Chapter 4: The Man Behind the Lie
Nobody moved after Daniel said the name.
Marcus.
A single name had changed the entire night.
Claire stood frozen beside the table, one hand still resting over the fake pregnancy that had fooled everyone.
“Daniel,” she whispered.
But he stepped away.
“No.””
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
“Don’t explain yet.””
Claire looked hurt.
“Please.””
“I said don’t.””
The way he said it made even Claire stop.
Daniel turned toward me.
“You knew about Marcus?””
I hesitated.
That hesitation was enough.
His face fell.
“You did.””
“I didn’t know who he was.””
“Then what did you know?””
I looked down.
I hated that this was happening.
I hated that every secret was coming out one after another.
But the truth had already started breaking through.
“I saw the name when I was visiting the hospital.””
Claire’s eyes widened.
“You were at the hospital?””
I looked at her.
“Yes.””
A month earlier, I had gone there to visit my father after his surgery.
That was when I saw Claire.
Not in the maternity wing.
Not with a doctor.
In the hallway near the emergency department.
She was arguing with a man.
At the time, I didn’t recognize him.
But I remembered his face.
I remembered Claire grabbing his arm.
I remembered her saying something that made my blood run cold.
“Please don’t ruin this.””
I had never forgotten those words.
Daniel stared at me.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because I didn’t know what it meant.””
I looked at Claire.
“And because I wanted to believe there was another explanation.””
Claire looked away.
Daniel laughed quietly.
“Of course.””
The pain in his voice was worse than anger.
“You were all trying to protect me.””
Nobody answered.
Because he was right.
Everyone had been making decisions around him.
Everyone except him.
Then his phone rang again.
This time, he put it on speaker.
“Detective Morgan,” Daniel said.
A woman’s voice came through.
“Daniel, I’m sorry to bother you again. We confirmed the identity of the man connected to the report.””
Daniel closed his eyes.
“Who is he?””
A pause.
Then:
“Marcus Reed.””
Claire covered her mouth.
The reaction was immediate.
Daniel saw it.
“You know him.””
“No.””
The answer came too fast.
Everyone noticed.
The detective continued.
“Mr. Reed was reported by several people for financial fraud involving false identity documents.””
Daniel looked at Claire.
“What does that have to do with you?””
Claire shook her head.
“Nothing.””
But her voice was breaking.
The detective continued.
“We found messages between Mr. Reed and a woman matching Claire’s description.””
Daniel’s face hardened.
“What messages?””
There was silence on the phone.
Then the detective said:
“Messages about planning a pregnancy scam.””
The room exploded.
People started whispering.
My mother-in-law sat down heavily.
Someone near the door said, “Oh my God.””
Daniel didn’t react.
Not immediately.
He just stared at Claire.
A person can only absorb so much pain before their mind refuses to accept more.
“Is that true?””
Claire cried.
“Daniel…”
“Is that true?””
She looked around.
There was nowhere left to run.
Finally, she whispered:
“Yes.””
The word broke something inside him.
He turned away.
I saw his shoulders shake.
Not from anger.
From heartbreak.
“How could you?””
Claire moved toward him.
“I never meant for it to go this far.””
“That’s your excuse?””
“No, listen—”
“You created a fake child.””
Her tears fell.
“I thought if you stayed long enough, maybe you would love me again.””
Daniel looked back at her.
“You didn’t want my love.””
His voice was barely above a whisper.
“You wanted control.””
Claire had no answer.
Then the front doors opened.
Everyone turned.
A man stood there wearing a dark jacket, looking nervous.
The entire room recognized him from Claire’s expression.
Marcus.
He looked at Claire.
Then at Daniel.
Then at the crowd surrounding them.
And he realized everything had already fallen apart.
“Claire,” he said quietly.
“You told me nobody would find out.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“Who are you?””
Marcus swallowed.
But before he could answer, Claire suddenly shouted:
“Don’t say anything!””
The desperation in her voice was unmistakable.
Marcus looked at her.
Then he looked at Daniel.
“I think he deserves to know.””
Claire went pale.
Marcus reached into his jacket pocket.
And pulled out a small envelope.
“I didn’t come here to expose her.””
He looked directly at Daniel.
“I came here because she was about to do something much worse.””
Daniel took the envelope slowly.
“What’s inside?””
Marcus looked at Claire.
“She was never trying to make you stay.””
A long silence followed.
“She was trying to take everything from you.””
Daniel opened the envelope.
May you like
And the first document he pulled out had his name printed across the top.
*Property Transfer Agreement.*
