Chapter 7 - THE TWIN SISTER I NEVER KNEW EXISTED
I was twenty-seven years old when I learned I might have a twin.
For twenty-seven years, I'd believed I was the youngest daughter in a family of two girls.
Elena.
And me.
Now a photograph was telling me there had been someone else.
Amelia Cole.
A woman with my face.
My eyes.
My smile.
I stared at Sarah.
"This has to be a mistake."
She nodded carefully.
"That's possible. The records need independent verification."
I looked toward Luca.
He remained silent.
For once, I was grateful.
I didn't need another powerful man telling me what to believe.
I needed facts.
And I needed my mother.
The following morning, Margaret Cole was transferred to a hospital for medical evaluation.
I arrived with Sarah.
My heart hammered as I entered her room.
Mom lay beneath a white blanket.
Her hair had turned almost completely gray.
She looked exhausted.
But when she saw me, her eyes filled.
"Avery."
I ran toward her.
"Mom."
I hugged her carefully.
For several minutes, neither of us spoke.
Then I pulled back.
"Where have you been?"
Her face crumpled.
"I'm sorry."
Tears streamed down my cheeks.
"Mom, I thought you were dead."
She shook her head.
"I know."
I took a breath.
"There's something I need to ask."
Her expression changed.
I showed her the photograph.
Amelia Cole.
My identical face.
My mother's hands began trembling.
She closed her eyes.
"Oh, God."
My stomach tightened.
"Mom?"
She began crying.
"I wanted to tell you."
I stared.
"Tell me what?"
She looked toward the photograph.
"About Amelia."
My heart stopped.
"So she's real?"
Mom nodded.
"Yes."
I stepped backward.
"She's my twin?"
"Yes."
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
Then anger rushed through me.
"How could you hide that?"
Mom began sobbing.
"I was afraid."
"Of what?"
She looked toward the door.
"Vittorio."
My stomach tightened.
"Why?"
She swallowed.
"Because when you were born, someone tried to take both of you."
I stared.
"What?"
Mom continued.
"Your father worked for the Moretti family."
I stopped breathing.
"My father?"
She nodded.
"His name was Daniel Cole."
I'd never known his name.
Mom always said he died before I was born.
I sat down.
"Was that true?"
Her eyes filled.
"No."
My chest tightened.
"Then where is he?"
She looked away.
"Daniel discovered evidence of illegal medical transfers."
I closed my eyes.
Of course.
Everything led back to the same terrible scheme.
Mom continued.
"He tried to report what he'd found."
"And?"
"Vittorio threatened him."
I swallowed.
"What happened?"
"He disappeared."
My stomach turned.
"Did he die?"
Mom shook her head.
"I don't know."
I covered my face.
Twenty-seven years.
A father I believed was dead.
A twin sister I didn't know existed.
And an older sister who married into the same family that destroyed ours.
Mom reached for my hand.
"Avery, I kept you because I could."
My eyes filled.
"What about Amelia?"
Her voice broke.
"They took her."
The room went silent.
She continued.
"I searched for years."
"Then I finally found her."
My heart pounded.
"When?"
"Five months ago."
I froze.
The same time Elena supposedly died.
Mom nodded.
"Amelia was working with Elena."
I stared.
"Doing what?"
"Trying to expose Vittorio."
My stomach tightened.
Then Mom whispered:
"There's something else."
I looked up.
"What?"
She swallowed.
"Leo."
My heart stopped.
The baby.
The little boy who reached for me.
Who recognized my necklace.
Who called me Mama.
Mom looked directly at me.
May you like
Then said:
"Avery, Leo wasn't reaching for you because you reminded him of Elena. He was reaching for you because he'd been raised by Amelia."
