Chapter 10: The Signature That Shouldn’t Exist
My mother’s signature stared back at me from the screen.
For a moment, I couldn’t understand what I was seeing.
The letters blurred.
The room became strangely quiet.
“No,” I whispered.
Zoe didn’t move.
Neither did Ethan.
The document on the screen was dated seven years ago.
The day after Lily was born.
My mother’s name was at the bottom.
A signature I had seen thousands of times.
On birthday cards.
On holiday checks.
On old family documents.
But never on something like this.
“What is that?”” I asked.
Nobody answered.
I looked at Ethan.
“You knew?””
His face changed.
That was all I needed to see.
“You knew my mother signed this?””
He opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
“Chloe…”
“No.””
My voice became sharper.
“Don’t say my name like that. Not right now.””
Ethan stood slowly.
“I didn’t know your mother was involved until years later.””
“Years later?””
“Yes.””
“When?””
He looked away.
“Two years after Lily was born.””
My chest tightened.
“You found out my mother was part of this, and you never told me?””
“I was trying to protect you.””
I laughed.
A bitter, broken laugh.
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
I pointed at the screen.
“Protect me from what? The truth?””
Zoe moved closer to the laptop.
“Wait.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
She zoomed in on the document.
“There’s something strange.””
“What?””
She pointed.
“This isn’t a paternity agreement.””
I frowned.
“What do you mean?””
“The wording.””
She read quietly.
“This is a custody contingency form.””
The room went cold.
“A custody form?””
Zoe nodded.
“It says if Ethan was proven not to be the biological father, custody would be transferred temporarily.””
My stomach turned.
“To who?””
Nobody answered.
I looked at Ethan.
“To who?””
His face went pale.
“Chloe…”
“To who?””
He whispered:
“Your mother.””
I stepped back.
“My mother?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
He looked destroyed.
“Because she thought she was protecting you.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
“Chloe—”
“No.””
I walked away from the table.
“My mother would never do this.””
But even as I said it, I remembered something.
A conversation from years ago.
One I had forgotten.
The day after Lily was born, my mother had sat beside my hospital bed.
She had held Lily.
She had looked worried.
I had assumed she was just emotional.
But now…
I wondered.
“What did my mother know?””
Ethan sat down.
“She knew Vanessa had been pressuring me.””
“That’s impossible.””
“She found out about the contract.””
My eyes narrowed.
“How?””
“Vanessa told her.””
I froze.
“Why would Vanessa tell my mother?””
Ethan looked at the screen.
“Because Vanessa needed someone else to control.””
The words hit me.
My mother.
My husband.
My sister-in-law.
All connected by something I never knew existed.
I grabbed my phone.
“I’m calling her.””
Zoe reached for my arm.
“Chloe.””
“No.””
“She may not tell the truth.””
“She’s my mother.””
“And Ethan is your husband.””
The room went silent.
Because Zoe didn’t mean it cruelly.
She meant it as a reminder.
Trust had already failed me once.
I called.
One ring.
Two.
Three.
Then voicemail.
I tried again.
No answer.
My heart started pounding.
“She’s avoiding me.””
Ethan stood.
“Maybe she doesn’t know.””
I looked at him.
“You really believe that?””
He didn’t answer.
A notification appeared on my phone.
A message.
From my mother.
My fingers shook as I opened it.
*“Chloe, I know you found the document. Please don’t judge me before I explain.””*
I stared at the words.
Then another message arrived.
*“Meet me alone. There are things Ethan has never told you.””*
I looked up.
Zoe read my expression.
“What did she say?””
I showed her.
Ethan immediately shook his head.
“Don’t go.””
I turned toward him.
“Why?””
“Because she’s involved.””
“And you aren’t?””
He flinched.
That hurt.
But it was true.
“I’m not saying I’m innocent.””
“Good.””
“But Chloe, please. There is something you don’t know.””
I picked up my coat.
“What?””
His voice dropped.
“The paternity test.””
I stopped.
“What about it?””
He looked terrified.
“It was never negative.””
I slowly turned around.
“What?””
“The result was positive.””
I stared at him.
“Then why did Vanessa say—”
“Because she changed the report.””
My heart stopped.
“She changed it?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Ethan looked toward the laptop.
“Because Vanessa wasn’t trying to prove Lily wasn’t mine.””
He swallowed.
“She was trying to make everyone believe she had the power to take Lily away.””
The room went silent.
Then my phone buzzed again.
This time, it wasn’t my mother.
It was a photo.
From an unknown number.
A picture of Vanessa standing outside a hospital seven years ago.
And beside her…
Was my mother.
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The message underneath said:
*“Your mother didn’t help Vanessa. She helped me.””*
