Chapter 2: The Secret Buried for Twenty-Eight Years
That night, Olivia could not sleep.
The image of Martha’s shocked expression kept replaying in her mind.
Emma.
Who was Emma?
And why did everyone react as if Olivia had brought a ghost back to life?
The next morning, Olivia returned to the mansion.
She found Martha alone in the old library.
The elderly woman was holding an old photograph.
When Olivia entered, Martha slowly turned around.
“You deserve to know the truth.”
She placed the photograph on the table.
Olivia looked down.
Her breath stopped.
The picture showed a young woman wearing the same silver pendant.
The woman looked almost identical to her.
“That’s Emma,” Martha whispered.
“Who was she?”
Martha took a deep breath.
“Emma Carter was Richard’s first love.”
Olivia stared at her.
“Richard?”
Martha nodded.
“But their relationship was destroyed by someone who wanted power.”
She looked toward the mansion windows.
“Your grandfather, Richard’s father, believed Emma was not good enough for this family. He forced them apart.”
“What happened to her?”
Martha’s eyes filled with sadness.
“She disappeared the same night she gave birth.”
Olivia felt her heart race.
“Gave birth?”
Martha slowly nodded.
“Yes.”
Silence filled the room.
“Emma had a daughter.”
Olivia’s fingers trembled.
“No…”
Martha looked directly into her eyes.
“That daughter was you.”
The world seemed to stop.
Olivia stepped back.
“That’s impossible.”
“Your father took you away because he wanted to protect you.”
“Protect me from what?”
Martha looked toward the closed library door.
“From the people who wanted Emma’s family erased forever.”
Suddenly, footsteps echoed outside.
Someone was listening.
The door opened.
Richard stood there.
He had heard everything.
His eyes were filled with disbelief and regret.
“Emma had a daughter?”
Martha looked at him.
“Yes, Richard.”
She whispered:
“And you have spent twenty-eight years believing she was gone.”
Richard looked at Olivia.
May you like
For the first time, he didn’t see a stranger.
He saw Emma.
