Chapter 10 - Anna Cole Was Erased From History
Margaret confirmed it.
Before marrying her, James Cole had a daughter with his first wife.
Anna.
James’s wealthy father pressured the woman to leave New York.
Anna grew up under her stepfather’s surname.
Ethan had a half sister nobody told him about.
Anna later became a social worker.
One of her clients had been moved through North Harbor.
That led her to James’s involvement and eventually to Caroline.
Caroline and Anna began working together to document the network.
On the night of the crash, Caroline was driving to meet Anna.
Anna disappeared afterward because she feared Ryan.
A postcard and a lighthouse clue eventually led investigators to Maine.
Anna Brooks, fifty-seven, agreed to meet Ethan.
He saw his father’s eyes in her face.
Anna did not blame Ethan for a secret created before his birth.
She did blame James.
She explained Caroline’s plan.
The secret North Harbor properties would be transferred to an
independent nonprofit.
No Vale control.
No Cole control.
Ryan’s leverage would disappear.
Anna also gave Ethan a letter Caroline had left for him.
Caroline wrote:
I need to tell you about Anna. I kept her secret because she asked me
to, but I’m starting to understand that our families have confused
keeping confidence with hiding accountability for generations.
Then she addressed Lily.
Lily had no secret father and no hidden identity.
Caroline’s DNA test had been defensive evidence against Ryan’s
obsession.
The letter ended:
If I don’t get home, tell Lily her mother was trying to make fewer
secrets, not leave her more.
May you like
Ethan finally understood what Caroline had been trying to do.
She had been breaking a family pattern.
