Chapter 17 - The Sister Who Died Twice
We didn't go home.
We went to a safe house outside the city.
My mother was brought in under police guard.
Natalie refused to leave my side.
Daniel stayed close enough that I could feel his shoulder against mine every time he moved.
I couldn't stop thinking about Dad's note.
It's not you.
Whoever the true beneficiary was, my father had spent four years hiding them.
Maybe that was the whole point.
Not the money.
Not the insurance.
Not even the trust.
The beneficiary.
At six in the morning, Detective Morales entered with a file.
“We found Evelyn.”
Natalie stood so quickly her chair fell backward.
“Where?”
Morales looked at me.
“She contacted us.”
“Where is she?”
“She wants to meet you.”
My mother whispered, “No.”
Morales looked at her.
“She specifically requested Claire.”
My mother shook her head.
“She'll put Claire in danger.”
I stared at her.
“That's funny.”
She looked at me.
“Because that is exactly what everyone says whenever they don't want me to hear the truth.”
An hour later, we entered a small private nursing facility.
A woman sat beside the window.
Gray hair.
Thin face.
Dark glasses.
She turned before we spoke.
“Claire.”
I stopped.
I knew that voice.
“Evelyn.”
She smiled sadly.
“I wondered when you'd find me.”
Natalie stepped forward.
“Aunt Evelyn.”
Evelyn looked at her.
Tears filled her eyes.
“My little girl.”
Natalie began to cry.
“You're alive.”
“I am.”
“Why?”
Evelyn looked at my mother.
“Because your mother helped me fake my death.”
Mom looked away.
Natalie turned.
“You knew she was alive?”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“Seven years.”
Natalie's face broke.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because Arthur begged me not to.”
“Everyone keeps using Arthur.”
Evelyn nodded.
“Because he was trying to keep you alive.”
“From whom?”
Evelyn looked at me.
“From the person who knew what you were worth.”
I frowned.
“What am I worth?”
“Nothing.”
Her answer surprised me.
“The trust is worth money.”
“No.”
“The insurance?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
Evelyn whispered:
“Information.”
She removed a small key from her pocket.
The same letter E.
“Your father left this for you.”
“What does it open?”
“My final file.”
She handed it to me.
I opened it.
Inside were documents from fifteen years ago.
Hospital records.
Bank statements.
Legal papers.
And one photograph.
A newborn baby.
Natalie.
I stared.
Beneath it was a second photograph.
Me.
As a baby.
Side by side.
Evelyn pointed.
“The same day.”
I frowned.
“What does that mean?”
She looked at my mother.
“Tell her.”
Mom shook her head.
“Margaret.”
My mother's eyes filled with tears.
“That's not what it looks like.”
“What am I looking at?”
Evelyn answered.
“Two babies born forty-three minutes apart.”
My stomach dropped.
“Me and Natalie?”
“Yes.”
I looked at Natalie.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“That's impossible.”
“No.”
Evelyn's voice was gentle.
“It's the truth.”
Mom whispered:
“You weren't supposed to know.”
“Know what?”
Evelyn turned toward me.
“You and Natalie are twins.”
Everything inside me went silent.
Daniel took my hand.
I stared at Natalie.
She was crying.
“I always wondered why I felt like I knew you,” she whispered.
I couldn't answer.
Mom covered her face.
“Why?”
I finally managed.
“Why would you separate us?”
Mom lowered her hands.
“Because one of you was supposed to disappear.”
“Which one?”
She didn't answer.
Evelyn did.
“Natalie.”
My sister looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because Arthur believed they would use you to get to Claire.”
“So you gave me away?”
“I saved you.”
“You destroyed my life.”
“I know.”
The room was silent.
Evelyn continued.
“Arthur created the trust after he learned someone was trying to identify his children.”
I whispered:
“Our children?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because the person hunting him believed one of his daughters would inherit control.”
“Control of what?”
Evelyn opened another document.
The words stood out.
BENEFICIARY SUCCESSION CLAUSE.
“If the primary beneficiary dies, disappears, or becomes legally incapacitated, the trust passes to the surviving biological child.”
I stared.
“So either me or Natalie.”
“Yes.”
“And that's why they wanted us hidden.”
“Yes.”
I looked at my mother.
“You separated twins to protect a trust.”
“No.”
Mom shook her head.
“The trust was created to protect you from them.”
Evelyn's expression changed.
“That's not entirely true.”
Mom looked at her.
Evelyn said:
“The trust was created to expose them.”
I felt cold.
“What?”
“Arthur built it as bait.”
“For who?”
“For the people stealing the money.”
Evelyn opened a final envelope.
Inside was a list of names.
At the bottom, one name was circled.
Mr. Bennett.
I stared.
“But Dad said he was undercover.”
Evelyn shook her head.
“Arthur was wrong.”
My heart stopped.
“About what?”
“He wasn't investigating Bennett.”
“He was.”
“No.”
May you like
She looked at me.
“Bennett was investigating Arthur.”
