Chapter 8: The Father Who Came Back
Adrian Cole did not look like a ghost.
That was the first thing Maya thought.
He looked painfully real.
Gray hair.
Dark coat.
Deep lines around his eyes.
A slight limp as he walked down the aisle.
Maya had imagined her father thousands of times as a child.
Sometimes he was a soldier.
Sometimes a musician.
Sometimes a man who had died before ever knowing she existed.
Never this.
Never a stranger walking into a ruined wedding.
“Don’t come closer,” Maya said.
Adrian stopped.
His eyes remained on her.
“You look like Anna.””
Thomas stiffened.
“Don’t say her name.””
Adrian turned toward him.
“Thomas.””
Thomas crossed the aisle in three fast steps.
Daniel caught him before he reached Adrian.
“Let me go.””
“Not here.””
“He took my sister’s child!””
Adrian didn’t defend himself.
“Yes.””
Thomas froze.
Maya stared.
“You admit it?””
Adrian looked at her.
“Yes.””
“Why?””
His face crumpled.
“Because I thought you were mine.””
Maya’s voice sharpened.
“You thought?””
Adrian closed his eyes.
“Anna and I were together.””
Thomas looked disgusted.
“You were married.””
“Yes.””
“To another woman.””
“Yes.””
“And when Anna became pregnant, you told her to hide it.””
Adrian nodded.
“I was a coward.””
Thomas laughed bitterly.
“That doesn’t begin to cover it.””
Maya shifted Lily against her shoulder.
“Did my mother know?””
Adrian looked confused.
“Anna?””
“The woman who raised me.””
Understanding crossed his face.
“Rachel.””
Maya’s breath caught.
Hearing him say her mother’s name made everything suddenly more real.
“You knew Rachel?””
“She saved you.””
Maya stared at him.
“From whom?””
Adrian looked toward Richard.
“From all of us.””
Richard lowered his head.
Adrian continued.
“After Anna died, I panicked. The hospital was already trying to contain mistakes from that night. Richard was desperate to keep Daniel. Evelyn was terrified Thomas would learn the truth.””
Daniel interrupted.
“What truth?””
Adrian looked at him.
“That Thomas was your biological father.””
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“We already know that.””
“No.””
Adrian shook his head.
“You know what Evelyn believed.””
Evelyn stood.
“What does that mean?””
Adrian looked at Victor.
Victor opened the notebook.
“This is what I was trying to explain.””
Daniel felt cold.
Victor spoke carefully.
“There were two infants, two mothers, and multiple altered samples.””
Maya shook her head.
“Stop talking in riddles.””
Victor nodded.
“You’re right.””
He looked directly at her.
“The first modern DNA test Daniel ordered used a mislabeled archived sample attributed to Thomas.””
Daniel frowned.
“That sample matched Lily.””
“Yes.””
“So Thomas is related to Lily.””
“Yes.””
Thomas looked at Maya.
“Because Maya is my niece.””
Victor shook his head.
“No.””
Everyone froze.
Thomas stared at him.
“What?””
Victor pointed toward Adrian.
“The archived sample wasn’t Thomas’s.””
Adrian closed his eyes.
Daniel whispered:
“Whose was it?””
“Adrian’s.””
Maya felt dizzy.
Daniel stepped forward.
“So the test showing Thomas as Lily’s biological father…”
“Was based on a false label.””
Victor nodded.
“Thomas is not Lily’s father.””
Maya pressed one hand against her mouth.
For the first time all day, relief mixed with the fear.
Daniel immediately asked the question everyone was thinking.
“Then am I Lily’s father?””
Victor looked at him.
“The direct test between you and Lily says yes.””
Maya stared.
“What?””
Daniel froze.
Victor repeated it.
“You are Lily’s biological father.””
Daniel’s eyes filled instantly.
He looked at the baby.
“My daughter.””
Maya’s knees weakened.
Months of abandonment.
Hours of accusations.
A wedding destroyed.
And beneath all of it, one truth had remained unchanged.
Lily was Daniel’s child.
Daniel moved toward Maya.
She raised her hand.
“Don’t.””
He stopped.
“Being her father doesn’t erase what you did.””
“I know.””
“You abandoned her.””
“I know.””
“You abandoned me.””
His voice cracked.
“I know.””
Maya looked away before she could cry.
Claire had remained near the side exit.
Now she stepped forward.
“So why did Daniel think Lily wasn’t his?””
Victor answered.
“Because someone wanted him to.””
Claire looked at Richard.
Richard immediately shook his head.
“It wasn’t me.””
Adrian spoke.
“No.””
Everyone turned toward him.
“It was me.””
Maya stared at her father.
“You?””
Adrian nodded.
“I sent Daniel the first DNA report.””
Daniel’s fists tightened.
“You destroyed my family.””
“I was trying to get you away from Maya.””
“Why?””
Adrian looked at his daughter.
“Because when I discovered who she was, I thought history was repeating itself.””
Maya frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Adrian reached inside his coat.
Daniel immediately moved between him and Maya.
Adrian stopped.
“It’s only a letter.””
He slowly removed an old sealed envelope.
Maya recognized the handwriting instantly.
Her breath caught.
“That’s my mother’s writing.””
Adrian nodded.
“Rachel wrote this before she died.””
Maya reached for it.
Adrian hesitated.
“Before you read it, understand something.””
“What?””
“Rachel knew who your biological mother was.””
“Anna.””
Adrian shook his head.
Thomas stared.
“What are you saying?””
Adrian looked at Maya.
“Anna gave birth that night.””
Maya waited.
“But not to you.””
The cathedral became silent again.
Thomas whispered:
“Then where is Anna’s child?””
Adrian looked toward Daniel.
Daniel’s expression changed.
“No.””
Evelyn suddenly began sobbing.
Richard sat down heavily.
Daniel looked from Adrian to his mother.
“What?””
Adrian’s voice was barely above a whisper.
“Anna’s child never disappeared.””
Thomas stepped forward.
“Where is my sister’s baby?””
May you like
Adrian pointed at Daniel.
“He’s standing right in front of you.””
