Chapter 5: The Second Child
The door opened.
Claire stood there alone.
Rainwater dripped from her coat.
She looked at the papers scattered around the room.
Then at the photograph in my hand.
She closed her eyes.
“You found it.””
I couldn't speak.
Mark stepped forward.
“You shouldn't have come.””
Claire looked at him.
“You should have stayed out of our lives.””
Mark laughed bitterly.
“Our lives?””
“You know what I mean.””
“No,” he said.
“I know exactly what you mean.””
I raised the photograph.
“Who is he?””
Claire didn't answer.
“Who is Maya's father?””
She looked at me.
For twelve years, I had known every expression on that face.
The smile she gave me across crowded restaurants.
The tired look she wore when Maya had a fever.
The little wrinkle between her eyebrows when she was concentrating.
I thought I knew her.
Now I couldn't recognize her.
“Answer me.””
Claire whispered,
“His name is Evan.””
“Evan who?””
“Evan Cole.””
The name meant nothing.
But Mark's face changed.
I noticed.
“You know him.””
Mark nodded.
“He was Claire's boyfriend before you.””
I looked at Claire.
“You told me there was no one serious before me.””
“I lied.””
“For twelve years?””
“Yes.””
“Is Maya his daughter?””
Claire looked down.
“Yes.””
The word barely made a sound.
It still hit like a gunshot.
I stepped backward.
“No.””
“Daniel—”
“No.””
“I was going to tell you.””
“When?””
She didn't answer.
“When Maya turned eighteen?””
“I didn't know how.””
“You had twelve years.””
“I was afraid.””
“Of what?””
“That you'd leave.””
I laughed once.
It sounded broken.
“So you let me raise another man's child?””
Claire's eyes filled.
“You loved her.””
“She was my daughter.””
“She is your daughter.””
“Not biologically.””
“Does that change anything?””
I wanted to say yes.
I wanted to say no.
Instead, I looked at the photograph.
The baby in Claire's arms had Maya's face.
My little girl.
The child who called me Daddy when she woke from nightmares.
The child whose first bicycle I held.
The child whose school plays I never missed.
Biology suddenly felt like the smallest part of the truth.
But there was still one question.
“What does this have to do with the medication?””
Claire went silent.
Mark answered for her.
“Evan came back.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
“Six months ago.””
Claire shook her head.
“Mark, stop.””
“He found out about Maya.””
I turned toward Claire.
“You knew?””
“Yes.””
“You contacted him?””
“No.””
“Then how did he find her?””
Claire wiped her eyes.
“He found us.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because he wanted money.””
“How much?””
Claire didn't answer.
Mark said,
“Two hundred thousand.””
I stared at Claire.
“You paid him?””
“No.””
“Then what happened?””
Claire's silence stretched.
“Claire.””
“He threatened to take Maya.””
My jaw tightened.
“He can't just take her.””
“He said he would.””
“So you were afraid.””
“Yes.””
“And instead of telling me, you…”
I stopped.
The hospital.
The medication.
The recording.
The backpack.
“What did you do to Maya?””
Claire began crying.
“I didn't mean for her to get hurt.””
“That isn't an answer.””
“I was trying to make her sleep.””
My blood ran cold.
“Why?””
“Because Evan was watching the house.””
Mark cursed.
Claire continued.
“He kept coming around. I didn't know what else to do.””
“You drugged our daughter so she would sleep through it?””
“I gave her something small.””
“You poisoned her.””
“I didn't know it would affect her like that.””
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
“You're her mother.””
“I know.””
“You were supposed to protect her.””
“I was trying to.””
“No. You were protecting yourself.””
Claire looked at me.
Then she said something that made the room go silent.
“You don't understand, Daniel. Evan wasn't just threatening to take Maya.””
“What else?””
“He knew about the money.””
I looked at the documents.
“The inheritance.””
Claire nodded.
“Your name is on those trusts because my mother changed her will before she died.””
“What did she leave me?””
“Everything.””
I stared at her.
“What?””
“My mother discovered what I had done.””
“What did you do?””
Claire looked toward Mark.
He stepped closer.
“Tell him.””
Claire shook her head.
“Tell me.””
“My mother found out that I had been taking money from the family accounts.””
“How much?””
“Over a million dollars.””
I stared at the financial records.
“And she was going to expose you.””
“Yes.””
“So you stole her inheritance?””
“No.””
Claire's voice broke.
“She changed the will to protect you.””
“Why me?””
“Because she believed I would destroy everything if I controlled it.””
Mark spoke quietly.
“She left the estate in a trust with Daniel as the beneficiary.””
I looked down at the documents.
Then I noticed something.
A date.
A signature.
And a handwritten note.
I picked it up.
“What is this?””
Mark looked over my shoulder.
His expression changed.
“Don't.””
I read the note.
It was written by Claire's mother.
*Daniel, if you're reading this, Claire has already told you enough lies. There is one final truth you must know.*
My hands trembled.
Below it was another line.
*Maya is not the only child whose life Claire changed.*
I looked at Claire.
“What does that mean?””
She said nothing.
I read the next sentence.
*Before Maya was born, Claire gave birth to another baby.*
My heart stopped.
I looked at Mark.
He whispered,
“Daniel…”
I read the final words.
*That child is alive.*
The room seemed to tilt.
Claire suddenly reached for the letter.
I pulled it away.
“Where is the child?””
Claire's face crumpled.
“I don't know.””
“You're lying.””
“I swear.””
Mark stepped between us.
“Daniel, there's something else.””
“What?””
He looked at Claire.
Then at me.
“The child isn't a stranger.””
My pulse thundered in my ears.
“What are you talking about?””
Mark pointed to the photograph.
Then to Claire.
“She knows exactly where that child is.””
Claire whispered,
“Please…”
Mark's voice hardened.
“It's time you told him who he's been living with all these years.””
And from the hospital hallway, my phone suddenly began ringing.
The screen showed the hospital's number.
I answered.
A nurse was sobbing on the other end.
“Mr. Carter, you need to come back immediately.””
“What happened?””
“Maya woke up.””
My grip tightened around the phone.
“What did she say?””
The nurse took a shaky breath.
“She keeps asking for her brother.””
I looked at Claire.
Her face went completely white.
May you like
Then the nurse said,
“Mr. Carter… Maya says she knows where he is.””
