Chapter 7: The Truth Beneath the Missing Minutes
The video ended.
But the image stayed.
Meliora walking away.
Elara on the floor.
A newborn baby in my wife's arms.
I stared at the frozen screen until my eyes started burning.
I wanted to believe there was another explanation.
I needed there to be another explanation.
Because the woman standing in front of me wasn't some stranger.
She was the person who packed Kerensa's lunches.
The person who kissed her forehead when she had nightmares.
The person who sat beside her hospital bed when she had a fever.
The person who had spent four years telling me she was protecting a child.
And now I had footage suggesting she had stolen one.
"Tell me I didn't just see what I think I saw.""
My voice sounded unfamiliar.
Meliora didn't answer.
That scared me more than anything.
"Tell me.""
She sat down slowly.
"I can explain.""
I laughed quietly.
Not because anything was funny.
Because that was the sentence people said when they had already lost the truth.
"I don't want an explanation.""
She looked up.
"I want the truth.""
Her eyes filled.
"You don't understand.""
"Then make me understand.""
I held up the phone.
"Because right now, it looks like you took a baby from a woman who wanted her child.""
Meliora flinched.
"That's not what happened.""
"Then what happened?""
She opened her mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
Nothing came.
"Meliora.""
Her shoulders dropped.
"I was scared.""
The answer wasn't what I expected.
I expected anger.
Denial.
A fight.
Not fear.
"Of what?""
She looked at Kerensa.
Then at the photo in my hand.
"Of losing her.""
I frowned.
"You mean losing custody?""
"No.""
Her voice cracked.
"I mean losing her completely.""
I didn't understand.
"She was Elara's daughter.""
"She was.""
"Was?""
Meliora wiped her face.
"After I took her, Elara disappeared.""
"Because you made her disappear.""
"No.""
The force of her answer surprised me.
"No.""
She stood suddenly.
"I didn't hurt her.""
"Then where did she go?""
"I don't know.""
"How convenient.""
Her eyes hardened.
"You think I wanted this?""
"I don't know what you wanted.""
She looked at the floor.
"Neither do I anymore.""
The honesty was unsettling.
I turned toward the hallway.
Kerensa was still in her room.
Listening.
I lowered my voice.
"She cannot hear this.""
Meliora looked toward the door.
A flash of guilt crossed her face.
For the first time, I wondered if she realized what this was doing to Kerensa.
"You love her.""
It wasn't a question.
Meliora looked at me.
"More than anything.""
"Then stop making this about yourself.""
That hurt her.
I saw it.
But I didn't apologize.
Because someone had to think about the child in the middle.
"Where is Elara?""
Meliora shook her head.
"I don't know.""
"How long have you known she was alive?""
"I don't know if she is.""
I looked at her.
"She called you.""
Her face went pale.
"Yes.""
"She spoke to you.""
"Yes.""
"So she's alive.""
Meliora didn't answer.
I stepped closer.
"Why are you afraid of her?""
A long silence passed.
Then Meliora whispered:
"Because the last time I saw Elara, she promised she would expose me.""
"For what?""
She looked toward the bedroom.
"For taking her daughter.""
The words hurt because they were simple.
No excuses.
No complicated explanation.
Just the truth.
I sat down.
My mind was exhausted.
Too many secrets.
Too many versions of reality.
"Did you legally adopt Kerensa?""
Meliora nodded.
"Yes.""
"Was Elara's name on the papers?""
Her eyes moved away.
"Yes.""
"Then why was she trying to take her?""
"Because she changed her mind.""
"And you thought she had no right?""
Meliora swallowed.
"I thought I was saving Kerensa.""
"From what?""
She didn't answer.
That was the part I couldn't understand.
Everyone kept saying they were saving my daughter.
Meliora.
Elara.
Even the unknown person sending messages.
Everyone claimed they were protecting her.
But somehow, Kerensa was the one who kept getting hurt.
My phone buzzed.
Another message.
I opened it.
*Unknown:* "She still hasn't told you about the hospital room.""
I looked at Meliora.
She saw the message.
And immediately stood.
"No.""
My eyes narrowed.
"What hospital room?""
"Don't.""
"What happened there?""
"Please.""
That word stopped me.
Not because I forgave her.
Because I had never heard Meliora say please before.
"What happened?""
She sat back down.
"I was there after Kerensa was born.""
"Obviously.""
"No.""
She shook her head.
"I mean after.""
"After what?""
"After I took her.""
The room became silent.
"You went back?""
She nodded.
"Why?""
Her eyes filled.
"Because I felt guilty.""
I waited.
"And because I wanted to know if I had made the right choice.""
"And?""
She closed her eyes.
"I saw Elara.""
"Alive.""
"Yes.""
"Where?""
"The hospital.""
"When?""
"The same night.""
I felt a chill.
"What happened?""
Meliora's hands trembled.
"She was sitting in the room.""
"Waiting for you?""
"No.""
"For Kerensa?""
"Yes.""
My chest tightened.
"Then what did you do?""
She looked at me.
"I told her the baby was gone.""
I stared.
"What?""
"I told her Kerensa had been transferred.""
"Why?""
"Because I panicked.""
"Where did you tell her the baby went?""
Meliora didn't answer.
"Where?""
Her voice was barely audible.
"I told her the baby had died.""
The words made the room spin.
I stepped back.
"You told a mother her child was dead?""
"I was scared.""
"She thought her baby died?""
"Yes.""
"And you took Kerensa home?""
"Yes.""
I couldn't speak.
Because suddenly the picture was different.
Not a woman saving a baby.
Not a sister protecting a child.
A woman making a decision that changed three lives forever.
"You lied to her.""
"I know.""
"You destroyed her.""
"I know.""
"And then you spent four years raising the child she thought was dead.""
"I know.""
Her tears finally fell.
"I know.""
The repetition made it worse.
Because she wasn't denying anything.
She knew.
She had always known.
I walked toward Kerensa's room.
I needed to see her.
I needed to remind myself that this was about her.
Not Meliora.
Not Elara.
Not the past.
My daughter looked up when I entered.
"Daddy?""
I sat beside her.
She immediately reached for my hand.
"Are you leaving?""
The question shocked me.
"Why would you ask that?""
She shrugged.
"People leave.""
I swallowed.
"Who told you that?""
"No one.""
She looked down.
"Sometimes people disappear.""
I thought of Elara.
I thought of Meliora.
I thought of how many adults had made choices around this child without ever asking what she needed.
I pulled her close.
"I'm not leaving.""
"Promise?""
"I promise.""
She rested her head against me.
After a few minutes, she whispered:
"Daddy?""
"Yeah?""
"The lady who gave me the picture said something else.""
My heart tightened.
"What did she say?""
Kerensa hesitated.
"She said she didn't come back for me.""
I frowned.
"Then why did she come?""
She looked up.
"She said she came because someone else is in danger.""
A cold feeling moved through me.
"Who?""
Kerensa's voice dropped.
"Someone who knows what Meliora did.""
I looked toward the hallway.
"Who?""
She hugged herself.
"She said his name was...""
She stopped.
Her eyes widened.
"What?""
A sound came from downstairs.
A crash.
Then silence.
I stood immediately.
"Stay here.""
Kerensa grabbed my hand.
"Daddy.""
"It's okay.""
But I didn't believe it.
I walked down the stairs.
Slowly.
Carefully.
The front door was open.
Cold air moved through the house.
And on the floor beside the doorway was an envelope.
My name was written on it.
I picked it up.
Inside was a single piece of paper.
Only one sentence.
*"You are looking for Elara. You should be looking for the man who helped Meliora steal Kerensa.""*
I turned the paper over.
A photograph fell out.
A photograph of Meliora.
A photograph of Elara.
And a man standing between them.
A man I recognized.
May you like
Because he was not a stranger.
He was my father.
