Chapter 6: The Woman Who Knew Everything
I read the message again.
Then again.
Each time, the words felt heavier.
*Ask Claire what happened the night Maya disappeared.*
But Maya had never disappeared.
Not from my life.
Not from my home.
Not from my memory.
She had been there every morning.
Every night.
Every birthday.
So what was Claire hiding?
I looked at her.
“What does this mean?””
Claire didn’t answer.
“Claire.””
She sat down slowly.
Her face had gone completely pale.
“I thought she would never find us.””
Daniel stood.
“Who sent that?””
Claire looked at him.
“You know who.””
His expression changed.
And that was when I realized something.
Daniel was afraid too.
“Who?”” I demanded.
Claire whispered:
“Evelyn Foster.””
Daniel’s mother.
The woman I had never heard about.
The woman connected to the biggest secret of my family.
I looked at Daniel.
“Your mother?””
He nodded.
“She was supposed to be gone.””
“Gone?””
“She moved away years ago.””
Claire laughed bitterly.
“People like Evelyn don’t disappear.””
Maya appeared at the top of the stairs.
“Dad?””
Everyone turned.
I immediately walked toward her.
“You should be resting.””
“I heard Grandma’s name.””
I stopped.
Grandma?
Maya had never met Evelyn.
“Who told you that name?””
Maya looked confused.
“Mom.””
Claire froze.
“When?””
Maya looked down.
“Last year.””
I turned slowly.
“You talked to her about this?””
Claire’s eyes filled with guilt.
“Maya didn’t know who she was.””
“What did you tell her?””
Claire didn’t answer.
Maya did.
“She said my real family wanted me back.””
The room went cold.
I looked at Claire.
“You told our daughter that?””
“I was trying to scare her away from asking questions.””
I couldn’t believe it.
“You used fear to control her.””
Claire looked ashamed.
“Yes.””
Maya stepped closer to me.
“Dad?””
I held her hand.
“I’m here.””
She looked at Daniel.
“Are you really my dad too?””
Daniel’s eyes filled with tears.
“Yes.””
Maya looked at him for a long moment.
Then asked:
“Why didn’t you find me?””
The question destroyed him.
“I tried.””
“Mom said you didn’t care.””
Daniel looked at Claire.
“She lied.””
Nobody spoke.
Then there was a knock at the door.
Three slow knocks.
Everyone froze.
Claire whispered:
“No.””
I looked at the front door.
“Is that Evelyn?””
Claire nodded.
My instincts told me not to open it.
But before I could move, the doorbell rang again.
A woman’s voice came from outside.
“Claire.””
Maya grabbed my hand.
The voice continued.
“I know you’re inside.””
Claire looked like she had seen a ghost.
Daniel stepped backward.
“She shouldn’t know this address.””
I walked toward the door.
“Who is she?””
Claire grabbed my arm.
“Don’t.””
I looked at her.
“Why?””
Her eyes filled with fear.
“Because if she tells you the truth…”
She stopped.
“What?””
Claire whispered:
“You’ll understand why I did everything.””
I stared at her.
“No.””
The door shook slightly.
The woman outside knocked again.
“Mark Bennett?””
My blood ran cold.
She knew my name.
“I need to talk to you.””
I looked through the window.
An older woman stood on the porch.
Calm.
Confident.
Like she owned the house.
Then she lifted something in her hand.
A photograph.
A photograph of a little girl.
Maya.
But the picture wasn’t from our family album.
It was older.
Taken before I had ever met Claire.
The woman smiled through the glass.
May you like
And said:
“I think you deserve to know what happened to your daughter before she became yours.””
