Chapter 10 - The DNA TestThe next morning, I took Emma to a private laboratory.
I didn't tell anyone.
Not my mother.
Not my father.
Not Daniel.
I requested a DNA comparison between Emma and Vanessa's daughter.
The results arrived two days later.
I opened the email with shaking hands.
Probability of sibling relationship:
99.9998%.
I stared at the screen.
Emma and Vanessa's daughter were sisters.
Not cousins.
Sisters.
That meant one thing.
Vanessa wasn't just hiding something.
She had been raising my child.
I drove straight to my parents' house.
Vanessa opened the door.
She saw my face.
She knew.
“What did you do?”
I held up the report.
She laughed.
“Congratulations.”
My body shook with rage.
“You stole my daughter.”
“No.”
“You stole her from me.”
“I protected her.”
“You called her yours.”
“She needed a mother.”
“I am her mother.”
Vanessa's smile vanished.
“You were never supposed to keep her.”
“What?”
She stepped closer.
“You were unstable.”
“According to who?”
“According to Dad.”
I stared.
“My father?”
“He said you were dangerous.”
“Why?”
“Because you remember things you shouldn't.”
She leaned close.
“Your grandmother's death.”
I froze.
“What does Grandma have to do with this?”
Vanessa smiled.
“Everything.”
Before I could respond, my father appeared behind her.
“Enough.”
I turned.
“Where is my daughter?”
He looked at the DNA report.
Then at me.
“You shouldn't have tested them.”
“Where is she?”
He sighed.
“She is safe.”
“Bring her to me.”
“No.”
My voice broke.
“I'll call the police.”
He smiled.
“You already tried.”
“What?”
He pulled out his phone.
On the screen was a photograph.
Emma sleeping in her hospital bed.
Then another.
Me leaving the laboratory.
Another.
Daniel entering the building.
“You've been watched every day.”
My blood ran cold.
My father stepped closer.
“You still don't understand.”
“Understand what?”
“This was never about Vanessa.”
“Then who?”
He looked toward the stairs.
A little girl appeared.
Vanessa's daughter.
My daughter.
She looked at me.
Our eyes met.
And she whispered:
“Mommy?”
I burst into tears.
I took one step forward.
My father blocked me.
“She doesn't know you.”
“She just called me Mommy.”
“No.”
“She did.”
He grabbed her shoulder.
The little girl flinched.
Then she whispered something else.
“Mommy said not to tell.”
I froze.
“What?”
She looked at me.
“Mommy has another room.”
Vanessa's face went white.
My father suddenly looked frightened.
May you like
The little girl pointed upstairs.
“It's where she keeps all the other babies.”
