Chapter 2 2

Madison explained that an 18-year-old girl knelt at the mansion's doorstep that morning, tears streaming as she clutched her mother's arm and cried.

"Mom, I'm your real daughter! Raelyn is the fake heiress. I'm the true one!"

My head ached. "Some random person claims to be your daughter, and you just believed her?"

"She knew Raelyn's exact birth time and hospital," Ryland said, his voice heavy. "She even named the doctor and nurse who were there."

"That just means she's a well-prepared sister," I said, shaking my head. "Those details aren't hard to find if someone digs deep enough."

"We didn't think she'd believe her at first," my mom interjected. "But she showed us the blessing charm I gave Madison when Raelyn was born."

Dad nodded. "When Raelyn came into the world, your mom got a special blessing charm from the church for her. The one Raelyn has now is a replacement. We lost it when we left the hospital."

Their words stirred faint, distant memories in me.

My birth parents worked for the Willis family but passed away in an accident. Mrs. Willis, kind-hearted, took me in as a foster daughter.

When Madison went into labor, my mom had a stomach bug.

My dad stayed with my mom at the hospital for her IV drip that day, while Ryland and I went to the maternity ward.

By the time I visited Madison, Raelyn had already been born.

The hospital room was chaotic. Madison had severe bleeding after delivery.

Ryland waited outside the operating room, and my dad sent me to check on my niece.

When I reached the room, it was empty.

The nanny and caregiver, who should have been watching the baby, were gone, likely fetching something.

I peered into the crib at my niece. She was red, wrinkled, like a tiny, peeled rabbit.

Not as cute as I'd imagined.

The room's heater was strong, and as I watched her, I grew drowsy.

Half-asleep, I climbed onto the bed, curled up under the blanket, and dozed.

Soon, the sound of the door opening jolted me from my nap.

I thought it was the nanny or caregiver returning, but I quickly realized it wasn't.

A young woman's silhouette slipped into the room.

She wasn't a hospital nurse or anyone I knew.

In her arms, she held something. I squinted and saw it was a swaddled baby.

She carefully swapped the two infants, then crept toward the door.

Perhaps because she didn't look closely, or because I was small and tucked under the blanket, she didn't notice me on the bed.

I watched silently, half-dreaming, almost convinced it was a dream.

But when the faint click of the door shutting reached me, I snapped awake and rushed to the crib.

Sure enough, the babies had been switched!

Realizing something was wrong, I wanted to find an adult, but the room was still empty.

Without hesitation, I got up, caught a glimpse of the woman's back as she vanished, and hurried after her.

She entered another hospital room, set down the baby, and left guiltily.

I pushed the door open and saw my niece sleeping in the crib.

I was certain it was her.

Struggling, I lifted her and carried her back to the original room.

On the way, Raelyn let out a soft whimper but didn't cry.

After placing her back in her crib, I took the stranger's baby to the other room.

Later, I told the nanny about it, but she insisted I must have dreamed it.

Since the adults were too busy to listen, I eventually forgot the incident.