Chapter 15: Phase Two
I didn’t tell Maya what I found.
Not yet.
Children should not have to carry the weight of adults’ mistakes.
But I also knew something.
The people who had controlled her entire life were running out of places to hide.
And desperate people became dangerous.
We returned home before sunrise.
Nobody spoke.
Claire sat beside Maya while she slept.
Watching her.
Like she was afraid closing her eyes would make her disappear.
I stood in the doorway.
For a moment, I remembered the woman Claire used to be.
The woman who danced with Maya in the kitchen.
The woman who cried during school plays.
The woman I loved.
Then I remembered the hidden rooms.
The altered records.
The lies.
Both versions existed.
And I didn’t know which one was real.
Daniel arrived with more information.
“I found Natalie.””
Everyone looked at him.
“What?””
He placed his phone on the table.
“She’s still practicing medicine.””
I stared.
“That’s impossible.””
“She changed her name.””
“How?””
Daniel looked at Evelyn.
“My mother helped.””
Evelyn looked ashamed.
“I was trying to contain the damage.””
“You protected her?””
“No.””
Evelyn shook her head.
“I was trying to watch her.””
Nobody believed that sounded better.
Daniel continued.
“She has a private clinic.””
“Where?””
He showed us the address.
Maya walked into the room.
Everyone stopped.
“How long have you known?””
I immediately went to her.
“Maya.””
She stepped back.
“No.””
Her eyes filled.
“Everyone keeps deciding what I can handle.””
I froze.
Because she was right.
“We’re sorry.””
She looked at Claire.
Then me.
“I’m not a secret.””
My chest tightened.
“No.””
“Then stop hiding things.””
Nobody spoke.
Maya looked at the address on the phone.
“That’s where she took me.””
The room went silent.
I turned.
“What?””
Maya looked scared.
“I don’t remember much.””
I knelt.
“What do you remember?””
She closed her eyes.
“A room.””
“What kind of room?””
“White walls.””
My stomach dropped.
“Who was there?””
“Natalie.””
“What did she do?””
Maya’s voice became smaller.
“She asked me questions.””
“About what?””
“About you.””
I felt cold.
“What questions?””
Maya looked at me.
“She asked if you loved me.””
Nobody moved.
“And what did you say?””
Maya started crying.
“I said yes.””
I pulled her close.
She continued:
“She said that was the answer she needed.””
Daniel looked horrified.
Evelyn whispered:
“She was testing attachment.””
The words made me furious.
“She was testing a child.””
Nobody argued.
That afternoon, we went to Natalie’s clinic.
Not to confront her.
To find proof.
The building looked normal.
Too normal.
A receptionist smiled.
A waiting room.
Plants.
Magazines.
Nothing that matched the monster in my head.
Then I saw the wall.
A display of awards.
One photograph.
Natalie receiving recognition.
Standing beside her was Claire.
My wife.
Again.
A past I didn’t know.
Claire saw it.
“I didn’t know she kept that.””
I looked at her.
“You keep saying that.””
“I’m telling the truth.””
Before I could answer, a door opened.
Natalie walked out.
Older than in the videos.
Calm.
Unbothered.
“Mark.””
I stepped forward.
“You know me.””
“Yes.””
“How long?””
She smiled slightly.
“Long enough.””
I hated how calm she was.
“You threatened my daughter.””
“No.””
“You watched her.””
“I studied her.””
I clenched my fists.
“She is not a study.””
Natalie looked at Maya.
And smiled.
“You still don’t understand.””
Maya moved closer to me.
Natalie continued:
“Maya is the first successful result.””
I felt rage explode.
“She is a person.””
“Yes.””
Natalie nodded.
“That is why she matters.””
I stared at her.
“What did you do?””
Natalie looked at Claire.
“Ask your wife.””
Claire went pale.
I turned.
“What?””
Natalie smiled.
“Ask Claire what she signed.””
Claire whispered:
“No.””
“What did you sign?””
Claire looked at Maya.
Then at me.
And finally said:
“The agreement.””
My heart sank.
“What agreement?””
Claire’s voice broke.
“The one that gave Natalie access to Maya.””
I stepped back.
“No.””
“I thought it was only medical monitoring.””
“But it wasn’t.””
Claire cried.
“No.””
Natalie calmly finished the sentence.
“It was permission to continue the experiment.””
The room went silent.
Then Natalie looked directly at me.
“And now that Maya is old enough…”
May you like
She smiled.
“Phase two can finally begin.””
