Chapter 6: The Woman Who Came Back
Marcus reached the staircase first.
Renee grabbed his arm.
“Don't.””
He turned.
“Who is downstairs?””
She couldn't answer.
Derek moved past them.
“Stay here.””
Marcus pulled away.
“No.””
Aaliyah followed him down.
They entered the living room together.
A woman stood beside the front door.
She was older now.
Her dark hair had turned silver around the temples.
But Marcus recognized her immediately.
His former wife.
Elaine.
He stopped breathing.
“Elaine?””
She looked at him.
“Hello, Marcus.””
Aaliyah stood behind him.
Renee came down the stairs.
Elaine's eyes moved to her.
“You finally told him.””
Renee whispered, “How are you here?””
Elaine gave a bitter smile.
“That's your first question?””
Marcus stepped forward.
“You're alive.””
“Yes.””
“I was told you died.””
“You were told a lot of things.””
Marcus's hands shook.
“Who told me?””
Elaine looked at Renee.
“She did.””
Renee's face crumpled.
“That isn't fair.””
“Fair?””
Elaine laughed.
“You stole eighteen years from all of us.””
Marcus looked between them.
“Stop.””
Both women fell silent.
He pointed toward Elaine.
“You died?””
“No.””
“Then why did I get a death certificate?””
Elaine's expression changed.
“Because I disappeared.””
“Why?””
“Because someone paid me to.””
Marcus stared.
“Who?””
Elaine looked at Aaliyah.
Then at Renee.
Then back at Marcus.
“Your father.””
Marcus froze.
“My father?””
Elaine nodded.
“He wanted me gone.””
“Why?””
“Because he knew Aaliyah was yours.””
Marcus couldn't process it.
“My father knew?””
“Yes.””
“How?””
Elaine's eyes filled with tears.
“Because he was there the night she was born.””
Renee whispered, “Elaine…”
“Don't.””
Elaine's voice cut through the room.
“You don't get to stop me now.””
Marcus looked at her.
“What did my father do?””
“He offered me money.””
“For what?””
“To leave you.””
Marcus stared.
“And you accepted?””
“I was afraid.””
“You let me believe you were dead.””
“I thought it was the only way to survive.””
Marcus shook his head.
“What about Aaliyah?””
Elaine looked at her.
“I didn't know she existed until years later.””
Renee spoke softly.
“She knew.””
Elaine turned.
“You told me after you needed me to disappear.””
Marcus looked at Renee.
“You knew Elaine was alive?””
“Yes.””
“How long?””
“Eighteen years.””
He stepped backward.
The room seemed to spin.
“You lied to me about her death.””
“Yes.””
“You lied about Aaliyah's father.””
“Yes.””
“You hid the DNA test.””
“Yes.””
“And you let me spend eighteen years believing I wasn't her father.””
Renee couldn't look at him.
“Yes.””
Marcus laughed quietly.
Aaliyah stared at him.
“Dad…”
The word stopped him.
She had never called him that in front of the others.
Not once.
Marcus looked at her.
She was crying.
“I shouldn't have said what I said at graduation.””
He walked toward her.
“I know.””
“I didn't mean that you're not my father.””
“You said I wasn't your real father.””
“I was wrong.””
Marcus's eyes filled.
“Biology doesn't decide who gets to be a father.””
Aaliyah nodded.
“I know that now.””
Elaine watched them.
Then she said something that silenced everyone.
“You need to read the second DNA report.””
Marcus turned.
“What second report?””
Elaine reached into her purse.
She removed a sealed envelope.
“This one.””
Marcus took it.
His fingers trembled.
He opened it.
The first page contained the same probability.
*99.98% probability of biological paternity.*
Marcus exhaled.
Aaliyah was his daughter.
The truth he had never known.
The truth that had been stolen from him.
But then he turned the page.
His eyes stopped.
The laboratory had tested another relationship.
Marcus read the words twice.
Then a third time.
*Maternity: Renee.*
Normal.
Nothing surprising.
Then below it:
*Biological relationship between Marcus Hale and Elaine Hale: Parent/Child — 99.99%.*
Marcus's face went blank.
He looked at Elaine.
“Why did they test you against me?””
Elaine didn't answer.
Marcus read the line again.
*Parent/Child.*
His voice barely worked.
“You're not just my wife.””
Elaine began crying.
“No.””
Marcus looked at his former wife.
“Who are you?””
Elaine wiped her tears.
“I was your wife.””
She swallowed.
“But I was also the person who knew your father was hiding something.””
Marcus's eyes narrowed.
“What?””
Elaine looked toward Renee.
“She wasn't the only woman pregnant eighteen years ago.””
Renee gasped.
Marcus stared at her.
“What does that mean?””
Elaine whispered,
“Your father had another child.””
Derek stepped forward.
“Elaine…”
She shook her head.
“No more secrets.””
Marcus looked at the DNA report.
His hands went cold.
“Who was the child?””
Elaine looked directly at him.
Then at Aaliyah.
And finally at Derek.
“The baby your father claimed belonged to another man…”
She took a breath.
“…was actually Derek's.””
Marcus frowned.
“That doesn't make sense.””
Elaine's eyes filled with tears.
“Because Derek isn't Aaliyah's biological father.””
Marcus stared at her.
“We know that.””
“No.””
Elaine shook her head.
“You don't understand.””
She pointed at the report.
“The DNA test didn't just prove Marcus was Aaliyah's father.””
She looked at Derek.
“It proved Derek was the father of the other baby.””
Derek went completely still.
Marcus whispered, “What other baby?””
Elaine opened her mouth.
And then the answer came from Renee.
“There was a second child.””
Aaliyah's face went pale.
“Where is she?””
Renee looked at Marcus.
“We've been searching for her for eighteen years.””
Marcus's heart pounded.
“Who is she?””
Renee's lips trembled.
Then she said a name Marcus had heard once before.
A name he had buried in an old memory.
A name that suddenly explained why the DNA test had been ordered.
“Her name is Maya.””
Marcus stared at Renee.
And from somewhere upstairs came the sound of a bedroom door opening.
Then a young woman's voice said,
May you like
“Mom?””
Everyone in the living room turned toward the staircase.
