Chapter 11: The Baby Who Was Never Supposed to Survive
"Because your real daughter died five years ago."
The sentence destroyed the room.
I stared at my mother.
Then at Lily.
Then back at my mother.
No.
My mind refused to accept it.
"No."
My voice came out weak.
"No, that isn't true."
My mother held Lily closer.
Her eyes filled with tears.
"I know how it sounds."
"It sounds impossible."
"It is."
She looked at me.
"But it's the truth."
I stepped forward.
My entire body was shaking.
"Give me my daughter."
My mother didn't move.
"Mom."
This time, my voice broke.
"Give me Lily."
Slowly...
She walked toward me.
She placed my baby in my arms.
The second I felt Lily against my chest, I almost collapsed.
She was warm.
Alive.
Real.
My daughter.
No matter what anyone said.
No matter what secrets existed.
She was my daughter.
I held her tightly.
Then I looked at my mother.
"Explain."
Nobody spoke.
Even Daniel looked like he needed answers.
My mother sat down.
For the first time, she looked old.
Not just older.
Broken.
"I made the hardest choice of my life."
Rachel crossed her arms.
"The choice to steal someone's child?"
My mother looked at her.
"No."
Her voice was quiet.
"The choice to save two children."
The room became silent.
"Two?"
My mother nodded.
"Yours."
She looked at me.
"And another."
Daniel stepped forward.
"What happened five years ago?"
My mother looked at him.
"You know what happened."
"No."
His voice was cold.
"I know pieces."
She looked away.
"Then you never knew the whole truth."
She took a deep breath.
"When Max was born, Dr. Vale was already watching your family."
She looked at me.
"Because of your bloodline."
I hated that word.
Bloodline.
A word that had turned my entire life upside down.
"He believed your children carried something valuable."
Rachel asked:
"What exactly?"
My mother shook her head.
"I never understood the science."
"Then why were you involved?"
Her eyes filled with regret.
"Because I was trying to save my daughter."
Me.
She looked at me.
"Before you were born, I discovered what Dr. Vale was doing."
My heart tightened.
"You knew him before?"
She nodded.
"He was not always a monster."
Everyone listened.
"He was a doctor who wanted to help people."
Rachel looked skeptical.
"And then?"
My mother looked at Lily.
"Power changed him."
She continued.
"He became obsessed with creating a perfect genetic match."
A chill moved through me.
"He believed some children could unlock medical breakthroughs."
Daniel whispered:
"The research."
My mother nodded.
"Yes."
She looked at Max.
"And Max was one of the children he wanted."
Max stepped closer.
"Because of me?"
My mother immediately softened.
"No, sweetheart."
She knelt.
"None of this is your fault."
Max looked down.
"But why me?"
My mother looked at him sadly.
"Because you were born with something they wanted."
Then she looked at me.
"But Lily..."
She stopped.
I held my daughter tighter.
"What about Lily?"
My mother closed her eyes.
"She was never supposed to be part of this."
"What does that mean?"
"She was born five years ago."
I froze.
"No."
My mother nodded.
"The baby Dr. Vale wanted was not Max."
Daniel looked shocked.
"Then who?"
My mother's eyes moved toward me.
"Your sister."
The room became silent.
"My twin?"
She nodded.
"She was born with the same marker."
Rachel stepped forward.
"But you said she died."
My mother looked devastated.
"That is what they wanted everyone to believe."
I felt dizzy.
"Then where is she?"
Nobody answered.
Again.
The silence was unbearable.
My mother looked at Daniel.
"Tell her."
Daniel looked away.
My heart sank.
"What does he know?"
My mother whispered:
"Your sister was the first child they took."
I covered my mouth.
"No."
"And she was used to create the research that led them to Max."
I looked at Max.
Then Lily.
A terrible connection formed.
They weren't random victims.
They were connected.
My family was the beginning of everything.
Then my mother said something that made Daniel freeze.
"The night Max disappeared..."
She looked at him.
"You didn't save him."
Daniel's face changed.
"What?"
"You only saved the part of the truth you could handle."
Nobody moved.
"What does that mean?"
My mother looked at me.
"Daniel knows where your sister is."
I turned slowly.
"Daniel?"
He didn't answer.
My heart broke.
Again.
"Is that true?"
Daniel looked like he wanted to speak.
But no words came.
My mother continued.
"He found her years ago."
Rachel stared.
"You found her?"
Daniel closed his eyes.
"I thought she was dead."
"She wasn't."
"How could I know?"
My mother shook her head.
"Because she was standing in front of you."
The room froze.
Rachel looked confused.
I felt my blood run cold.
"Standing in front of him?"
My mother nodded.
"Your sister has been close to this family for years."
A terrible thought entered my mind.
"No."
My mother looked at me.
"I'm sorry."
Then she said:
"The woman you have trusted most..."
A pause.
"The woman who helped raise Max..."
"The woman who cried when Lily was born..."
My mother's voice broke.
"Was your missing sister."
Nobody breathed.
I stared.
Because there was only one person who came to mind.
One person who had always been there.
One person who knew our family better than anyone.
And then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A woman's voice spoke.
A voice I recognized.
A voice that made my blood freeze.
"Hello, sister."
I couldn't move.
May you like
Because the woman on the phone...
Was my best friend.
