“My mom asked me to give you this. She wanted you to read it out loud… so I could hear her words one more time.”
Daniel unfolded the letter.
His voice shook as he read.
Sarah wrote that she had been called into the office and forced to resign. That she believed Daniel had rejected her. That she raised Emily alone, working multiple cleaning jobs. That two years ago she learned the truth — that he had never been told.
I’m sick now, the letter said. I don’t want to die without trying to fix this. Please look at Emily. Don’t punish her for my fear. If you don’t want to be her father, be honest. But if there’s even a small chance… you’ll be giving her the greatest gift.
The room fell silent.
“There’s a way to know for sure,” Daniel said finally. “A DNA test. Are you willing?”
Emily nodded.
Three days later, the call came.
Daniel hung up the phone, eyes wet.
“It’s positive,” he whispered. “You’re my daughter.”
Margaret burst into tears and hugged Emily.
Emily stood still for a second — overwhelmed.
Then she looked at him.
“Can I call you Dad?”
Daniel dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around her.
“Yes,” he said. “Yes, you can.”
But Emily wasn’t finished.