Chapter 38 - THE WOMAN WHO GAVE ME AWAY
My entire life had been built on a lie.
I looked at the birth certificate again.
The name meant nothing to me.
But the photograph beside it did.
A young woman.
Dark hair.
Pale eyes.
The same eyes I saw in my own reflection.
"Where is she?"
Evelyn shook her head.
"We don't know."
"You said she was alive."
"She was."
"When?"
"Three months ago."
I stared at her.
"Three months?"
"She contacted me."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because she disappeared before I could bring her to you."
Sarah stepped closer.
"What was her name?"
Evelyn looked at her.
"Claire."
Sarah went pale.
"Claire?"
"You know her?"
Sarah nodded slowly.
"I met her once."
"When?"
"Nine years ago."
I looked at Sarah.
"Where?"
"At the hospital."
She hesitated.
"She was there when Leah was born."
My head spun.
"Why?"
"Because Claire knew the system was collapsing."
I looked at the photograph.
"Why did she give me away?"
Evelyn answered.
"Because she believed you would be safer without her."
I laughed bitterly.
"Everyone says that."
"I know."
"But nobody ever asks what it did to me."
Evelyn looked down.
"You were never abandoned."
"It felt like abandonment."
"I know."
Then Leah touched my hand.
"Dad?"
I looked at her.
She held up the white rabbit.
"There is something inside."
I took it.
We cut open the seam.
Inside was a tiny memory card.
Michael inserted it into the computer.
A video appeared.
A woman was sitting in a hospital room.
Claire.
My mother.
She looked directly into the camera.
"Graham."
My heart stopped.
"If you're watching this, then the system has finally found you."
She took a breath.
"I owe you the truth."
She explained everything.
She had discovered the family network when she was young.
She tried to expose it.
Her own father threatened her.
Then she became pregnant with me.
She knew Arthur would use me as leverage.
So she made a terrible decision.
She gave me to another family temporarily.
She planned to come back.
But Arthur found out.
He forced her into hiding.
Years passed.
She watched me from a distance.
She saw me grow up.
She knew when I married.
She knew when Leah came into my life.
She wanted to contact me.
But every time she tried, someone stopped her.
Then she said something that broke me.
"I didn't leave because I didn't love you."
"I left because I loved you more than I loved myself."
The video paused.
Then Claire leaned toward the camera.
"There's one thing you must know."
"The man who has been helping you..."
"Daniel..."
"He isn't Daniel."
I looked at the screen.
Michael froze.
Sarah covered her mouth.
The video continued.
"His real name is Thomas."
"Thomas Whitmore."
My father stepped backward.
I turned.
"Dad?"
He looked at the floor.
"He's your uncle."
The room went silent.
I looked toward the hallway.
Daniel was gone.
He had disappeared.
Then the computer displayed another message.
THOMAS HAS LEFT THE HOUSE.
Below it:
HE TOOK LEAH'S ORIGINAL FILE.
I grabbed my jacket.
"We're going after him."
My father stepped forward.
"No."
I looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because Thomas isn't running."
"Then what is he doing?"
May you like
My father looked terrified.
"He's going to Claire."
