Chapter 11: The Woman Behind The Secrets
The back door was only a few steps away.
But I couldn’t move.
Not because I was afraid.
Because everything inside me wanted answers.
My mother pulled harder on my arm.
“Marcus, go.””
I looked at her.
“You knew she was coming.””
Her silence confirmed it.
“You knew.””
“I suspected.””
“Suspected?””
The front door shook again.
My mother lowered her voice.
“She has been looking for that file.””
“What file?””
“The one your father left behind.””
I stared.
“The one in the archive?””
She nodded.
My mind raced.
The DNA report.
The recording.
The documents.
Everything connected.
“Why would she care about me?””
My mother looked at me.
“Because you are the only person who can expose what happened.””
Before I could ask more, the front door opened.
Nia’s mother, Victoria, stepped inside.
She looked calm.
Almost polite.
“Running away again, Evelyn?””
My mother stood between us.
“You shouldn’t be here.””
Victoria smiled.
“I could say the same.””
Then she saw me.
Her expression changed.
Not anger.
Disappointment.
“You found the archive.””
I didn’t answer.
Victoria sighed.
“I hoped it wouldn’t come to this.””
I laughed.
“You hoped I wouldn’t discover the truth?””
“No.””
She looked at me.
“I hoped someone would finally tell you before it destroyed you.””
The contradiction made my head hurt.
“You’ve been lying to me for years.””
“So has your mother.””
My mother stepped forward.
“Don’t.””
Victoria ignored her.
“Ask her about Thomas.””
I looked at my mother.
“I already know.””
Victoria’s eyebrows lifted.
“You do?””
“Yes.””
She smiled slightly.
“Then ask the question she still hasn’t answered.””
My chest tightened.
“What question?””
Victoria looked at my mother.
“Why did Thomas disappear?””
My mother’s face changed.
I had never seen that expression before.
Pure fear.
“Mom?””
She didn’t speak.
Victoria walked closer.
“Your biological father didn’t abandon you.””
I felt the room tilt.
“What?””
“He was forced to leave.””
“By who?””
Victoria looked at me.
“Your father.””
I stepped back.
“No.””
“Your father discovered Thomas knew something.””
“What?””
“Something about the company.””
I looked at my mother.
She was crying now.
“Is this true?””
She whispered:
“Part of it.””
I hated that answer.
“Part?””
My mother wiped her face.
“Thomas was involved with your father’s business.””
Victoria nodded.
“And he discovered the same thing your father later discovered.””
“The stolen money.””
“Yes.””
I looked at Victoria.
“Then why blame my father?””
Her expression became cold.
“Because your father made a choice.””
“What choice?””
“To protect you.””
The room went silent.
Victoria reached into her bag.
She pulled out a small notebook.
My father’s handwriting covered the pages.
“He gave this to me before he died.””
My mother stared.
“You had that?””
Victoria ignored her.
“Your father knew someone close to him was responsible.””
I looked at the notebook.
“Who?””
Victoria opened it.
Then turned the page toward me.
A name was written.
One name.
My stomach dropped.
Because I knew it.
I had seen it hundreds of times.
On documents.
On birthday cards.
On family paperwork.
My own handwriting.
My mother’s.
The name was:
*Evelyn Carter.*
I looked up.
My mother’s face went completely white.
“That’s not what it means.””
Victoria closed the notebook.
“Then tell him.””
My mother opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
The silence was unbearable.
Then my phone rang.
Daniel.
I answered.
“Marcus?””
His voice was urgent.
“Where are you?””
“My mother’s house.””
A pause.
Then:
“Get out.””
“Why?””
“Because I just found something.””
“What?””
Daniel’s voice lowered.
“The DNA report you found was altered.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
“It wasn’t showing you weren’t his son.””
I looked at the paper in my hand.
“Then what was it showing?””
Daniel hesitated.
And then said:
“Marcus, your father wasn’t trying to prove you weren’t his son.””
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A pause.
“He was trying to prove someone else was.””
