Ryan reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out an old, faded photograph, laying it flat on the entryway table.
In the photo was a young woman holding a newborn baby—standing right beside my late brother, David.
“My father passed away six months ago,” Ryan said, his eyes locking onto mine with an icy intensity. “While going through his estate documents, I found adoption records and a private trust fund linked directly to your family’s name.”
My breath hitched. The secret I had guarded for seventeen years was unraveling in a matter of seconds.
“Iris thinks her father abandoned her when she was a baby,” Ryan continued, his voice dropping to a harsh whisper. “She doesn’t know that my father was David’s twin brother… or that you took her from the hospital after her birth parents died in that crash.”
Before I could speak, the sound of footsteps echoed from the kitchen. Iris walked back into the foyer holding a glass of ice water, completely oblivious to the tension suffocating the room.
“Here you go, Ryan,” she said with a bright smile, handing him the glass. “So, Mom, are you ready to hear what happened at the dance?”
What was the truth about Iris’s origins? Continue reading Part 3 below to unearth the truth.
