Chapter 10 - THE BLOOD THAT CONNECTED THEM|
The hospital bracelet changed the investigation.
Graham ordered a complete review of the old medical records.
Walter Hayes worked through the night.
By morning, he had discovered that two newborn girls had been registered at the same private clinic on the same day.
One was Catherine Costa.
The other was Tabitha Hayes.
But the original records had been altered.
"Someone switched the names," Walter explained.
Tabitha sat across from him.
"Why?"
"To hide one child's identity."
Graham looked at the documents.
"Which child was supposed to disappear?"
Walter removed a second file.
"Catherine."
He explained that Isabella had discovered her daughter had inherited a rare medical condition that made her vulnerable to a group of criminals who wanted to use her as leverage against the family.
Elizabeth had offered to take Catherine away.
But during the escape, the two women became separated.
Catherine vanished.
Tabitha was raised by Elizabeth.
The official records had been changed to make it appear that Tabitha was the only surviving child.
Graham stared at Tabitha.
"Are you saying she might be my sister?"
Walter shook his head.
"The records suggest you share a mother. But we need independent testing."
Tabitha looked horrified.
Graham immediately understood.
"Whatever the results say, you are safe here."
She looked at him.
"What if we're related?"
"Then we'll have the answer. Nothing else changes about your right to be protected."
She lowered her eyes.
For the first time since entering the mansion, she seemed to feel completely alone.
Graham wanted to comfort her.
But he didn't know how.
Instead, he moved the chair closer.
"You're not facing this alone."
Two days later, the medical results arrived.
The report confirmed that Tabitha and Graham were half-siblings.
They shared the same mother.
Graham read the report in silence.
Then he placed it on the desk.
Tabitha watched him carefully.
"Are you angry?"
"No."
"Disappointed?"
His eyes lifted.
"Why would I be?"
"Because everything is different now."
Graham stood.
"Listen to me. You are not responsible for what our parents did. You are not responsible for the lies they told. And you will never have to earn your place in this family."
Tabitha began crying.
He opened his arms.
She stepped forward and hugged him.
It was the first time he had embraced anyone without feeling the old instinct to pull away.
But their reunion was interrupted by a phone call.
Anthony Russo had escaped from custody.
Worse, he had taken the original inheritance documents.
Graham's face turned cold.
"How?"
The security director answered.
"Someone inside the medical wing helped him."
Graham looked toward the door.
"Who?"
The officer lowered his voice.
"Dr. Simon Hale."
Tabitha stepped back.
"Daniel's doctor?"
"Yes."
Graham immediately ordered a lockdown.
But before the guards could move, the mansion's main alarm sounded.
A security officer rushed inside.
"Boss! There's a vehicle approaching the east gate."
"Identify it."
The officer checked his tablet.
"It's registered to your father."
Graham went completely still.
May you like
His father had supposedly died seven years earlier.
And the man stepping out of the vehicle was carrying a newspaper with that morning's date.
