Mistaken: The Lost Heiress

Home?

{Adelynn’s POV}

My father and mother took me outside, where a limo was waiting for us. My father picked me up in his arms carefully and sat me down in the back seat of the car, closing the door behind me and walking around to the other side. My mother and him slid in across from me, as their driver put my wheelchair in the trunk. Soon we took off, towards their home.

My father looked over to me, his eyes trying to stay on my face, but he continuously looked to the braces on my legs. “You’re so light.. you barely weigh a thing.” He said, his voice coming out a bit soft, and shaken.

I didn’t know how to go about this conversation, it was something I have avoided talking about since the incident. “I’ve lost some weight recently. I was in the hospital, and didn’t really eat much.”

“Honey.. I don’t mean to pry but.. what happened?” My mother asked, as she moved across to the seat next to me.

I rubbed my palm nervously, a habit I’ve always had. “My.. the people who raised me.. they weren’t kind to me. When I turned 18, I tried to leave. James.. the man who I thought was my father, he threw me down the stairs. I’m doing much better now though.. they said I should begin to be able to walk again soon.” I muttered out, my palm now sore from how hard I had been rubbing it. I could feel tears on my cheek, and before I could even move, my mother grabbed my hand gently, stopping me from my nervous habit.

She shook her head, and let out a broken sound. “I’m so sorry we didn’t find out sooner..” she wept, pulling me into a hug. “Maybe if we were old have found you.. none of this would’ve happened..”

I pulled away, giving her a half smile. “It’s okay.. you didn’t know, I didn’t know.. no one did.” I said softly. “What.. what about their birth daughter.. the one I was switched with? Where is she?” I asked, looking between them.

“She died before we even left the hospital.. she had a heart problem, she only lived a few days.” She whispered, placing both of her hands in her lap.

“I’m so sorry..” I replied, reaching over and grabbing her hand with mine, giving a gentle squeeze.

She nodded, tears beginning to flow down her gentle face, before she reached up with her free hand and wiped them away. “It’s okay sweetie.. we mourned her, and laid her to rest. I’m just so happy that we found you..” She smiled over to me, patting the top of my hand.

My father had his phone out, it seemed he was messaging someone. He looked up, a hint of anger in his eyes. “So what happened to the people who raised you?” He asked.

“T-They’re in prison now..” I answered, my body trembling slightly at the thought of them.

He pulled his phone out once more and began texting again. “Your brothers are waiting at home, they’re excited to meet you.” He said, before sliding his phone into his coat pocket.

“I have brothers?” I asked, a soft whimper escaping my lips.

My mother nodded, a bright smile spreading across her face. “Four of them! Theodore, Liam, Sebastian, and Miles!”

I smiled softly at the though of it.. four brothers, and two loving parents. My father’s voice brought me out of my thoughts. “Of course Miles is out of town at the moment. We aren’t sure when he’ll come back, he’s bad about taking off. He usually leaves his phone at home when he leaves, so I’m not sure if we’ll be able to reach him until he gets back.” My father said, still typing.

“I can’t wait to meet them..” my voice came out soft, a hint of excitement slipping through. “I always wanted siblings.. but I was glad that James and Millicent didn’t have anymore children.” I looked down at my feet, seeing my leg braces, I could barely move my legs at this point. They told me that feeling should be coming back, but it’s been a slow process.

Soon we pulled up to a set of massive black gates, the driver hit a button and they opened up, allowing us to go inside. Then I saw it, the biggest house I’d ever seen in my entire life. It was beautiful, stone, with white trim. There were large pillars that held up the deck over the front porch. On the porch there was a porch swing, and some rocking chairs, along with a table and chairs. “T-This is your house?” I asked, slightly taken aback.

My mother gave a slight chuckle. “Yes honey, this is one of them at least. Maybe we can take you to the summer home we have on our very own island when it warms up!” She smiled brightly.

I was anxious.. I wasn’t sure how to feel about all of this. “Oh..” was all I could manage.

“Don’t worry Adelynn, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, just relax. For now, we’re just excited to get to know you!” My father reassured me.

I nodded, and quietly began rubbing my palm again. Soon we pulled up to the front door, and my father got out. The driver got my chair from the trunk. “We don’t have a ramp, we’ll have to build one.” My mother said, as the driver took my chair to the front door. My father carried me up the stairs and sat me down in my chair.

“Hopefully I won’t be in the chair much longer..” I said softly, still rubbing my palm.

I watched as my father went into the house in front of me, my mother next, and their driver pushed me inside, and closed the door as he walked back out. “Boys!” My father’s voice boomed.

His shouts echoing through the halls caused me to flinch, covering my ears. My mother came to my side and rubbed my back. “Are you okay sweetie?” She asked, her voice gentle.

I nodded.. “Sorry.. didn’t mean to worry you..” was all I could say.

I heard loud footsteps making their way towards us, as my mother and father turned to face the noise. “Where is she?” I heard a deep voice ask.

“Yeah, we’re ready to meet our sister!” Another voice chimed in.

“If you can even call her that.” I heard a grumpy voice sound out from the doorway in front of us.

“Liam!” My mother snapped. “She is your sister, our blood daughter! What has gotten into you?”

“Do you not remember how heartbroken you were when our sister died in the hospital? You expect us to just pretend that none of that ever happened? That we didn’t all grieve our baby sister’s death? Now this girl shows up, and says she was our sister, not the baby that we all loved, and mourned?” He shouted, everyone else in the room went silent.

That’s when I knew that I shouldn’t have come here.. I never should have tried to find them. I’m 18, I don’t need parents or a family anymore. Why did I ever think this was a good idea. I grabbed my wheel and turned the chair around opening the door and rolling out onto the porch, closing it behind me, tears spilling down my cheeks. I couldn’t leave, I couldn’t even get off the porch by myself. As much as I wanted to leave, I was trapped here.