PART 3 — THE SECRET HIDDEN IN MY DAUGHTER’S NAME
PART 3 — THE SECRET HIDDEN IN MY DAUGHTER’S NAME
The words kept repeating in my head.
“Who Lily’s real father is.”
I stood there holding the phone.
Unable to move.
Unable to breathe.
Daniel looked at me.
“Emily…”
But I stepped back.
Not because I hated him.
Because suddenly I didn’t know what was real anymore.
“What did he mean?”
My voice shook.
“Daniel.”
“Tell me.”
His face turned pale.
“I don’t know.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
“I’m not.”
His eyes filled with panic.
“I swear I’m not.”
Mark stepped between us.
“Both of you need to calm down.”
I looked at him.
“How can I calm down?”
“Someone put a camera inside my daughter’s toy.”
“Someone tracked her.”
“And now they’re saying she isn’t Daniel’s?”
My voice cracked.
“I deserve answers.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
Then whispered:
“There’s something I never told you.”
My stomach sank.
Of course there was.
“Before we met…”
He paused.
“I knew your father-in-law had done illegal things.”
I stared.
“What kind of things?”
“Business.”
“Money.”
“Manipulation.”
He looked ashamed.
“My father has always believed people are tools.”
I remembered all the times my in-laws smiled too perfectly.
All the gifts.
All the expensive presents.
All the comments about Lily.
“Why did they suddenly care about her?”
Daniel didn’t answer.
And again…
That silence hurt.
Then Mark interrupted.
“Wait.”
He looked at the bear.
“Did your in-laws have access to Lily’s medical records?”
Daniel frowned.
“No.”
“Birth certificate?”
A pause.
Daniel looked at me.
And I knew.
Something was wrong.
“Daniel.”
My voice lowered.
“What?”
He swallowed.
“They asked for a copy last year.”
My heart stopped.
“Why?”
“They said they wanted to open a savings account for her.”
I laughed bitterly.
“Of course.”
Because it sounded sweet.
Normal.
Grandparents helping.
But now?
Everything looked different.
Mark immediately pulled out his phone.
“I’m checking something.”
“What?”
“Lily’s identity records.”
I felt cold.
“What do you mean?”
He looked at me.
“Emily, if someone is trying to prove something…”
A pause.
“They may have already been collecting evidence.”
The room went silent.
Ten minutes later…
Mark looked up.
And his face had changed.
“What?”
I asked.
He hesitated.
Then:
“There’s a problem.”
My hands started shaking.
“What problem?”
He turned the screen toward me.
A request had been filed.
A DNA test request.
For Lily.
Requested three weeks ago.
By someone in Daniel’s family.
I looked at Daniel.
He looked as shocked as me.
“I didn’t know.”
“Who signed it?”
I asked.
Mark zoomed in.
And then we saw the name.
Teresa Carter.
Daniel’s mother.
My vision blurred.
“Your mother?”
Daniel whispered.
Mark nodded.
Then his phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Hello?”
A few seconds passed.
His face became serious.
“What?”
He looked at me.
Then at Daniel.
“Where are you?”
Silence.
“What do you mean she’s missing?”
My blood turned to ice.
“Who’s missing?”
I asked.
Mark slowly lowered the phone.
“Lily.”
The world stopped.
“No.”
I whispered.
“She’s upstairs.”
I ran.
I didn’t think.
I didn’t breathe.
I just ran.
Her bedroom door was open.
The bed was empty.
The blanket was folded.
Her favorite stuffed rabbit was still there.
But Lily was gone.
And on her pillow…
Was a small note.
My hands shook as I picked it up.
Only one sentence was written.
“You should have listened and left the bear alone.”
Behind me, Daniel whispered:
“Emily…”
I turned.
Because I heard something.
From outside.
A car engine.
Leaving.
And through the window…
I saw the vehicle.
The same black SUV that had followed us twice last month.
The same car my father-in-law drove.
My daughter had been taken.
And the people who claimed to love her…
May you like
were the ones who stole her.
TO BE CONTINUED…
