Chapter 5 - The Secret in Her Father's HouseRebecca spent the next forty-eight hours searching for Elena Vale.
She found almost nothing.
No current address.
No public records.
No corporate filings.
No social media.
It was as though Elena had never existed.
Ethan, meanwhile, moved Lantern Street's operations into the basement of a local church.
Three exam rooms became one.
The waiting room became a folding table.
The printer became a temperamental old laptop.
It was humiliating.
It was exhausting.
But patients kept coming.
That mattered.
Every morning, Ethan arrived before sunrise.
Every night, Rebecca brought food.
The first night, it was sandwiches.
The second, Chinese takeout.
The third, lemon pie.
Ethan looked at the box.
“You're bribing me.”
“I’m repairing a debt.”
“You stole my pie.”
“I know.”
She opened the box.
“Peace offering?”
He smiled.
“Accepted.”
They sat on folding chairs beneath fluorescent lights.
It was the strangest kind of date either had ever experienced.
A nurse shouted in the hallway.
Someone sneezed.
A child cried.
Ethan cut the pie.
Rebecca took the first piece.
He watched her.
“You really do love lemon pie.”
“I don't love pie.”
“You're eating pie.”
“I love winning.”
“That's a dangerous personality trait.”
“I run a company.”
“You've mentioned.”
They smiled.
Then the smile faded.
Rebecca looked at him.
“My father's story doesn't make sense.”
“Nothing about this does.”
“My father protected this clinic.”
“Apparently.”
“Then why did he leave it to the company?”
“Maybe he didn't.”
She froze.
“What?”
Ethan pulled out another document.
“This transfer happened after his death.”
Rebecca leaned closer.
“Who signed it?”
Her face went pale.
“Victor.”
“Your father's attorney?”
“Yes.”
“So Victor transferred the property.”
Rebecca nodded.
“But why?”
They stayed silent.
Finally, Rebecca said, “I need to go home.”
“Why?”
“I remembered something.”
They drove to the Arden family house in Connecticut that afternoon.
It had been empty for years.
Rebecca unlocked the door.
Dust covered the furniture.
The house smelled like wood and old books.
Ethan followed her upstairs.
“My father kept everything.”
“What are we looking for?”
“His study.”
They entered.
Rebecca went directly to a bookshelf.
She pulled out an old medical dictionary.
A hidden compartment opened.
Inside was an envelope.
She stared at it.
Then slowly opened it.
There was a letter.
Rebecca,
If you are reading this, then I failed to tell you something while I was alive.
You have a sister.
Her name is Elena.
Rebecca sat down.
Ethan remained beside her.
She read on.
Your mother knows nothing.
I did not tell either of you because I believed silence could protect you.
It couldn't.
Elena was born before I met your mother. Her mother died shortly after childbirth. I placed Elena with a family because I was young, afraid, and convinced that money could solve what courage could not.
It did not.
Years later, when I found her again, she wanted nothing from me.
Except one thing.
The medical clinic in Queens.
Her daughter had nearly died because they could not get treatment.
The doctor who helped her was young then.
His name was Ethan Rowan.
Rebecca looked up.
Ethan's face had gone blank.
“What?”
She handed him the letter.
He read it.
Then reread it.
“Elena's daughter?”
Rebecca nodded.
“My father says the clinic saved her.”
“When?”
“Eleven years ago.”
Ethan stared into the distance.
“I remember.”
“What?”
“A little girl.”
“How old?”
“Maybe six.”
“Do you remember her?”
“Not her name.”
Ethan closed his eyes.
“She came in with pneumonia.”
Rebecca stared.
“Was it serious?”
“She was barely breathing.”
“And?”
“We treated her.”
“Did she survive?”
“Yes.”
Rebecca looked at the letter.
“Then my father's property agreement wasn't about money.”
“No.”
“He gave the clinic to the neighborhood because of her.”
“Yes.”
A car pulled into the driveway.
Rebecca looked through the window.
Victor Hale.
She stood.
“How did he know we were here?”
Ethan's expression sharpened.
“We need to leave.”
The front door opened.
Victor entered without knocking.
“Rebecca.”
She stepped forward.
“You knew.”
“I knew what?”
“Elena.”
Victor smiled.
“So you found the letter.”
“Who is she?”
“Your sister.”
“I know.”
“What happened to her?”
Victor's smile vanished.
“She died.”
Rebecca froze.
“When?”
“Ten years ago.”
“How?”
“Complications.”
“Where?”
“Queens.”
Ethan stepped forward.
“That's not true.”
Victor looked at him.
“You should be careful, Doctor.”
“You know me.”
“I know enough.”
Rebecca stood between them.
“Did you kill her?”
Victor laughed softly.
“No.”
“Then tell me what happened.”
“She became unstable.”
“Unstable?”
“She wanted money.”
Rebecca's voice rose.
“She wanted a clinic.”
Victor stared.
“Your father had obligations.”
“To whom?”
“People you don't want to meet.”
“What people?”
Victor walked toward her.
“Rebecca, your father borrowed money.”
“From criminals?”
“Yes.”
“And Lantern Street?”
“Was collateral.”
“Then why did he protect it?”
Victor's eyes hardened.
“Because he regretted the deal.”
Ethan looked at Rebecca.
“And Elena?”
Victor looked at him.
“She discovered the debt.”
“And then?”
“She disappeared.”
Rebecca whispered, “You said she died.”
Victor shrugged.
“Same result.”
He turned to leave.
Rebecca grabbed his arm.
“You're lying.”
Victor looked at her.
“One day, Rebecca, you'll learn the difference between a lie and the truth you're not ready to hear.”
Then he left.
Rebecca stood frozen.
Ethan placed a hand on her shoulder.
She didn't move.
A second later, her phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered.
A woman's voice whispered:
“Rebecca?”
“Yes?”
“Don't trust Victor.”
Rebecca's breath stopped.
“Who is this?”
“I’m Elena.”
The call ended.
Rebecca stared at the phone.
Ethan took one look at her face.
“What happened?”
May you like
She looked at him.
“My sister is alive.”
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