Grace began to cry.
“Every night.”
Olivia looked at her.
“The one of the blue bird?”
Grace nodded.
Olivia took a step forward.
Then another.
“Victoria told me it was just a dream.”
Grace opened her arms.
“It wasn’t a dream.”
Olivia burst into tears.
She walked across the room.
Grace held her close.
For eighteen years Grace had lived with the memory of her two newborn daughters who had been taken from her.
Now they were both within arm’s reach.
Lily approached.
Emma followed her.
The three sisters embraced their mother.
Daniel covered his face.
Catherine turned to the window.
Even Vincent, who was discreetly watching from the door, had tears in his eyes.
For several minutes, no one tried to speak.
There had been too many missed birthdays.
Too many Christmas mornings spent separately.
Too many first steps and first words that Grace had never been able to witness.
No reunion could make those years lost.
But for the first time, the future belonged to this family, and no longer to the people who had stolen its past.
Later, Olivia sat next to Emma.
“I don’t know how to be your sister.”
Emma smiled.
“Me neither.”
Olivia looked at Lily.
“Do twins normally know when the other is sad?”
Lily burst out laughing through her tears.
“I guess we’re going to have to find out.”
Olivia smiled.
A small smile.
Hesibly.
But sincere.
Emma took their hands.
“We don’t need to understand everything today.”
Olivia squeezed her fingers.
Then she whispered,
“Do you think that one day I will feel normal?”
Emma looked at Grace and Daniel.
His parents sat together, talking in low voices.
Grace would occasionally touch Daniel’s hand, as if she needed to check that he was really there.
Emma looked at Olivia again.
“I don’t even know what it means to be normal anymore.”
Lily burst out laughing.
“At least, not in this family!”
The three sisters laughed.
And for a brief moment, the terrible story that had brought them together finally loosened its grip on them.
CHAPTER 12: JONATHAN STERLING’S
LAST LIE The trial began four months later.
Jonathan Sterling entered the federal court dressed in an expensive dark suit.
His lawyers surrounded him.
Journalists crowded at the entrance.
His former associates avoided his gaze.
His financial empire had collapsed.
But he remained distrustful.
For several weeks, prosecutors presented documents from Bluebird’s archives.
Financial transferss.
Hospital records.
Falsified medical reports.
Testimonies.
Plant monitoring records.
Adrian Moretti testified about his disappearance and the years he had spent gathering evidence.
Catherine Hale described the threats that had forced her into hiding.
Daniel Carter explained how he had discovered the fraudulent medical operations.
Grace recounted her captivity, the birth of her twin daughters, and the kidnapping of one of her daughters.
Isabella testified to her own participation.
She admitted to helping establish Bluebird’s medical procedures before discovering the fraud.
She also admitted that fear had kept her silent long after she learned that patients were being seriously harmed.
The room remained silent during his testimony.
His statements would later lead to separate legal proceedings regarding his own liability.
Then Victoria Sterling took the stand.
Emma was sitting next to Olivia.
Victoria seemed exhausted.
She had lost her social position, much of her fortune, and the respect of people who once vied with each other to be invited to her receptions.
But she had decided to testify.
The prosecutor approached.
“Mrs. Sterling, when did you begin to understand that your father had illegally obtained your daughter?”
Victoria looked down.
“I started to suspect it when she was six years old.”
Olivia shook Emma’s hand.
The prosecutor continued.
“What aroused your suspicions?”
“His documents didn’t match.”
Victoria swallowed.
“The hospital records contained conflicting dates.”
“Did you confront your father?”
“Yes.”
“What did he say to you?”
Victoria’s voice broke.
“That if I asked more questions, Olivia would disappear.”
A murmur ran through the room.
The prosecutor waited.
“Why didn’t you denounce him?”
Victoria began to cry.
“Because I was afraid.”
The prosecutor looked at the jury.
“Afraid of what?”
“That he take away the only girl I thought I could have in my life.”
Olivia lowered her head.
Emma squeezed his hand.
The prosecutor turned again to Victoria.
“Did you know that Olivia’s biological mother was alive?”
Victoria wiped her eyes.
“I found out later.”
“When?”
“About seven years ago.”
The room fell silent.
Olivia raised her head abruptly.
Seven years.
Victoria had known for seven years that Grace Carter could be alive.
Seven years during which Olivia had asked about her family.
Seven years of lies.
The prosecutor approached.
“Why didn’t you tell Olivia?”
Victoria looked at the floor.
Then she answered.
“Because I was selfish.”
His voice trembled.
