Chapter 15: The Third Child
The photograph fell onto the table.
Nobody touched it.
Not at first.
Because everyone was afraid of what another piece of paper or another image would reveal.
I had spent one day watching my entire life collapse.
My daughter-in-law's lies.
My husband's secrets.
A son I never knew existed.
And now Richard was telling me there was more.
A third child.
"No," I whispered.
Richard watched my reaction.
"You always believed your family was simple.""
His voice was cruel.
"It never was.""
Harrison picked up the photograph.
His hands shook.
"What is this?""
Ava stood beside him.
"Another baby?""
Richard smiled.
"Yes.""
Harrison looked at him.
"You're lying.""
"Am I?""
He pointed at the photograph.
"Look.""
Harrison stared.
Then he slowly turned it around.
On the back was a date.
And a hospital stamp.
Same hospital.
Same year.
My heart felt like it stopped.
Daniel took the photograph.
His face changed.
"What?""
I looked at him.
"Daniel?""
He handed it back.
"I know this baby.""
The room went silent.
"How?""
Daniel swallowed.
"Because Rachel told me.""
Ava looked shocked.
"My mother knew?""
Daniel nodded.
"She knew there was another child.""
Harrison looked exhausted.
"Another sibling.""
Richard crossed his arms.
"Your father spent his life trying to fix what his family broke.""
I looked at him.
"Where is the child?""
Richard didn't answer.
That was the worst part.
His silence.
Because it meant he knew.
Harrison stepped closer.
"Where?""
Richard looked at him.
"Safe.""
"Safe where?""
Richard smiled.
"Somewhere Robert could never reach.""
Ethan's face changed.
"Richard.""
"What?""
"You don't know where he is.""
Richard looked surprised.
"You think I don't?""
Ethan shook his head.
"Because Robert found him.""
The room froze.
"What?""
Ethan looked at me.
"Robert found the third child before he died.""
My hands went cold.
"Then why didn't he tell me?""
Ethan looked away.
"Because the child wasn't taken from the hospital.""
Ava frowned.
"What does that mean?""
Ethan hesitated.
"It means the third child wasn't hidden by Richard.""
Everyone went quiet.
Harrison looked confused.
"Then who?""
Ethan looked at me.
My heart dropped.
"No.""
He nodded slowly.
"I'm sorry.""
The answer came before he said it.
"The third child was hidden by someone you trusted.""
I felt sick.
Someone I trusted.
Someone close.
Someone who had access to my family.
Richard watched my face carefully.
"You understand now.""
I ignored him.
"Who?""
Ethan looked at Harrison.
Then Ava.
Then me.
"The child was given away by...""
The lights suddenly went out.
The room fell into darkness.
Someone screamed.
A door slammed.
Then footsteps.
Fast footsteps.
When the emergency lights turned back on, Richard was gone.
So was the photograph.
But something remained on the table.
A small envelope.
Harrison picked it up.
His face changed.
"Mom.""
I walked closer.
"What?""
He handed it to me.
My name was written on the front.
But the handwriting wasn't Robert's.
It wasn't Richard's.
It wasn't anyone I recognized.
I opened it.
Inside was a single page.
Only one sentence.
And when I read it, my entire body went cold.
"Marianne, the child you lost was never taken from you.""
I looked at Harrison.
Then Ava.
Then Ethan.
May you like
The final line was underneath.
"He was raised beside you the entire time.""
