Chapter 556 - 152 A Mother’s Truth

Chapter 556: Chapter 152 A Mother’s Truth

Beckett’s POV

The woman who approached me outside the Thorne family’s private chapel looked to be middle-aged, dressed modestly with tears glistening in her reddened eyes. Her hands nervously twisted a rosary while a young man stood protectively at her side, his arm supporting her trembling frame.

"I apologize for my mother’s condition," the young man said quietly. "She hasn’t been herself since the family investigator visited our home."

I stepped closer and gently took her hands in mine. The deep sorrow in her eyes was unmistakable - the kind that comes from decades of weeping. The skin around her eyes bore witness to countless tears shed. My grandmother always said that nothing in this world could truly heal the heart of a mother who had lost her child.

"I’m deeply sorry," I whispered, feeling my own emotions rising to the surface. In that moment, I realized the infant we had laid to rest in our family cemetery could have been her daughter or my sister. Our pain connected us across the years. "Would you be willing to talk? Do you have time?"

She nodded silently, her eyes speaking volumes.

We left the chapel grounds behind and settled into a private booth at the family’s exclusive restaurant. My father and this woman shared a bond through their parallel tragedies, but Madeline had lived with uncertainty for many years. I understood then that worse than knowing your child had died was not knowing where your child might be.

"When I gave birth to my children, no one believed me when I said there were two," Madeline began, her voice gaining strength as she shared her story. "My husband thought grief and pain had made me imagine things, since I nearly died during childbirth. But I wasn’t imagining anything. I know what I saw and heard."

"What exactly did you see and hear, Madeline?" I asked gently.

"Rafael here was born first," she said, nodding toward her son. "His cry was strong and powerful. The private doctor announced he was a boy, placed him in my arms, and then told me to push again because another baby was coming. I had no idea I was carrying twins - we couldn’t afford the special medical attention the family wives received. I was shocked but overjoyed. It was a blessing from God. We lived humbly in the outer territories under Sullivan family protection. Money was tight, but we had enough love for two children and more. After everything happened, my husband couldn’t bear to stay in that place. He requested a transfer and now works directly for your legitimate businesses here in the city." A faint smile crossed her face. "Life improved for us here, but still, no one believed I had two babies. Not even my husband believed me until your investigator came to our door."

"What do you remember about the second baby?" Katarina asked, leaning forward intently.

"I remember just enough to be certain there was another child - a little girl," Madeline replied, her eyes distant with memory. "Her cry was so faint, so weak, like she barely had strength to make a sound. I heard the doctor say it was a girl, but he never let me see her properly. Then I started feeling weaker and weaker until everything went black. When I woke up at the private medical facility, the doctor told me I’d nearly died but that my baby was fine. When I asked about the other one, nobody knew what I was talking about. I was frantic! And afterward, that doctor had completely disappeared from the family’s network. Now they’ve found and arrested that corrupt physician, and your people told me the baby we laid to rest might be mine."

I listened to her heartbreaking story, stunned that anyone within our organization could commit such a cruel betrayal of trust.

"Madeline," Katarina explained gently, "we’ll need to complete the DNA testing to know if the baby belongs to you or my father-in-law’s family."

"I’ve already been to the family’s private medical center, dear," Madeline said. "But the results will take some time to come back. Your investigator explained everything. I was deeply moved by the other family’s story - such terrible suffering. He said the young lady raised in your family might be my daughter, or perhaps my daughter was the little angel who passed away. But in my heart," she pressed her hand against her chest, "I feel the baby we buried is my little girl."

The raw emotion in her gesture spoke of years of contained grief.

"I am truly sorry," my father said, visibly affected. "Lila is a wonderful daughter, and I hope she’s mine, but I know that would mean your child died. I can’t begin to apologize for your suffering."

"Please, Nathaniel, no apologies needed," Madeline said. "I came here to thank you all. For decades I’ve lived with doubt, with people thinking I was losing my mind. Whatever the results show, you’re giving me peace - the peace of knowing where my baby girl is. At least I’ll have a grave to visit and bring flowers to." Her resilience amazed me. "I just wanted to thank you and say I’m sorry for everything your family has endured. If there’s anything I can do to help the family, please let me know."

We talked more and learned she couldn’t have more children after the difficult birth. Her son Rafael was studying business while working in the family’s legitimate enterprises, attending college nearby. They were clearly a loyal, hardworking family who had remained devoted despite their tragedy.

Before parting ways, I asked for her husband’s position within our organization, making a mental note to ensure they received better care and protection.

Driving back to the estate, the weight of realization settled over me. My sister Lila had lost more than any of us. While she endured decades of psychological manipulation and rejection from Claire, she could have been raised by Madeline or my mother - women who would have cherished her. She would have been wanted, loved, infinitely happier. Nothing could erase what my sister suffered at Claire’s hands, and the thought of how different her life could have been filled me with profound rage.

But I couldn’t afford to dwell in that fury. I needed to stay focused and alert. It wouldn’t be long before Claire discovered our investigation into the past, and I was certain she would try to eliminate Lila permanently - something I was determined would never happen. The Sullivan family protected its own, and Lila was blood. That meant everything in our world.

The corruption ran deeper than I’d imagined, but we would root it out completely. No one betrayed the family and lived to profit from it.