Chapter 7: The Boy Who Had My Face
For several seconds, I couldn't move.
The photograph remained on Sarah's phone.
A little boy stood beside a woman outside a school. He had dark hair, brown eyes, and a small scar above his left eyebrow.
I had the same scar.
I'd gotten it when I was nine, after falling off my bicycle into a neighbor's fence.
My mother noticed it first.
"Michael," she whispered.
"That boy...""
She couldn't finish.
My father pulled out a chair.
"Sit down, son.""
I barely heard him.
Sarah was still holding her phone.
"Rebecca said he's yours.""
I looked at her.
"And you believed her?""
"She sent me the photograph.""
"That's not proof.""
"She also sent me a birth certificate.""
My stomach dropped.
"Show me.""
Sarah scrolled through her messages and opened an attachment.
The document showed a child's name: Ethan Carter.
His date of birth was eight years earlier.
The mother's name was Rebecca's older sister, Melissa Carter.
The father's name was blank.
I stared at the screen.
Eight years earlier.
I remembered Melissa.
She had been around twenty-six when I met her. She and Rebecca were extremely close, and Melissa sometimes joined us for dinner.
But I'd never dated her.
I'd never been intimate with her.
At least, that was what I remembered.
"Michael?"" my father asked.
I rubbed my forehead.
"I need to think.""
Jordan pulled out a chair beside me.
"Do you remember the summer before your engagement?""
I nodded slowly.
"Of course.""
"After your accident?""
I looked at him.
"What accident?""
Jordan frowned.
"The night you were hospitalized. You were unconscious for several hours.""
My mother covered her mouth.
"Jordan, don't.""
I turned toward them.
"What are you talking about?""
Jordan swallowed.
"You don't remember?""
I remembered the accident.
I'd been driving home from a work dinner when another vehicle ran a red light. My car spun into a guardrail.
I woke up in the hospital the following afternoon with a concussion and several stitches.
Rebecca had been there.
So had my parents.
Jordan had visited the next day.
"What does that have to do with Melissa?""
Jordan looked uncomfortable.
"Rebecca told everyone you were confused for a few days. She said you kept asking about someone named Melissa.""
My father interrupted.
"He was recovering from a head injury. The doctors said some memory gaps were normal.""
I looked at my mother.
"Did Melissa visit me?""
She nodded.
"Once.""
"Why didn't anyone tell me?""
"She said she was a friend of Rebecca's.""
My father leaned forward.
"Michael, there may be something you're forgetting. But we shouldn't assume anything from a photograph.""
He was right.
I needed facts.
I looked at Sarah.
"Where is Rebecca?""
"I don't know.""
"Where did you get this photograph?""
"She sent it last week.""
"Then call her.""
Sarah shook her head.
"She hasn't answered since yesterday.""
I pulled out my phone and dialed the number from the message.
It rang twice.
Then a woman's voice answered.
"Michael?""
My throat tightened.
"Rebecca.""
There was a pause.
"I knew Sarah would eventually show you.""
"Who is Ethan?""
She exhaled.
"He's Melissa's son.""
"Is he mine?""
Silence.
Then Rebecca said, "I don't know.""
I stood up.
"What do you mean you don't know?""
"Melissa never told me the full story.""
"Then why are you telling Sarah he's my son?""
"Because Melissa believes he is.""
I gripped the edge of the table.
"Why didn't anyone tell me?""
Rebecca's voice trembled.
"Because I made a promise.""
"To whom?""
"To Melissa.""
I closed my eyes.
"What promise?""
"She asked me not to contact you until she was ready.""
"She's had eight years!""
"I know.""
I heard someone speaking in the background.
Then Rebecca lowered her voice.
"Michael, listen carefully. You need to stop trusting Daniel.""
I glanced toward Sarah.
"What does Daniel have to do with this?""
"He found out about Ethan. He contacted Melissa months ago.""
My heart started pounding.
"Why?""
"Because he wanted her to sign something.""
"What?""
"A statement saying you had abandoned the child and refused financial support.""
I looked at Sarah.
She had gone completely still.
Rebecca continued.
"Daniel told Melissa that if she cooperated, he could get her money. He said Sarah was willing to pay.""
I felt sick.
"Pay her for what?""
"For a statement that would destroy your reputation and give Sarah leverage in the divorce.""
My father stood.
"Put her on speaker.""
I did.
Rebecca's voice filled the room.
"Robert? Is that you?""
"Yes," my father answered.
"Rebecca, I need you to tell us everything.""
She hesitated.
Then she spoke.
"Sarah contacted me last year. She wanted information about Michael's previous relationship with Melissa. At first, I thought she was simply insecure. But then Daniel got involved.""
Sarah shook her head.
"That's not true.""
Rebecca continued.
"Daniel told me Sarah was preparing to leave Michael. He wanted documents proving Michael had hidden assets and a child.""
I stared at my wife.
"Did you know?""
Sarah began crying.
"I didn't know about the child until Rebecca told me.""
"Did you pay Rebecca?""
She nodded.
"Yes.""
"How much?""
"Twenty thousand dollars.""
My father looked horrified.
"Twenty thousand?""
Sarah wiped her cheeks.
"She said she needed help.""
Rebecca interrupted.
"That money didn't go to me, Michael.""
I frowned.
"What?""
"Sarah transferred the money to Daniel. I never received it.""
Sarah immediately looked up.
"That's a lie!""
Rebecca continued.
"I have the transfer records. Daniel told Sarah he was paying me to cooperate, but he never sent me anything.""
I turned toward my wife.
"Where did the twenty thousand go?""
Sarah couldn't answer.
Rebecca's voice softened.
"Michael, there's something else. Melissa has been trying to contact you for months. Daniel told her you didn't want to hear from her.""
I felt my knees weaken.
"Why would he tell her that?""
"Because he wanted her to sign the statement.""
I looked at the little boy's photograph again.
"Can I speak to Melissa?""
"Yes. But she's frightened.""
"Of me?""
"No.""
Rebecca paused.
"Of Daniel.""
Then she gave me an address.
Before hanging up, she said one final thing.
"Michael, there's a reason Daniel has been so determined to keep you away from that boy. It isn't just about money.""
The call ended.
I looked around the room.
My wife was crying.
My brother was staring at the floor.
My parents looked as if the evening had aged them ten years.
Then Jordan quietly spoke.
"Michael, I think I know why Daniel needed that statement.""
I turned toward him.
Jordan removed another paper from the blue folder.
It was a draft legal document.
At the top were the words:
*PATERNITY ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND FINANCIAL LIABILITY AGREEMENT.*
May you like
And beneath my name was a signature that looked exactly like mine.
Except I had never signed it.
