Chapter 5: The Woman Who Carried a Stolen Identity
For a moment, I couldn't understand the words coming out of Marcus's mouth.
The hospital.
My name.
Proof that I already knew about Clara.
It didn't make sense.
None of it.
I had never heard that name before Eleanor said it.
I had never seen that photograph.
I had never known Richard Carter had a daughter.
And yet someone had walked into a hospital pretending to be me.
Someone had created a story where I was the liar.
"Marcus," I whispered, "that's impossible.""
He stared at his phone.
"I know.""
"No.""
I shook my head.
"You don't understand. I didn't do anything.""
"I know you didn't.""
The speed of his answer surprised me.
He didn't hesitate.
Not even for a second.
But then his eyes moved toward Eleanor.
And that hesitation hurt.
Because even though he believed me, he was scared.
Scared of what he didn't know.
Eleanor watched us silently.
Almost like she was waiting for this exact moment.
"Ask her," she said.
Marcus looked at her.
"Ask who?""
"Your wife.""
My stomach tightened.
"What are you talking about?""
Eleanor folded her arms.
"Ask Emma how she knows about Clara.""
"I don't.""
"Ask her why she visited Richard's old lawyer three months ago.""
My blood ran cold.
"What?""
Marcus turned toward me.
"You visited my father's lawyer?""
I stared at Eleanor.
Because somehow she had just thrown another impossible accusation into the room.
"No.""
My voice was firm.
"I never did.""
Eleanor smiled.
"There it is.""
Marcus looked confused.
"What?""
"The same innocent expression.""
I stepped toward her.
"You are lying.""
She didn't react.
"You really think nobody would find out?""
"Find out what?""
"That you started investigating the Carter family before you became pregnant.""
The accusation was so absurd I almost laughed.
Almost.
"I didn't even know Richard changed his will until last night.""
Eleanor tilted her head.
"Convenient.""
That word.
The same word she had used before.
The same way she dismissed every truth I gave her.
Marcus looked between us.
"Mom, stop.""
But Eleanor continued.
"No, Marcus. You deserve to know.""
I turned to him.
"Do you believe her?""
He didn't answer immediately.
And that was the moment that hurt the most.
Not because he didn't trust me.
But because he was trying to understand a situation designed to make everyone doubt me.
I stepped back.
"Wow.""
Marcus looked at me.
"Emma...""
"No.""
I shook my head.
"I need you to hear this.""
My voice trembled.
"But not because I'm angry.""
I looked at Eleanor.
"I'm scared.""
The room became quiet.
"Your mother attacked me.""
I touched my arm where the burns were healing.
"Someone followed me to the doctor.""
I pointed at the phone.
"Someone is pretending to be me.""
I looked at Marcus.
"And now somehow, I'm the suspect?""
His face softened.
"Emma, you're not.""
"Then prove it.""
The words surprised him.
"Find out who did this.""
Marcus nodded slowly.
"I will.""
Eleanor laughed quietly.
"You still don't understand.""
Marcus looked at her.
"Understand what?""
She looked at me.
"Your wife is already involved.""
We left the mansion without another word.
Marcus didn't say goodbye to his mother.
That alone told me how serious this had become.
On the drive home, neither of us spoke.
The silence wasn't peaceful.
It was full of questions.
When we reached our apartment, Marcus immediately called the hospital.
I stood in the kitchen listening.
His voice was controlled.
Professional.
The same voice he used during business meetings.
But I knew him.
I knew the cracks underneath.
"Yes, I'm calling about a visitor from today.""
Pause.
"No, not me.""
Another pause.
"My wife.""
My hands tightened around the counter.
Then Marcus looked at me.
His expression changed.
"Can you send the security footage?""
A few minutes later, he ended the call.
"They're sending it.""
"Good.""
He sat down.
"Emma.""
I looked at him.
"What?""
He hesitated.
"Did you ever meet Richard alone?""
I stared at him.
The question hurt.
"I met him at family events.""
"That's not what I asked.""
I looked away.
"Once.""
Marcus became still.
"When?""
I swallowed.
"Two weeks before the wedding.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because it wasn't important.""
"Emma.""
I looked at him.
And I saw something I had never seen before.
Pain.
"I didn't tell you because your father asked me not to.""
The silence was immediate.
"What?""
I sat down slowly.
"He stopped me in the garden.""
Marcus stared.
"What did he say?""
I remembered that day.
The old man sitting beneath the oak tree.
His tired eyes.
The way he held my hand.
The way he looked over his shoulder before speaking.
"He said Eleanor was dangerous.""
Marcus stopped breathing.
"Why?""
"He said she had spent years controlling information.""
I looked at the letter.
"He told me that if something happened to him, I should protect you.""
Marcus looked down.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I thought he was being dramatic.""
A bitter laugh escaped me.
"I thought he was an old man worried about family problems.""
Marcus covered his face.
"And now?""
I looked at the burns on my arm.
"Now I think he was trying to warn me.""
The security footage arrived an hour later.
Marcus opened the file.
We watched the screen together.
A woman entered the hospital.
She wore a long coat.
A scarf covered part of her face.
At first, I couldn't recognize her.
Then she turned.
My entire body went cold.
Because I knew that face.
Not personally.
But from somewhere.
"Who is that?""
Marcus whispered.
I couldn't answer.
Because the woman looked almost exactly like me.
Not identical.
But close enough.
Same dark hair.
Same height.
Same body shape.
The kind of resemblance that could fool someone from a distance.
The woman walked to the reception desk.
Then handed over an ID.
The camera zoomed in.
Marcus paused the video.
My heart stopped.
The ID photo was mine.
My driver's license.
A copy.
Someone had stolen my identity.
"How?""
Marcus whispered.
I didn't know.
Then the woman looked directly at the camera.
Not accidentally.
Not casually.
She looked like she knew she was being watched.
Then she smiled.
A familiar kind of smile.
A Carter smile.
The video continued.
The woman spoke to the receptionist.
The audio was unclear.
Marcus increased the volume.
Static filled the room.
Then a few words became audible.
"I need access to Richard Carter's medical records.""
My stomach dropped.
Richard's medical records.
Why?
The woman turned away.
And before leaving, she said something else.
This time, we heard it clearly.
"Tell him Clara sent me.""
Marcus stood up so quickly his chair fell backward.
"No.""
I looked at him.
"What?""
He stared at the screen.
"That wasn't a random person.""
His voice was shaking.
"That was...""
He couldn't finish.
I waited.
"Marcus?""
He looked at me.
The color drained from his face.
"That was my sister.""
We spent the next two hours searching through everything.
Old documents.
Family records.
Photos.
Anything connected to Clara.
But there was almost nothing.
It was like someone had erased an entire person's existence.
Then Marcus found something.
A newspaper clipping hidden inside Richard's old box.
The headline was faded.
But readable.
*LOCAL GIRL MISSING AFTER FAMILY DISPUTE*
I leaned closer.
The photo beside the article showed a young girl.
Clara.
The article said she disappeared at age eleven.
But the date made no sense.
Marcus looked confused.
"That's impossible.""
"What?""
He pointed.
"The date.""
I looked.
My stomach tightened.
The article was published twenty years ago.
But Clara's disappearance had supposedly happened thirty years ago.
Someone had changed the records.
Someone had rewritten history.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
Again.
Marcus and I looked at each other.
Slowly, I answered.
"Hello?""
No one spoke.
Only breathing.
Then a woman's voice whispered:
"Emma.""
My blood turned cold.
"Who is this?""
A pause.
Then:
"You don't know me yet.""
The voice sounded familiar.
"You think Eleanor is your enemy.""
I looked at Marcus.
The woman's next words made my entire body freeze.
"But she is not the person who tried to kill me.""
Silence.
I couldn't move.
"Who are you?""
The answer came softly.
"I am the daughter your family erased.""
My hand tightened around the phone.
"Clara?""
A quiet breath.
Then:
"Yes.""
The line went silent for a second.
Then she whispered:
"And Emma...""
I waited.
"Your baby is in danger because of what I know.""
My heart stopped.
"What do you mean?""
But before she answered, another voice interrupted.
A man's voice.
Close.
Too close.
Like someone standing beside her.
Clara gasped.
Then whispered:
"He's here.""
A loud crash sounded through the phone.
I stood up.
"Clara?""
No answer.
"Clara!""
Only static remained.
Then the call ended.
Marcus grabbed his jacket.
"What happened?""
I looked at him.
My face had gone numb.
"Your sister found us.""
He froze.
"Where?""
I looked at the dead phone screen.
And saw one final message appear.
May you like
From Clara.
*RUN BEFORE YOUR MOTHER FINDS OUT I'M ALIVE.*
