The Illusion of Deception
Working at the Royal Academy of Music, Emily had never been interested in anything but music. It had been her life since childhoodher mother and her piano. At twenty-eight, she was unmarried, having briefly dated a colleague, but their paths divergedtoo difficult when both were talented and lost in their own worlds.
For the last three months, however, she had been seeing James, a solicitor. Theyd met by chance at a café near the academy. She hadnt wanted to go homeher mother had recently passed, and the house felt unbearably silent and lonely.
“You look troubled,” James had said, approaching her. Hed been watching her while sipping his coffee. “My names James. Whats yours?”
She was beautiful, distantintriguing enough for him to strike up a conversation.
“Emily,” she replied softly, offering a faint smile.
Since then, theyd been seeing each other. James often stayed over and had even proposed, but she hesitated.
“I cant say yes yet, Jamie. I only just lost Mum.”
Her mother had raised her alone. Emily had never known her fatherwho he was, where hed gone, she never asked. It seemed a painful subject, one her mother avoided. And now, with her gone, the weight of grief and loneliness pressed down on her. She found herself wonderingshould she try to find him?
“I dont even know how to answer that,” she confessed to James. “Ive never met him. What if I find him and he doesnt want me?”
Emily had lived a sheltered life, absorbed in music, while her mother handled everythingbills, paperwork, the lot. Her mother had warned her, “Emmy, you ought to learn these things. What will you do when Im gone? Youre too detached from reality.”
“But you manage everything so well,” Emily had laughed. “Why should I bother?”
Life, however, was cruel and unpredictable. It took her mother suddenlyan illness that burned through her too fast. The doctors could only shrug. “It was too late when she came to us.”
“But she never complained,” Emily said through tears.
“Perhaps she didnt want to worry you,” the doctor replied. “But the body always gives signs.”
James was sharp. The first time hed visited Emilys flat, hed been taken aback by the expensive paintings on the wallsthough she paid them no mind, having grown up with them. But James knew their worth.
In the evenings, Emily practised for her next recital while James listenedor pretended to. Hed long since realised there was money to be had here. He rifled through her mothers documents and letters. Aside from an aunt, Margaret, who lived in Scotland, Emily had no family. So he decided to marry her quicklyshe was the sole heir.
It frustrated him that she kept refusing. She barely knew him, and something in her hesitatedwas he really the one? But James didnt relent, pressing her to marry, knowing she longed to find her father.
One evening, James met her with news.
“Were having guests tonight. Lets stop by the shop for champagne.”
“Guests?” she asked, surprised.
“I found your father.”
“Jamie, really? Where? I always thought he lived abroad.”
“Hes here in London.”
Half an hour after they arrived home, the doorbell rang. James answered it. Emily saw a tall, dark-haired man.
“My girl,” he said, embracing her. “Ive never seen you before. Youre beautiful. Robert Parkerthats my name.”
Emilys middle name was indeed Roberta.
“Your mother and I parted ways, but she never told me she was expecting,” Robert said.
Seizing the moment, James interjected, “Robert, since things have turned out so well, may I ask for Emilys hand?”
Still reeling, Emily faltered.
“If James loves you, Ive no objection,” Robert smiled. “You have my blessingjust send me the wedding invite.”
From then on, Robert became a frequent visitor. But Emily learned little about his past with her motherhe claimed their relationship had been brief.
She sent an invitation to her aunt Margaret and her husband. They arrived early, eager to help with wedding preparations in place of Emilys late mother.
One evening, the doorbell rang. Emily opened it, delighted.
“We barely made it,” Aunt Margaret said. “The train was dreadful.”
They met James, who left shortly after so Emily could catch up with family.
“Auntie, I found my fatherwell, James did,” Emily said.
“Whats his name?”
“Robert Parker. My middle names Roberta.”
Margaret exchanged a look with her husband. “Trouble, Alex,” she muttered. He nodded grimly.
“What trouble?” Emily asked.
“Your fathers name isnt Robert. Its WilliamWilliam Harris. Theres a dash where father should be on your birth certificate. Your mother invented the middle name. Emmy, I know everythingshe made me swear never to tell. Your father is William Harris, the dean of your old music college.”
“William Harris? Thats impossible! He taught me. Then who is Robert Parker?”
“Thats what well ask James tomorrow. Why is he staging this charade? By the way, you havent claimed your inheritance yetits been nearly six months since your mother passed.”
“No, Ill have to see the solicitor but what does it matter? Just the flat and”
“Good Lord, Emmy, youre so naïve. Your grandparents were well-off. Your mother had a substantial bank account, and those paintings are worth a fortune. When our parents died, they split everything between your mother and me. Youre not some penniless orphan. And since Alex and I have no children, youll inherit from us too.”
Emily cancelled the wedding.
She had been oblivious to all of itnever asking about money, never questioning. Now, with her aunts revelation, she wondered why James had been in such a hurry.
“Auntie, does William Harris know I exist?”
“No. His mother is to blame. She arranged a better match for him and drove your parents apart. Your mother didnt know she was pregnant when they fought. William married someone elsea lie that she was carrying his child. He loved your mother, but when he saw her later with a baby, he assumed shed moved on. She never told him. As for Robert Parkerwell get answers from James.”
“William handed me my diploma,” Emily murmured. “He had no idea I was his daughter.”
That evening, James was in for a shock. Emily had packed his things and called off the wedding. With Margaret and Alex present, he didnt dare arguehe knew hed been caught. Robert Parker vanished from their lives.
“I feel relieved,” Emily admitted. “Something about James never felt right.”
The next day, Emily returned from work to more news.
“We have a guest tonight,” Margaret said.
“Who now?” Emily asked warily.
“Youll see.”
When the doorbell rang, Margaret answered. She returned, arm in arm with William Harris. Emily froze.
“My God,” William said, opening his arms. “You look just like me. Forgive meI never knew you existed. Margaret here gave me quite the shock.”
They talked late into the night. Emily learned about her half-brother, a soldier stationed overseas.
“Only you followed in my footsteps,” William said proudly. “Youre so talented. My son has no ear for musicbut you? Its in your blood.”
“So thats why I love it,” Emily laughed. “I always wondered.”
From then on, she and William grew close. They visited her mothers grave together, and he introduced her to his wife, Grace, a kind woman. Later, she met her brother when he came home on leave.
A year later, Emily married Daniel, the son of Williams old friend. Hed fallen for her the moment they met. Daniel taught economics at the university.
Margaret and Alex attended the wedding, pleased with Emilys choice. He was steady, reliablea man they could trust.
