At Her Sister’s Wedding, My Best Friend Caught the Bouquet… Then Walked Straight to My Table!
Chapter 7
Claire stared at the photograph.
“That can’t be me.”
Emily looked at her.
“You were there.”
“I know.”
The baby in the photograph was unmistakably Claire.
But Claire had been born eighteen years after the accident.
The date on the photograph was twenty years earlier.
She shook her head.
“Impossible.”
Sophie looked at the date again.
Then at Claire.
“Maybe the date is wrong.”
Emily noticed something.
There was a second number beneath it.
4-7-12.
The same code.
She examined the photograph carefully.
The baby wore a silver bracelet.
A tiny engraving.
C.H.
Claire Hale?
Claire stared.
“Why would I be wearing a Hale bracelet?”
Emily didn’t answer.
Sophie found another document.
It was a birth certificate.
The mother’s name was Emily’s mother.
The father’s name was blank.
Claire looked at Emily.
“You’re saying I’m…”
Emily shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
The truth felt impossible.
Claire had always believed she was Emily’s younger sister.
They were four years apart.
They had the same mother.
But now the evidence suggested something stranger.
Their mother had given birth to Claire somewhere else.
The record had been altered.
Sophie opened the letter beneath the photograph.
Claire was never supposed to know.
Emily’s hands went cold.
The letter continued:
Victor believes she belongs to him.
Claire whispered:
“Why?”
Because her blood could expose what happened that night.
The room went silent.
Sophie read the next line.
Claire’s biological father was the only witness.
Emily looked up.
“The worker who died?”
“No.”
She pointed to Michael Reed’s name.
“Michael.”
Sophie stared.
“My father?”
Claire looked between them.
“You think Michael was my father?”
Sophie looked stunned.
“That would make you…”
“Half-sisters.”
Emily’s mind raced.
Her father had raised Claire.
But maybe Claire’s biological father was Michael.
And Sophie’s mother had somehow been involved.
Then another document appeared.
An adoption agreement.
Claire’s name.
A payment.
And a signature.
Emily recognized it.
Her father’s.
He had paid money to legally adopt Claire.
Why?
Before anyone could answer, the door upstairs slammed.
Footsteps.
Someone was coming.
Victor’s voice echoed:
“You found her.”
Emily grabbed the box.
Claire whispered:
“What do we do?”
“Run.”
They raced up the stairs.
The warehouse door opened.
Victor stood outside with two men.
“Give me the box.”
Emily held it tightly.
“No.”
Victor sighed.
“I didn’t want this.”
Sophie stepped between them.
“You’re not touching her.”
Victor looked at Claire.
“You don’t know who you are.”
Claire shouted:
“Then tell me!”
Victor’s face hardened.
“You were born because your mother needed a witness she could trust.”
Claire froze.
“What witness?”
Victor didn’t answer.
Instead, one of his men grabbed Sophie.
Emily screamed.
Claire stepped forward.
“Let her go!”
Victor looked at her.
“Then bring me the box.”
Emily slowly lowered it.
Then she heard something.
A siren.
Victor looked toward the gate.
Police cars approached.
He cursed.
His men released Sophie.
Victor backed away.
“This isn’t over.”
He looked at Claire.
“You still don’t know who your real father is.”
Then he ran.
Emily hugged Sophie.
Claire stood frozen.
She looked at Emily.
“I need to know.”
Emily nodded.
“So do I.”
