Chapter 10: The Third Child
For several seconds, nobody moved.
I stared at Vanessa.
“Three?””
She nodded slowly.
“You had three babies, Danielle.””
My knees weakened.
Marcus caught my arm.
“Vanessa, stop playing games. We have medical records. There were two babies.””
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“Medical records can be changed. Birth certificates can be forged. You should know that better than anyone, Marcus.””
I shook my head.
“Where is my third child?””
Vanessa looked toward Daniel.
He immediately shouted, “Don't say another word!””
But the police officers had already surrounded him.
One officer forced him against the SUV.
“Hands behind your back!””
Daniel struggled.
“You have no idea who you're arresting!””
The officer tightened the handcuffs.
“I know exactly who I'm arresting.””
Vanessa looked at me again.
“The third baby was born seventeen minutes after Noah and Lily.””
I covered my mouth.
I remembered the hospital.
Three separate cries.
Or had I?
My mind was beginning to unlock memories I hadn't known existed.
A nurse carrying a small bundle.
A blue blanket.
Someone whispering that the baby needed special attention.
Then a door closing.
“Was it a boy or a girl?”” I asked.
Vanessa looked down.
“A boy.””
Marcus closed his eyes.
“Another son?””
“Yes.””
I felt tears running down my face.
“Where is he?””
Vanessa hesitated.
“His name is Ethan.””
I looked at Marcus.
He was staring at her as if he no longer recognized the woman he had planned to marry.
“You knew about three children?”” he asked.
Vanessa nodded.
“Daniel arranged everything.””
Marcus's voice became dangerously quiet.
“Why?””
“Because the third baby wasn't supposed to survive.””
I gasped.
Marcus stepped forward.
“What did you just say?””
Vanessa began crying.
“The doctors said he was premature. He needed special care. Daniel told me the hospital wouldn't release him without a legal guardian.””
“And?””
“And I signed the papers.””
My voice cracked.
“You signed away my child?””
“I thought I was protecting him!””
“From whom?””
Vanessa looked at Daniel.
He shouted from beside the police vehicle.
“Vanessa, shut your mouth!””
She flinched.
Then she continued.
“Daniel told me the baby was going to a private medical facility. He said the child would be adopted by a wealthy family who could afford his treatment.””
Marcus grabbed her shoulders.
“Where did you send him?””
Vanessa began shaking.
“I don't know.””
“Tell me!””
“I swear I don't know!””
Lily clung to my waist.
“Mommy?””
I knelt.
“It's okay, sweetheart.””
She whispered, “I know Ethan.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
Lily looked toward Vanessa.
“She used to show me pictures of a little boy. She said he was my brother.””
I gently held her face.
“Do you know where he lives?””
Lily nodded.
“He lives with a man who wears a gold watch.””
Marcus looked at Vanessa.
“Who?””
Vanessa's lips parted.
But before she could answer, her phone rang.
The sound was strangely loud in the quiet driveway.
An officer retrieved it from her handbag.
The screen showed a message notification.
*UNKNOWN NUMBER: THE BOY IS MOVING TONIGHT. DESTROY THE RECORDS.*
Marcus read it twice.
“Who sent this?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“I don't know.””
The officer checked the recent messages.
There were dozens.
All from the same number.
Some contained photographs of children.
Others contained medical documents.
And one showed a little boy standing outside a school.
He was around five years old.
Dark hair.
Brown eyes.
A tiny scar near his chin.
My breath caught.
“That's him.””
Marcus looked at me.
“Danielle?””
I pointed to the photograph.
“That's my son.””
The officer enlarged the image.
At the bottom was a school name and an address in Atlanta.
Marcus immediately called his security director.
“I want that location secured. No one approaches the child until we arrive.””
The officer shook his head.
“Mr. Blackwood, you need to let us handle this.””
Marcus nodded.
“Then come with us.””
Vanessa suddenly grabbed my hand.
“Danielle, listen to me.””
I pulled away.
“You don't get to touch me.””
She began crying harder.
“I didn't know they would hurt you.””
I stared at her.
“You watched me lose five years of my life.””
“I was scared.””
“So was I!””
My voice echoed across the driveway.
“I woke up not knowing my own name. I dreamed about babies I couldn't remember. I spent every night wondering why I felt like someone had torn my heart out.””
Vanessa lowered her head.
“I know.””
“No. You don't.””
I turned away.
As the police escorted her toward a separate vehicle, she suddenly shouted.
“Danielle! There's something else!””
I stopped.
She looked terrified.
“The man who raised Ethan isn't his adoptive father.””
Marcus frowned.
“Then who is he?””
Vanessa swallowed.
“He's the man who paid for your accident.””
The police vehicle door closed.
I stood motionless.
Marcus wrapped an arm around me.
“Danielle, we're going to find him.””
I looked at the photograph one more time.
My little boy was alive.
And someone had spent five years raising him under a false identity.
Then the officer's phone rang.
He answered, listened, and turned toward us.
“Mr. Blackwood, we've reached the school.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“And?””
The officer swallowed.
“The boy is there.””
My heart began racing.
“Is he safe?””
The officer hesitated.
“There's a problem.””
“What problem?””
“The school records show that he was collected forty minutes ago.””
“By whom?””
The officer looked down at the screen.
May you like
Then slowly raised his eyes.
“By someone registered as his father.””
