Chapter 24 - ELENA
We found Elena three days later.
Not because she wanted to be found.
Because she wanted us to know she could disappear whenever she wanted.
She contacted me.
A text.
One sentence.
Meet me where Leah was born.
I went alone.
Nah wanted to come.
I refused.
This wasn't about pride.
It was about keeping Leah away from danger.
The hospital had been renovated.
But the old maternity wing still existed.
Elena was waiting near the back entrance.
Blue coat.
Dark hair.
Pale blue eyes.
She looked at me.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then she said:
"You look like your father."
I stared at her.
"Who are you?"
She took a breath.
"My name is Elena Whitmore."
"Are you related to my family?"
She nodded.
"Yes."
"How?"
Her eyes filled with tears.
"I am your father's sister."
I stepped backward.
"My father had a sister?"
"He did."
"Why didn't I know?"
"Because your grandfather erased me."
My mind raced.
"Why?"
"Because I tried to stop him."
"Stop him from what?"
Elena looked toward the hospital.
"From taking children."
My jaw tightened.
"Leah?"
She nodded.
"I found out what Arthur was doing before anyone else."
"And you tried to save her?"
"I did."
"Then why did you disappear?"
"Because your father betrayed me."
I stared at her.
"My father?"
"He was afraid."
She reached inside her coat.
She pulled out a folded document.
"Read this."
I opened it.
It was a legal guardianship agreement.
Leah's name was on it.
My name was on it.
But there was another signature.
Elena's.
"What is this?"
"I was supposed to become Leah's legal guardian if something happened to you."
My hands shook.
"Why?"
"Because Arthur wanted you removed."
I looked at her.
"And you stopped him."
"I tried."
"Did you?"
She looked away.
"Not completely."
I waited.
"There was another person."
"Who?"
Elena's face changed.
"The person who kept paying the adoption agency."
I stared at her.
"Who?"
She whispered:
"Your grandfather."
I shook my head.
"He's dead."
"Yes."
"Then how?"
Elena looked directly at me.
"Because he didn't make those payments."
I frowned.
"Who did?"
She handed me another document.
The name at the bottom made my stomach drop.
It wasn't Arthur.
It wasn't my father.
It wasn't my mother.
It wasn't Elena.
It was mine.
GRAHAM WHITMORE.
I stared at the signature.
"I never signed this."
"I know."
"Then someone forged my name."
Elena nodded.
"And they have been using your identity for nine years."
"For what?"
She looked toward the hospital.
"To keep Leah hidden."
I couldn't speak.
Then Elena said the words that changed everything.
"Arthur wasn't trying to take Leah."
"He was trying to find the person who had been hiding her from him."
I looked at her.
"Who?"
May you like
She whispered:
"You."
