Chapter 7: The Truth Claire Hid
I didn’t remember driving home.
One moment I was standing in that warehouse.
The next, I was sitting in my driveway, staring at my house.
The place I built.
The place where my children grew up.
The place where apparently everyone knew a secret except me.
Claire was in the kitchen when I walked inside.
She looked up.
“Arthur.””
I said nothing.
Her smile disappeared.
“What happened?””
I placed the photograph on the table.
Her face changed.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
Recognition.
“You know him.””
Claire slowly sat down.
“Where did you get that?””
My heart sank.
“You do know him.””
She covered her mouth.
“Arthur…”
“No.””
My voice was quiet.
Almost too quiet.
“Not this time.””
She looked at me.
“Let me explain.””
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
I pointed toward the photograph.
“Explain.””
Claire stared at the picture.
Then whispered:
“His name is Daniel.””
“Who is Daniel?””
She didn’t answer.
“Claire.””
“He worked at the hospital.””
The room froze.
“The hospital where Jordan was born?””
She nodded.
I stepped back.
“How long have you known him?””
“Since before we met.””
That answer hit harder.
“What?””
Claire’s eyes filled.
“Arthur, I was nineteen.””
I felt something break inside.
“You knew him before me?””
“Yes.””
“And you never told me?””
“Because I thought it was over.””
“Thought?””
She looked down.
“Daniel was part of the hospital investigation.””
My stomach tightened.
“What investigation?””
She hesitated.
“The baby mix-up.””
Everything suddenly became clear.
The DNA reports.
The hospital mistake.
The missing records.
“Claire.””
She started crying.
“I didn’t know the truth until recently.””
“Recently?””
“Six months ago.””
The same time Maya heard us arguing.
I sat down.
“What did you find?””
Claire opened a drawer.
She pulled out a folder.
Another folder.
Another secret.
“I found records showing the hospital covered up what happened.””
I opened it.
Inside were copies of old documents.
Names.
Dates.
A list of babies born that night.
My eyes moved down the page.
Then stopped.
There were three names highlighted.
Jordan.
Another child.
And Maya.
I looked at Claire.
“Why is Maya on this list?””
She shook her head.
“I don’t know.””
“You’re lying.””
Her eyes widened.
“I’m not.””
“You knew about Jordan. You knew about Maya. You knew about Daniel.””
“Arthur—”
“How much of my life was hidden from me?””
Claire broke down.
“I was trying to protect you.””
“No.””
I stood.
“You were trying to protect yourself.””
The words hurt both of us.
Because they might have been true.
Claire wiped her tears.
“Daniel contacted me because he found something.””
“What?””
“He found out the hospital records weren’t accidentally changed.””
I froze.
“They were altered.””
“By who?””
She looked toward the stairs.
Toward our children’s rooms.
Then whispered:
“Marcus.””
I stared.
“No.””
“Yes.””
“That doesn’t make sense.””
Claire shook her head.
“Marcus discovered the adoption records years ago.””
“Why?””
“Because he wanted leverage.””
“Against who?””
She looked at me.
“Your father.””
I sat down slowly.
The entire family history was becoming a chain.
One secret connected to another.
One lie protecting another.
“Why would Marcus change hospital records?””
Claire hesitated.
“Because he believed someone stole his life.””
“What?””
“He thought you had everything.””
I laughed.
“He had a family.””
“He had anger.””
Silence.
Claire looked at me.
“Arthur, Marcus spent his entire life believing you were the favorite.””
“That’s insane.””
“Maybe.””
She looked at the papers.
“But pain doesn’t need to be logical.””
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
Again.
I answered.
“Hello?””
A man spoke.
“Arthur.””
Daniel.
I recognized his voice.
“You need to stop looking.””
My grip tightened.
“Who are you?””
“You know who I am.””
“What do you want?””
A pause.
Then:
“I want you to understand something.””
“What?””
“The person you think betrayed you is the person who has been protecting your children.””
I looked at Claire.
Daniel continued.
“Marcus didn’t create this mess.””
My heart stopped.
“Then who did?””
The answer came quietly.
“The same person who has been standing beside you the entire time.””
The call ended.
I looked at Claire.
She looked terrified.
Because she knew.
May you like
And then someone screamed upstairs.
Maya.
