Chapter 9 - The Family Dinner From HellThe person hunting Sarah wasn't outside the family. He was sitting at our table.

We barely escaped the marina.

A black SUV appeared on the road.

Miss Castellano called the police.

Sarah and Juny hid beneath the dock.

The vehicle stopped.

A man stepped out.

My father.

I almost screamed.

But Miss Castellano grabbed my arm.

"Wait."

My father looked around.

Then another man got out.

Holt.

Davina's husband.

They argued.

I couldn't hear the words.

Then Holt handed my father an envelope.

My father's face changed.

He shoved it back.

"Not here."

Holt turned.

He looked directly toward the marina.

I realized he knew.

We escaped through the back road.

By noon, the police had both men detained for questioning.

Neither was charged.

But something had changed.

For the first time, my father could no longer control the story.

That evening, we returned to the lake house.

My mother was waiting.

She looked ten years older.

"Where is Juny?"

"Safe."

"And Sarah?"

"Safe."

My mother sat down.

"I can explain."

I stared at her.

"Then explain."

She took a breath.

"Your grandfather had an offshore account."

"How much?"

"Twenty-three million."

I laughed.

"Twenty-three million?"

"He built it through shell companies."

"Who knew?"

"Augusta."

"Daniel?"

"Yes."

"Your father?"

"Yes."

"Davina?"

My mother hesitated.

"Eventually."

"And Holt?"

She looked away.

That was enough.

"How did Juny inherit anything?"

"Because Augusta moved the assets before she died."

"Into Juny's trust?"

"Yes."

"All of them?"

"No."

"What wasn't moved?"

My mother stared at me.

"The money tied to Elise."

I felt cold.

"What money?"

"Her inheritance."

"Where is it?"

My mother opened her handbag.

She took out an old photograph.

It showed Grandma Augusta with two infants.

One was Juny.

The other was Sarah.

I stared.

"These babies were photographed together?"

"Yes."

"Where?"

"Augusta's private clinic."

"Why?"

"Because she wanted proof."

"Proof of what?"

My mother swallowed.

"That the girls were switched."

I couldn't breathe.

"What?"

She pointed at Juny.

"Your daughter was born first."

Then Sarah.

"But the hospital records were reversed."

"Why?"

"Because someone paid the doctor."

I felt sick.

"Who?"

My mother said:

"Your father."

I turned toward him.

He stood in the doorway.

"I didn't switch them."

"Then what did you do?"

He looked at me.

"I changed the records after the fact."

"Why?"

"Because Sarah was the heir."

My heart stopped.

"What?"

"Elise was Augusta's granddaughter."

Juny was not.

Sarah was.

The lake house, the trust, the inheritance.

All of it had originally belonged to Sarah.

"Then why did Grandma leave it to Juny?"

My father whispered:

"Because Sarah asked her to."

Sarah stepped into the room.

Everyone turned.

She looked at my father.

"I didn't want the money."

He stared.

"I wanted the truth."

My father looked defeated.

Then Sarah turned toward me.

"Your mother doesn't know the whole story."

"What's missing?"

She held out an envelope.

"This."

I opened it.

Inside was a confession.

Signed by Davina.

I read the first sentence.

I know what happened to Elise.

My stomach dropped.

The next line was worse.

And I know who ordered it.

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