Chapter 10: The Father I Never Knew About
I stared at the picture on my phone.
Vanessa.
Her first husband.
And the message beneath it.
*Ask him why he helped me hide Lily's father.*
For a moment, I couldn't move.
Every answer I thought I had disappeared.
The truth wasn't a straight line.
It was a maze.
And Vanessa had been building the walls for years.
"Mason," I said quietly.
"Yeah?""
"I need you to stay here.""
A pause.
"Dad...""
"I mean it.""
He was silent.
Then he said:
"You're going after her, aren't you?""
I looked at the picture again.
"Yes.""
"Don't go alone.""
I almost told him no.
But then I remembered something.
Mason was the only person who had been fighting for Lily when I wasn't there.
He deserved to know the truth too.
"Where is the address of Vanessa's house?""
He gave it to me.
Before I left, I looked around my home one more time.
The same walls.
The same furniture.
But nothing felt familiar anymore.
I had spent years believing I was the man protecting this family.
Now I wondered if I was the last person to realize it needed protecting.
The house Vanessa had been hiding was twenty minutes outside the city.
It wasn't abandoned.
It wasn't some secret hideout.
It was a normal-looking suburban home.
That made it worse.
Because Vanessa had been living a normal life while hiding an entire world from me.
I parked across the street.
Mason was still on the phone.
"Dad, wait for me.""
"No.""
"Why?""
"Because I don't want you involved in this.""
He sighed.
"I'm already involved.""
I couldn't argue.
He was right.
I walked toward the house.
The front door was unlocked.
"Vanessa?""
No answer.
I stepped inside.
The house smelled like old wood and perfume.
Then I saw something on the wall.
Pictures.
Not family pictures.
Evidence.
There were photos of Lily.
Photos of Emily.
Photos of me.
My stomach twisted.
She had been watching all of us.
A voice came from behind me.
"You shouldn't have come.""
I turned.
Vanessa stood in the doorway.
Her face was calm.
Too calm.
"Where is Lily?""
"Safe.""
"Where?""
"You don't trust me anymore?""
I laughed.
"No.""
She looked hurt.
But I didn't believe it.
Not anymore.
"Who is Lily's father?""
Her expression changed.
Just slightly.
But I saw it.
Fear.
"Who told you about that?""
"So it's true.""
She looked away.
"Michael...""
"No.""
I stepped closer.
"Years of lies. Years of manipulation. And now I find out you changed her birth certificate?""
Her face hardened.
"You don't understand.""
"Then explain.""
She walked toward the kitchen.
"You think everything is simple.""
"You made it complicated.""
"No.""
She turned around.
"Emily did.""
I shook my head.
"You always have someone else to blame.""
Vanessa looked exhausted.
"I loved Lily.""
"Stop saying that.""
"Why?""
"Because love doesn't starve children.""
The words hit her.
For the first time, she looked ashamed.
But only for a second.
Then she whispered:
"You want to know who Lily's father is?""
I didn't answer.
She continued.
"His name is Daniel Carter.""
I froze.
"Emily's husband?""
"No.""
She looked directly at me.
"Emily's brother.""
My mind struggled to process it.
"What?""
"Daniel was Lily's biological father.""
I shook my head.
"That makes no sense.""
"Because Emily raised Lily.""
"Why?""
Vanessa looked down.
"Because Daniel died before Lily was born.""
The room went silent.
"Then why hide him?""
"Because Emily was afraid.""
"Afraid of what?""
Vanessa walked to a cabinet.
She pulled out a file.
"Of people finding out how Lily came into the world.""
I stared.
"What does that mean?""
She opened the file.
Inside were medical documents.
DNA reports.
Court papers.
"This is why I kept Lily away.""
I looked at the papers.
Then at Vanessa.
"You expect me to believe you were protecting her?""
"I was.""
"After everything?""
Her eyes filled.
"Michael, I know what you think of me.""
"I don't think. I know.""
She flinched.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message from Mason.
*Dad, I found something about Daniel Carter.*
I looked at the screen.
Then back at Vanessa.
She noticed.
"What did Mason find?""
I didn't answer.
Because the next message appeared.
*Daniel didn't die before Lily was born.*
My blood ran cold.
I looked up.
May you like
Vanessa was staring at me.
And she knew.
