Daniel: “Claire, where did Mom get this photograph?”
Claire: “It was in her old things.”
Daniel: “Who is the girl?”
Claire lowered her eyes.
Claire: “Her name was Anna.”
Daniel stared at her.
Daniel: “Was?”
Claire: “Your mother told me she died when she was very young.”
Daniel shook his head.
Daniel: “I never had a sister.”
Claire: “That's what your father told you.”
Daniel looked stunned.
Daniel: “Why would my parents hide a child from me?”
Claire walked toward the counter.
Claire: “Because your father believed Anna's existence would destroy the family.”
Daniel: “That's not an answer.”
Claire: “Your father had a second family before he married your mother.”
Daniel stepped backward.
Daniel: “No.”
Claire: “Anna was his daughter.”
Daniel looked at Sophie.
The little girl was still holding his hand.
Daniel: “Why is Sophie involved in this?”
Claire began crying.
Claire: “Because your mother came here today to tell Sophie something.”
Daniel: “What?”
Claire: “She told Sophie that Anna was alive.”
Daniel's face went completely still.
Daniel: “Alive?”
Sophie nodded.
Sophie: “Grandma said Aunt Anna lives far away.”
Daniel looked back at the photograph.
Daniel: “Then why did Grandma tell everyone she died?”
Claire took a shaky breath.
Claire: “Because Anna was taken away when she was a baby.”
Daniel: “Taken by who?”
Claire didn't answer.
Daniel picked up the folded paper from his mother's handbag.
He opened it.
It was an old hospital record.
At the bottom was a name Daniel recognized.
His father's name.
Beside it was another name.
Anna Wilson.
Daniel: “This says she was transferred to another hospital.”
Claire: “Yes.”
Daniel: “And then?”
Claire: “Your father told everyone she died.”
Daniel's hands began shaking.
Daniel: “Why would he do that?”
Claire: “Because Anna's mother threatened to expose him.”
Daniel stared at his wife.
Daniel: “Expose him for what?”
Claire looked toward the hallway.
Claire: “For stealing money from the family business.”
Daniel slowly sat down.
His father had always been remembered as a respected businessman.
The family had inherited properties, investments, and a large trust fund after his death.
But now Daniel wondered whether any of it had been built honestly.
Daniel: “Where is Mom?”
Claire: “She went to meet Anna.”
Daniel stood immediately.
Daniel: “Where?”
Claire handed him another piece of paper.
There was an address written on it.
Claire: “She said if she didn't come back, you should go there.”
Daniel looked at Sophie.
Daniel: “Stay with Mommy.”
Sophie grabbed his sleeve.
Sophie: “Daddy, Grandma said you shouldn't go alone.”
Daniel stopped.
Daniel: “Why?”
Sophie looked frightened.
Sophie: “Because the man who hurt Grandma might be there.”
Daniel's face hardened.
For the first time, he realized his mother had not simply left the house.
She had been afraid.
And someone had made her afraid.
Daniel: “Claire, call the police.”
Claire: “What?”
Daniel: “I'm going to find my mother.”
Claire: “Daniel, wait.”
Daniel: “No more secrets.”
He took the address and walked toward the door.
Sophie watched him leave with tears in her eyes.
She had only wanted to protect her father.
Instead, she had opened a secret that had been buried for decades.
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