Chapter 8 - THE DNA REPORT
Lena read the sentence again.
Margaret knows exactly where she is.
Her hands were shaking.
Daniel stood across from her, still holding the old letter.
“What does it mean?” he asked.
Lena looked up.
“You tell me.”
“I don't know.”
“Your mother knows where my sister is.”
Daniel shook his head.
“She never told me.”
“Then she lied to you too.”
He looked toward the old house.
For the first time, Lena saw the same uncertainty in his eyes that she felt inside herself.
Everything they had believed about their lives was collapsing.
Daniel had grown up believing he was Margaret Whitmore's son.
Lena had grown up believing she was an only child.
Now a DNA test suggested Lena and Daniel might be half-siblings.
And a thirty-six-year-old letter claimed Lena's missing sister was still alive.
Lena's phone rang again.
Dr. Reed.
She answered.
“Tell me everything.”
“We received the final preliminary results.”
“And?”
“There is a strong genetic relationship between you and Daniel.”
Lena closed her eyes.
“How strong?”
“Strong enough that we cannot dismiss the possibility that you share a biological parent.”
Daniel stared at her.
Lena whispered, “Which parent?”
“We don't know yet.”
“Test Margaret.”
“We are trying.”
“She will refuse.”
“She already has.”
Lena looked at the letter.
“Then test someone else.”
“Who?”
Lena's eyes moved to the silver bracelet.
“Eleanor Price.”
There was silence.
Dr. Reed finally said, “Why?”
“Because she knows what happened.”
An hour later, Eleanor arrived at the hospital.
She walked slowly, leaning on a cane.
When Lena showed her the letter, the old woman closed her eyes.
“Your father kept this?”
“Yes.”
“You shouldn't have found it.”
“Everyone keeps saying that.”
Eleanor sat down.
Lena stood before her.
“Tell me where my sister is.”
Eleanor looked at Daniel.
Then at Lena.
“I don't know.”
“That's a lie.”
Eleanor's expression tightened.
“I know where the baby went.”
“Where?”
“Into the hands of another family.”
Lena's breath caught.
“Which family?”
Eleanor stared at Daniel.
“The Whitmores.”
Daniel stepped back.
“No.”
Eleanor nodded.
“Your mother was told the baby was dead. But the child was alive.”
“Then why was she given to the Whitmores?”
“Because someone wanted her there.”
“Who?”
Eleanor's eyes filled with tears.
“Your father.”
Lena felt as though the floor had disappeared.
“My father gave my sister away?”
“He believed he was protecting her.”
“From what?”
Eleanor looked at the old letter.
“From the Whitmore empire.”
Daniel's face went pale.
“What does that mean?”
Eleanor reached into her purse.
She removed another photograph.
This one showed a young woman holding a baby.
The woman was Margaret.
The baby was wrapped in a white blanket.
On the back of the photograph was a name.
EMILY WHITMORE.
Lena stared.
“Who is Emily?”
Eleanor whispered:
“The girl you have been searching for.”
Lena's heart stopped.
“Emily Whitmore?”
Eleanor nodded.
“She grew up believing Margaret was her mother.”
Daniel looked horrified.
“Then who am I?”
Eleanor stared at him.
“That is what the DNA test will tell you.”
At that moment, Dr. Reed entered the room.
His face was serious.
“The results are back.”
Lena turned.
“Tell me.”
Dr. Reed looked at Daniel.
Then at Lena.
“You are half-siblings.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
Lena's entire world went silent.
May you like
Then Dr. Reed added:
“And Margaret Whitmore is not Daniel's biological mother.”
