Chapter 9 - Evelyn spent the night awake.She couldn't sleep.

She couldn't cry.

She couldn't even think in a straight line.

Her mother had supposedly died twenty-seven years ago.

Now Michael claimed she had visited him while Evelyn was in prison.

Impossible.

Unless everything Evelyn believed about her childhood had been constructed.

At dawn, Michael finally told her the location.

A small town in Oregon.

A woman named Claire Morgan.

He said Claire was Evelyn's mother.

Evelyn refused to believe him.

But she went.

The house stood at the edge of a forest.

An elderly woman opened the door.

She stared at Evelyn.

Then covered her mouth.

“My little girl.”

Evelyn stopped.

The woman began crying.

Evelyn's entire body shook.

“No.”

“Evelyn.”

“Don't call me that.”

“It is your name.”

“My mother is dead.”

The woman nodded through tears.

“I know what they told you.”

“Who are you?”

The woman stepped into the light.

Evelyn recognized the eyes.

Not the face.

The eyes.

Her own eyes.

“I'm your mother.”

Evelyn backed away.

“No.”

“I never wanted to leave you.”

“Why did you?”

“To keep you alive.”

“From Victor?”

The woman froze.

“You know.”

Evelyn laughed bitterly.

“Apparently I know nothing.”

Claire invited them inside.

She told Evelyn everything.

Twenty-seven years earlier, Victor had been involved in a financial network.

Evelyn's father discovered the fraud.

He wanted to expose it.

Claire helped him.

Victor retaliated.

He threatened their child.

So Evelyn's father staged Claire's death.

She disappeared.

But she watched Evelyn from a distance.

She saw her grow.

Saw her marry.

Saw Olivia become her closest friend.

And she knew Olivia's family was still involved.

“Why didn't you tell me?”

“Because every time I came near you, someone followed me.”

Evelyn sat silently.

Then she asked:

“Did you know Michael?”

“Yes.”

“Did you know what he planned?”

Claire's expression changed.

“I knew he was trying to protect you.”

“Then why did he hurt me?”

“Because he thought sacrifice was the only way.”

Evelyn shook her head.

“Everyone keeps using that word.”

Claire reached for her hand.

“Your father made a final plan.”

“What plan?”

“If he died, the trust would transfer.”

“To me.”

“No.”

Evelyn frowned.

“To whom?”

Claire looked toward Daniel.

“To your child.”

Evelyn froze.

“My child?”

Claire nodded.

“Your father believed the only way to keep Victor away from the money was to put the inheritance beyond your control.”

“But I don't have a child.”

Claire's expression became almost painful.

“You did.”

The room went silent.

“What?”

“You were pregnant when you went to prison.”

Evelyn stopped breathing.

“I wasn't.”

“Your doctors knew.”

“Michael knew?”

Claire nodded.

“Olivia knew.”

Evelyn's hands began shaking.

“What happened?”

Claire looked away.

“You miscarried.”

Evelyn's eyes filled with tears.

“No.”

“They told you it was stress.”

Evelyn remembered.

She had been sick during the first weeks of her sentence.

The prison doctor had said stress.

She had believed it.

Claire whispered:

“It wasn't a miscarriage.”

Evelyn looked at her.

“What do you mean?”

“They took the baby.”

Silence.

“What?”

“They told you the child was dead.”

Evelyn's voice trembled.

“Where is my baby?”

Claire looked at Daniel.

Then at Michael.

Michael had followed them inside.

His face was white.

He whispered:

“Sophie.”

Evelyn stared.

“No.”

Michael's voice broke.

“Your baby didn't die.”

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Evelyn couldn't move.

“Sophie is yours.”