Chapter 15 - MARGARET'S REAL NAME
Margaret walked into the penthouse as calmly as though she were entering her own dining room.
Emily stayed beside her.
Eleanor immediately rushed toward her daughter.
Margaret let go.
Emily ran into Eleanor's arms.
“Mommy.”
Eleanor held her tightly.
“Are you okay?”
Emily nodded.
“Grandma didn't hurt me.”
Eleanor looked at Margaret.
“Don't call her Grandma.”
Margaret's face remained expressionless.
“You'll understand soon.”
“I already understand enough.”
“No.”
Margaret looked at Robert.
“You told her.”
Robert nodded.
Margaret closed her eyes.
“Then there is no reason to hide anymore.”
Eleanor stared.
“Hide what?”
Margaret walked toward the fireplace.
“My real name.”
Eleanor's heart pounded.
“You said your name was Margaret Whitmore.”
“That was the name I used.”
“What is your real name?”
Margaret looked at her.
“Margaret Bennett.”
Eleanor froze.
“Bennett?”
“Yes.”
“Sarah Bennett?”
Margaret's eyes hardened.
“My sister.”
Eleanor stared.
“Sarah was your sister?”
“Yes.”
“Then the third girl…”
“Was Sarah's daughter.”
Eleanor looked toward Robert.
“What is happening?”
Robert answered.
“Margaret has been protecting Sarah's daughter for seventeen years.”
Eleanor turned.
“Why?”
Margaret finally spoke.
“Because Sarah wasn't dead.”
Eleanor felt dizzy.
“She disappeared.”
“She ran.”
“From whom?”
Margaret looked at Robert.
“From him.”
Robert's expression darkened.
“That's not what happened.”
Margaret laughed bitterly.
“You abandoned her.”
“I tried to protect her.”
“You protected yourself.”
Eleanor stepped between them.
“Enough.”
Both looked at her.
“Where is Sarah?”
Margaret hesitated.
“She's alive.”
Eleanor's heart stopped.
“Where?”
“She has been in witness protection.”
“Since when?”
“2009.”
“Why?”
“Because she testified against Robert.”
Robert shook his head.
“She never testified.”
Margaret looked at him.
“She was going to.”
Eleanor stared.
“What did she know?”
Margaret's face became pale.
“She knew who ordered the babies to be switched.”
Eleanor's voice dropped.
“Who?”
Margaret didn't answer.
Robert did.
“Your father.”
Eleanor looked at him.
“Why would my father switch babies?”
Robert's eyes moved toward Lily and Emily.
“Because he was trying to protect you.”
Eleanor shook her head.
“Protect me from what?”
Robert answered,
“From a murder charge.”
Silence.
Eleanor couldn't speak.
Margaret continued.
“Your father discovered that Charles Whitmore had ordered Sarah killed.”
“Why?”
“Because Sarah had evidence.”
“What evidence?”
Margaret looked at Robert.
“Financial records.”
Robert shook his head.
“Not just financial records.”
Margaret closed her eyes.
“Genetic records.”
Eleanor frowned.
“What does DNA have to do with money?”
Robert's voice became quiet.
“Charles had been secretly funding medical experiments.”
Eleanor felt sick.
“What kind?”
“Embryonic research.”
She looked at Lily.
“No.”
Robert nodded.
“Your daughters were part of it.”
Eleanor stepped backward.
“You're saying my children were experimented on?”
“No.”
Robert looked at her.
“They were selected.”
“For what?”
“To carry a genetic marker.”
Eleanor stared.
“What marker?”
“One that could predict resistance to certain diseases.”
Margaret whispered,
“Charles believed the children could be worth millions.”
Eleanor's stomach turned.
“My babies weren't investments.”
“No.”
Margaret looked at her.
“They were children.”
“Then why did you let this happen?”
Margaret's eyes filled with tears.
“Because I was trying to save them.”
Eleanor shook her head.
“You stole one.”
“Yes.”
“You hid another.”
“Yes.”
“You lied to me.”
“Yes.”
“And now you expect forgiveness?”
“No.”
Margaret's voice broke.
“I expect you to understand.”
Eleanor stared.
“Understand what?”
Margaret reached into her purse.
She removed an old hospital bracelet.
It was yellow.
LILY.
Then she placed another beside it.
EMILY.
Then a third.
BABY GIRL — BENNETT.
Eleanor stared at them.
“Where did you get the third?”
Margaret looked at her.
“I was there.”
“When?”
“The night Sarah gave birth.”
Eleanor froze.
“You were at the hospital.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To take the baby.”
“Why?”
“Because Robert wanted her dead.”
Robert shouted,
“That's a lie!”
Margaret turned.
“You threatened Sarah.”
“I was trying to stop Charles.”
“You were trying to take control.”
Robert stepped forward.
Margaret continued.
“And when Sarah refused, you sent someone after her.”
Eleanor looked between them.
“Who?”
Margaret whispered,
“Edward.”
Eleanor froze.
“But Edward worked for Charles.”
“Edward worked for everyone.”
The pieces began connecting.
Edward had stolen identities.
Robert had manipulated the Whitmores.
Margaret had hidden children.
Sarah had disappeared.
And Eleanor had lived inside the middle of it all without knowing.
Then a sound came from the hallway.
A phone ringing.
Everyone turned.
Eleanor answered.
The caller ID showed an unknown number.
A man's voice spoke.
“Do you remember the accident?”
Eleanor's heart stopped.
“Who is this?”
“You've been told your father died in a car crash.”
“Yes.”
“That was a lie.”
Eleanor looked at Robert.
He seemed shocked.
The voice continued.
“Your father wasn't killed.”
Eleanor whispered,
“Then who was?”
A pause.
“Your mother.”
Eleanor froze.
The line disconnected.
Margaret looked devastated.
“It's beginning.”
“What is beginning?”
May you like
Margaret stared at Eleanor.
“The memories.”
