, “what do you mean?””
Lily shook her head.
“Mommy told me the other lady might look like her, but she isn't my real mommy.””
Vanessa grabbed the edge of the vanity.
“Daniel, don't listen to her. She's confused.””
I turned toward Vanessa.
“You're going to stop telling me what my daughter understands.””
“But she's six!””
“And somehow, she's been telling me more truth in five minutes than you've told me in three years.””
A knock sounded again.
Marcus stood in the doorway.
“Daniel, the woman downstairs is becoming impatient. She says she won't leave without seeing Lily.””
My stomach tightened.
“Did you see her face?””
“Yes.””
“Did she identify herself?””
“Alicia. She gave the receptionist your full name, your daughter's name, and the date of your wedding.””
I looked at Vanessa.
Her face had become almost colorless.
“Do you know her?”” I asked.
Vanessa shook her head.
But she was lying.
I could see it in the way she pressed her lips together.
“Marcus, take Lily somewhere secure. Stay with her. Nobody gets near her unless I authorize it.””
Lily immediately wrapped her arms around my waist.
“No, Daddy!””
I knelt.
“Baby, listen to me. I need you to stay with Marcus for a little while.””
“What if the lady takes me?””
“She won't.””
“What if Mommy doesn't come back?””
That question nearly broke me.
I kissed her forehead.
“I've spent three years trying to find your mother. I'm not going to stop now.””
Lily looked at the necklace in my hand.
“Don't forget the star.””
“I won't.””
Marcus gently took her hand.
As they walked toward the adjoining private suite, Lily turned around.
“Daddy?””
“Yes?””
“Don't let the other mommy touch your face.””
I froze.
“What did you say?””
But she had already disappeared behind the door.
I turned toward Vanessa.
“What does that mean?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“I don't know.””
“Enough.””
I picked up the photograph and the note.
“Marcus, lock the suite. Call the police. Tell them we may have a missing-person case involving a possible child identity fraud investigation.””
Marcus nodded.
Then he looked at Vanessa.
“Should I keep her here?””
I stared at the woman in the wedding dress.
“For now.””
Vanessa immediately protested.
“You cannot order him to hold me here!””
Marcus stepped aside.
“You're free to leave. But I wouldn't recommend it.””
She looked at me.
“Daniel, please. You need to hear my side.””
I walked out.
I had spent three years waiting for one person.
If the woman downstairs really was Alicia, I wasn't going to waste another second.
The hotel lobby was crowded.
Guests stood beneath enormous crystal chandeliers, holding champagne glasses and exchanging confused whispers.
The wedding coordinator hurried toward me.
“Mr. Hayes! Is everything all right? The ceremony is already twenty minutes behind schedule.””
“Cancel it.””
Her smile disappeared.
“I'm sorry?””
“Cancel the ceremony.””
I continued walking.
At the entrance, two security guards were standing beside a woman in a dark blue coat.
She had long black hair.
A familiar face.
A familiar posture.
My heart began racing.
Alicia.
She looked older than the woman in my memories. Her face was thinner, and there were faint lines around her eyes.
But it was her.
Or someone who looked exactly like her.
She saw me.
“Daniel.””
My legs nearly failed.
I stopped several feet away.
“Alicia?””
She smiled through tears.
“Oh, Daniel.””
She took one step forward.
I stepped backward.
Her smile faltered.
“What's wrong?””
I looked at her face.
Then I remembered Lily's words.
Don't let the other mommy touch your face.
I swallowed.
“Where have you been?””
Alicia lowered her eyes.
“I can explain.””
“Three years?””
“I know.””
“You let me search for you for three years?””
Her eyes filled.
“I didn't have a choice.””
I wanted to embrace her.
I wanted to ask a thousand questions.
I wanted to believe that the nightmare was finally over.
But something about her expression felt wrong.
She wasn't looking at me like a wife who had finally found her husband.
She was looking past me.
Toward the elevators.
“Where's Lily?”” she asked.
“Safe.””
“Bring her down.””
“Why?””
“Because she's my daughter.””
I looked at her carefully.
“Tell me something only Alicia would know.””
Her expression changed.
“Daniel, seriously?””
“Please.””
She sighed.
“Your mother hated the name you chose for Lily. She wanted you to call her Grace.””
I felt a small wave of relief.
That was true.
But it wasn't enough.
“What was the first thing you whispered to Lily when she was born?””
The woman hesitated.
Then she smiled.
“You told her she had her mother's eyes.””
My stomach tightened.
I had never told anyone that.
At least, I didn't think I had.
The woman reached for my hand.
“Daniel, please. I missed you.””
I stepped away again.
“Where is Evelyn Cross?””
Her face went completely still.
For the first time, the woman in front of me looked genuinely frightened.
“Why are you asking about her?””
“Because my daughter gave me a note.””
“What note?””
I watched her eyes.
“You know Evelyn?””
She shook her head.
“No.””
“Then why are you frightened?””
She glanced toward the security guards.
“Daniel, we need to leave. Now.””
“I'm not going anywhere.””
She lowered her voice.
“You don't understand what Vanessa has done.””
“What did Vanessa do?””
The woman leaned closer.
“She took everything from me.””
I stared at her.
“Did she?””
“Yes.””
“Then why did she tell me you called her yesterday?””
Alicia's expression shifted.
“Vanessa said that?””
I nodded.
The woman slowly shook her head.
“She never received a call from me.””
The words landed like a punch.
I took out my phone and showed her the message.
Then I showed her the call history.
She examined the screen.
Her hands began trembling.
“That isn't my number.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
“Daniel, I didn't call Vanessa yesterday.””
She pointed at the number.
“That's not my number.””
I pulled the phone away.
“Then who called her?””
Before she could answer, a voice came from behind me.
“Because I did.””
I turned.
Vanessa was standing at the bottom of the staircase.
Her wedding dress dragged across the marble floor. She was no longer wearing her diamond earrings.
She looked directly at the woman in the blue coat.
Then she said something that made the lobby go silent.
“Hello, Alicia. You weren't supposed to come back until after the wedding.””
The woman in front of me smiled.
But it wasn't a loving smile.
It was cold.
Calculated.
“Neither were you supposed to marry my husband.””
I looked between them.
Two women.
One name.
Three years of lies.
And suddenly I realized that neither woman was surprised to see the other.
They had been waiting for this confrontation.
Vanessa approached slowly.
“Daniel, please. Don't believe everything she tells you.””
Alicia laughed bitterly.
“That's rich coming from you.””
I stepped between them.
“Both of you. Stop.””
They went quiet.
I held up the silver star necklace.
“I'm asking one question. Which one of you knows what happened when Lily was born?””
Alicia's smile vanished.
Vanessa began crying.
May you like
Then Alicia looked at me and whispered:
“Daniel, before you ask anything else, you need to know that Lily was never supposed to leave that hospital with you.””
