Chapter 52 Chapter 52

Chapter 52 Chapter 52
Esther sat at her dining table surrounded by scattered notes, printed documents, and her laptop screen glowing in the dim room. With one of her legs raised comfortably on the chair and against her chest, she adjusted her blue lenses slightly. She yawned. 
Esther refreshed her email repeatedly until her investigator finally called.

“Miss Brooks,” his voice crackled through the speaker, “I found the man.”

“The ex-convict?” she asked immediately, sitting upright.

“Yes. His name is Greg Kerwin. He served twenty-three years in prison for infant trafficking, illegal adoptions, and falsifying identity records. He was released three months ago.”

Esther felt her stomach drop. Her heart rate increased.

A man with that kind of past… meeting with Averie’s stepmother-in-law. Her pulse quickened as she scribbled notes, the phone glued between her ear and shoulder.

“Are you sure?” Esther whispered.

“One hundred percent. He disappeared underground for a few weeks, then recently showed up, meeting discreetly with Mrs.Grahams, the woman you asked me to follow”

Esther leaned back in her chair, heart pounding.
Why would Darian’s stepmother be associated with someone like that? The thought alone made her skin crawl.

“Alright thank you. I’ll send you the balance” She thanked the investigator and ended the call, but her hands were shaky. She needed to inform Averie. One thing might lead to another.

Her pulse quickened as the phone started to ring. And when Averie picked up the call, her voice carried its usual calm warmth.

“Esther? What’s wrong?”

“It’s serious,” Esther began. “I think you need to hear what I found.”

She explained everything to her friend without missing a single word. Averie didn’t interrupt once, but the silence at the end was heavy.

“Esther…” Averie finally said. “You need to stop digging.”

“But…”

“No.” Averie’s tone hardened with worry. “Baby trafficking? Forged identities? People like that don’t play around. They’re dangerous.” she warned her out of worry. Because she had barely escaped Daniel Ross and now this. She didn’t want to put herself into trouble.

Esther swallowed, but her silence spoke louder words that Averie surely understood.

“I know what you’re trying to do,” Averie continued softly. “You want to fix everything. Earn forgiveness and redeem yourself but forgiveness isn’t a prize you have to bleed for. You already apologized. We are friends Esther” Her voice was calm and lovely.

“But it doesn’t feel enough,” Esther whispered. “Not after everything I caused. We've been friends for a long time… I shouldn’t have gotten distracted”

Averie sighed. She understood better than she let on.

“Listen to me. If you keep going, you’ll put yourself in danger. You have a life, a job, and a family. I won’t let you risk yourself for my sake. So promise me you’ll stop.”

Esther smiled faintly at the phone, squeezing a paper slightly so she wouldn’t hear.

“Okay…I’ll stop,” she said but inside, she already knew she wouldn’t.

Averie, sensing the shift but choosing not to push further, changed the topic.

“How’s the case with the attendant and Carmine?” Esther asked.

Averie’s smile was audible.
“Good news. Clara confessed everything so the launch continues in two days.”

Esther’s eyes widened. “Really?! That’s amazing!”

“Yes. Darian already knows, and he’s handling the damage control. He’ll help me recover everything we lost.”

Esther hesitated.
“Did you tell him it was his ex’s doing?”

“No.” Averie shook her head though Esther couldn’t see it. “He wouldn’t believe me… not without proof. And I don’t want this turning into another mess. I’ll handle Carmine myself.”

Esther admired her friend’s strength and she smiled. 

“Oh! About my mom,” Averie added softly. “She’s awake. I’m visiting her this afternoon. Do you want to come?”

Esther didn’t hesitate. “Of course.”


At the hospital, the sterile scent and soft beeping machines filled the hallway. Averie’s heart raced as they approached Felicia’s ward. She had dreamed of this moment for years, meeting her real mother, finally being seen, embraced, and loved.

Doctor Levie met them outside the room and welcomed them with a smile.
“She’s improved a lot,” he said. “Her memory is still fragile, but she recognizes reality better now.”

Averie nodded gratefully but as she entered the room, her breath caught.

Felicia sat upright in bed, eyes glued to the TV, her expression peaceful… but distant, like a calm sea hiding a storm beneath.

She started to approach her slowly.
“Mom?”

Felicia tilted her head and looked at her, confused.
Her brows furrowed as she tried to register the face before her. Averie hurried forward and reached for her hand but Felicia gently pulled her hand away on reflex.

“Who… are you?” she asked softly.

Averie’s heart splintered.

“I’m your daughter,” she whispered, tears already filling her eyes. “Your real daughter.”

Felicia shook her head “No, no. I have only one daughter. She already came to see me.”

Esther froze and Averie’s hands went cold.

“Wh-What?” Her voice cracked. “Who came? When?”

Felicia’s innocent smile returned.
“Oh, it was recently. They moved me to this new hospital. Are you my daughter’s friend?”

Averie Quinn staggered back as realization hit her like a slap, “Fucking hell! Sabrina” Of course it was her.

She had taken Averie’s moment, her identity, and sweet reunion and had stained it with deceit. All to keep the truth buried.

Averie felt hot tears roll down her cheeks. Her voice trembled as she whispered, “How could she…?”

Unable to take it, she turned and rushed out of the room. But Esther stayed behind. 

She gently sat beside Felicia and said softly, “Ma’am, that first girl wasn’t your real daughter. Averie is. She’s been searching for you for years. She’s cried for you. She has suffered because she loves you.”

Felicia’s eyes darted anxiously between her and the door. The idea of searching and suffering brought back old memories for her and old pains resurfaced.

“No… no… don’t take my daughter… don’t take her again… not again…”

Her breathing quickened. She clutched her blanket and rocked slightly as old trauma clawed its way forward.

Esther stood in alarm. “Nurse!”

Meanwhile, Averie stormed into the doctor’s office without knocking. The door remained halfway open behind her as her chest heaved up and down heavily.
“How could this happen?” she choked. “Who else had access? Who spoke to her before she came here?” she asked breathlessly.

Doctor Levie stammered, taken aback by her emotional state.
“M-Miss Quinn, please sit. I swear this wasn’t my doing. Someone must have gotten to her before she was transferred. She was already confused when she arrived.”

Averie dropped into a chair, shaking, covering her face with both hands.

All the years of searching and her hope…only for it to be snatched from her.
Doctor Levie hesitated, then stepped closer and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“Miss Quinn… I’m sorry. Truly.”

From the hallway, a soft click echoed.

Sabrina stood outside the half-open door, a small smile curving her lips as she recorded a short video of Levie comforting Averie, carefully angled to look compromising.

She stopped the recording when she was satisfied.

“Perfect,” she whispered before slipping away silently.
“Killing two birds with one stone I guess”