Chapter 16 - THE OTHER CHILD|
The discovery of a second infant changed everything.
Marco ordered Daniel to search the original hospital records while Catherine contacted former clinic employees. Within hours, they found an entry that had been removed from the public registry.
Two girls had been delivered on the night of the fire.
One was Isabella's daughter, Lily Duca.
The other was a baby girl whose mother had been listed as unknown.
The infant's temporary name was Ava.
No death certificate had been issued.
No adoption record existed.
The child had simply disappeared.
Marco sat in his study while Daniel spread the documents across the desk.
"Could they have been twins?" Marco asked.
Isabella shook her head.
"The doctor told me I was carrying one child. I had no reason to believe otherwise."
"Then who was Ava's mother?"
"We need the original birth record."
Catherine found the name of the nurse who had signed the delivery report. She was living in a retirement community outside Albany.
When they arrived, the nurse refused to speak until Isabella showed her the silver pendant.
The old woman's hands began to shake.
"I thought that necklace had been destroyed."
"Who was Ava?" Marco asked.
The nurse closed her eyes.
"She was the daughter of a woman named Rebecca Vale."
Catherine stood abruptly.
"Rebecca was my aunt."
The nurse nodded.
"She worked at the clinic. She discovered that Eleanor was using the facility to falsify medical records for wealthy clients. When she threatened to expose the scheme, Eleanor arranged for Rebecca to be declared mentally unstable."
"What happened to the baby?" Marco asked.
"The child was taken into private custody."
"By whom?"
The nurse looked at Catherine.
"Your father signed the transfer."
Catherine's face went pale.
Thomas Vale had not been killed simply because he discovered Eleanor's financial crimes. He had been investigating the disappearance of his niece.
Ava was his family's last living connection to the truth.
"Where is she now?" Catherine whispered.
The nurse opened a drawer and removed an old envelope.
Inside was a photograph of a teenage girl with dark hair and striking gray eyes.
On the back was a name.
AVA CROSS.
Daniel stared at the photograph.
"Cross?"
The nurse nodded.
"The family that took her in was given money to keep her identity secret."
Marco turned toward Daniel.
"Is there any relation to you?"
Daniel looked shaken.
"My older sister was named Ava. She was adopted when I was six. My parents told me her birth mother had died."
Catherine looked at him.
"Your sister is Rebecca Vale's daughter."
Daniel sat down heavily.
For years, he had believed Ava was an ordinary adopted child who had left home after a family dispute. He had not seen her in nearly a decade.
Now he realized that his own family had been drawn into Eleanor's scheme without understanding why.
"Where is she?" Marco asked.
Daniel took out his phone.
"She works in Boston. She's a forensic accountant."
"Call her."
Daniel dialed the number.
It rang four times.
Then a woman answered.
"Daniel?"
His voice broke.
"Ava, I need you to listen carefully. I think someone has been lying to you about your birth."
Silence.
Then Ava asked, "Is this about the woman who visited me last night?"
Daniel froze.
"What woman?"
"She said her name was Eleanor Duca."
Marco took the phone.
"What did she tell you?"
Ava's voice trembled.
"She said my biological family was dead. She said if I wanted to know the truth, I should come to Manhattan."
"Don't go anywhere."
"Why?"
Marco looked at Isabella, then at Lily.
"Because Eleanor has spent your entire life making sure you never find out who you are."
May you like
Ava whispered, "She already knows I'm coming."
The line went dead.
