Chapter 3 - THE TORN TRAIN TICKET
The silver music box slipped from Laura’s fingers, crashing onto the hardwood floor. Für Elise abruptly stopped. Laura stared at the ultrasound in her hand, the letters of her own daughter’s name burning into her retinas. Patient: Maya Bennett. “What is this?” Laura whispered, the paper shaking violently in her grip. “Sarah, why does this have Maya’s name on it? What did you do to my daughter?” Sarah was huddled on the sofa, her knees pulled to her chest, sobbing so hard she could barely draw breath. “I didn't do anything to her,” Sarah gasped. “Charles did. Charles did everything.” Laura crossed the room in three strides. She grabbed her sister by the shoulders of her silk robe, her grip like a vice. For the first time in her life, Laura felt a terrifying surge of pure, unadulterated rage. “Tell me the truth right now, Sarah. Before I call the police. Who is the mother of that child?” “Maya is!” Sarah cried out, throwing her hands up to protect her face. “Maya is Lily’s mother!” Laura let go of her sister, staggering backward as if she had been physically struck. Her mind frantically tried to piece the timeline together. Ten years ago, Maya was twenty. She was a junior in college. She had come home for Thanksgiving looking pale and exhausted, and by Christmas, she had packed her bags, dropped out of school, and moved to Seattle. Maya had cut off all contact with Laura for five years. When she finally reconnected, she was distant, guarded, and refused to ever visit the house if Charles was there. Laura had always assumed they had fought over Maya dropping out. “He used his own sperm?” Laura choked on the words, feeling violently ill. “With his own daughter?” “No, God, no!” Sarah yelled, scrambling to her feet. “Laura, listen to me! Lily is not Charles’s biological daughter. Charles lied to Rebecca. Charles lies to everyone.” Sarah hurried to the bookshelf, falling to her knees and digging through the scattered papers that had fallen from the music box. She found a small, yellowed envelope and shoved it into Laura’s hands. Laura tore it open. Inside was a DNA paternity report. The report confirmed a 99.9% match between Lily and a man named Julian Vance. Julian Vance had been Maya’s college boyfriend. A brilliant, quiet boy from a poor family who had died in a tragic car accident on an icy highway ten years ago. “Maya was pregnant when Julian died,” Sarah explained, her voice trembling. “She was terrified. She came to Charles for help. She didn't want to tell you because she knew how much you loved Julian, and she thought you would be disappointed in her for getting pregnant so young.” Laura pressed a hand to her mouth, the tears finally spilling over her lashes. “My poor baby. I would never have been disappointed.” “I know,” Sarah wept. “But Charles used that fear against her. When Maya told him she wanted to keep the baby, Charles was furious. He didn't want a crying infant in the house. He didn't want the embarrassment of his unmarried college-dropout daughter raising a child. So he gave her an ultimatum.” Laura looked at the ultrasound again. “He told her she had to give the baby up for adoption,” Sarah continued. “Or he would use his lawyers to destroy Julian’s family. He threatened to sue Julian’s parents, who were already drowning in debt from the funeral, claiming Julian had stolen money from his firm. He had forged documents ready to go, Laura. You know how powerful Charles is in this city.” Laura felt her chest tighten. She knew exactly what Charles was capable of. “Maya agreed to the adoption to protect Julian’s family,” Sarah whispered. “But she made Charles promise that the baby would stay in the family. She made him promise that I would adopt her.” Laura stared at her sister. “You? Why you?” “Because my husband had just died,” Sarah said, wrapping her arms around her own waist. “I was alone. I was devastated. And Maya knew I desperately wanted a child but couldn't afford IVF on my own. Charles orchestrated a private, closed adoption. I raised Lily.” “If you raised her,” Laura said, her voice hardening, “then why is she at the lake house with Charles? Why is she wearing Maya’s necklace? And why the hell did Charles tell Rebecca that Lily is his daughter?” Sarah looked away, staring at the floorboards. “Because three months ago, Charles found out his father was dying.” Laura frowned. “Arthur passed away six weeks ago.” “And when Arthur found out he had terminal cancer,” Sarah said, her voice dropping to a whisper, “he changed his will. Arthur always knew what Charles did to Maya. He hated Charles for it. Arthur bypassed Charles entirely.” Sarah reached into her robe pocket and pulled out a small, torn piece of paper. It was an old train ticket. A one-way ticket to Montreal. “Arthur set up a fifty-million-dollar trust,” Sarah said. “The sole beneficiary is Lily. But because Lily is a minor, the trust requires a legal guardian to manage the funds until she turns eighteen.” “You’re her legal guardian,” Laura said. “Not anymore,” Sarah wept. Sarah walked over to the mantle and picked up a framed photograph of her late husband. She ran her thumb over the glass. “After David died, I had terrible gambling debts, Laura. I owed terrible people a lot of money. Charles bailed me out. But he made me sign a blank contract. Three weeks ago, when Arthur died, Charles filled in that contract. He filed papers transferring full legal custody of Lily to himself.” Laura felt the room tilt. “He blackmailed you into giving up my granddaughter.” “He said if I fought him in court, he would submit evidence of my financial crimes to the FBI. I would go to federal prison. Lily would go to foster care. So I let him take her to the lake house. I’ve been driving up there every weekend in secret just to see her.” Laura looked at the torn train ticket in her hand. “What is this ticket, Sarah?” “It belongs to Maya,” Sarah whispered. “Maya didn't stay in Seattle, Laura. When she found out Arthur died and Charles took custody of Lily, she came back. She’s hiding at the lake house right now, trying to figure out how to get Lily across the Canadian border before Charles can finalize the trust documents.” Laura’s heart pounded against her ribs like a trapped bird. Her daughter was alive. Her daughter was fighting Charles alone. Laura reached into her handbag and pulled out the small walnut box the restaurant manager had given her. She opened it, taking out the old brass key. Arthur hadn't just left her the house. He had left her the only weapon she needed to get inside. “Stay here,” Laura commanded, turning toward the red door. “Laura, wait! Charles is going up there tonight!” Sarah cried. “He told me he’s taking his lawyers to force Maya out. If you go, he’ll destroy you too!” Laura looked back at her sister, her eyes burning with a fierce, protective fire she hadn't felt in thirty years. “He’s already taken my marriage, my savings, and my daughter’s youth,” Laura said coldly. “Let him try to take my granddaughter.”
