Chapter 12: The Woman Who Stole My Identity
I reached the police station twenty minutes later.
Detective Miller was waiting near the entrance.
His face told me everything.
"How could she just walk out?""
"She wasn't officially under arrest. We were taking her statement when she asked to use the restroom.""
"And nobody followed her?""
Miller looked frustrated.
"An officer escorted her. She claimed she needed medication from her handbag. By the time he realized the original birth certificate was missing, she'd already left.""
I rubbed my forehead.
"Where would she go?""
Miller shook his head.
"We're checking her known addresses.""
Rachel stood beside me.
"She'll go to William.""
I looked at her.
"Why?""
"Because she's terrified of him. If she believes he's still powerful enough to protect her, she'll run straight to him.""
Victor joined us.
"There's another possibility.""
I turned.
"What?""
He held up a small photograph.
It showed an old farmhouse outside Columbus.
"William used this property as a meeting place before he disappeared.""
Miller examined it.
"How do you know?""
"Because I used to deliver documents there.""
I stared at the photograph.
"Is Margaret there?""
Victor nodded.
"Most likely.""
Miller immediately contacted his team.
But I wasn't willing to wait.
I wanted answers from my mother.
I wanted to know why she had stolen my birth certificate.
And I wanted to understand why she had spent six years helping the people who destroyed my family.
Rachel caught my arm.
"Ethan, don't do anything reckless.""
"I won't.""
She studied my face.
"Promise me.""
I nodded.
Then I kissed her forehead.
"We're getting our daughter home. All of us.""
An hour later, we arrived at the farmhouse.
Police vehicles surrounded the property.
The house looked abandoned.
The windows were covered with old curtains.
A single light burned in an upstairs bedroom.
Miller approached the front door with two officers.
He knocked.
"Police! Open the door!""
Nothing.
He knocked again.
Then we heard a crash inside.
"Move!"" Miller shouted.
The officers forced the door open.
We entered.
The house smelled of cigarette smoke and old wood.
A chair lay overturned near the staircase.
A photograph had fallen from the wall.
It showed my grandfather standing beside my mother.
Behind them was a young woman holding a baby.
Me.
I picked it up.
On the back, someone had written:
The family must remain together. No matter the cost.
Then we heard a voice upstairs.
"Stay back!""
It was Margaret.
Miller rushed toward the staircase.
"Mrs. Carter, we need you to come down.""
"I haven't done anything!""
"Please come downstairs.""
A door slammed.
Then another sound.
A window breaking.
Miller ran up the stairs.
I followed.
We reached the bedroom just as Margaret stepped away from the window.
She held a small metal box against her chest.
Her face was streaked with tears.
"Ethan.""
I stopped.
"Mom.""
She looked at me.
For a moment, I saw the woman who had tucked me into bed as a child.
Then I saw the woman who had helped conceal Rachel's accident.
"Please," she whispered.
"You have to understand.""
I looked at the box.
"What's inside?""
"Your birth certificate.""
"Give it to Detective Miller.""
She shook her head.
"I can't.""
"Why?""
"Because it proves everything.""
I stepped closer.
"What does it prove?""
Margaret began crying.
"William made me change your identity.""
I frowned.
"What?""
"Your original name wasn't Ethan Carter.""
I stared at her.
"What was it?""
She opened the box.
Inside were several documents.
A birth certificate.
A hospital bracelet.
And a small handwritten letter.
The name on the certificate was different.
Ethan Hayes.
Mother: Evelyn Hayes.
Father: Thomas Carter.
I looked at the document.
Then at Margaret.
"Why did you tell me my father wasn't my father?""
Margaret shook her head.
"Because William wanted you to believe you were his biological grandson through his daughter. He wanted you tied to the Carter family fortune.""
I was confused.
"But Thomas is listed as my father.""
"Yes.""
I turned toward Victor.
He looked uncomfortable.
Margaret continued.
"William knew Thomas loved Evelyn. But he refused to accept their relationship. When you were born, he took you away and forced Evelyn into signing an adoption agreement.""
I stared at the birth certificate.
"Then why did you raise me?""
Margaret looked down.
"Because Thomas begged me to help him protect you. He believed William would use you as leverage against Evelyn.""
For the first time, I saw genuine regret in her expression.
"I loved you, Ethan. I really did.""
My voice cracked.
"Then why did you help Vanessa?""
She covered her mouth.
"Because William threatened to expose the truth. He said he would tell you that I had stolen you from your real mother.""
"You didn't steal me. You raised me.""
"But I made mistakes.""
I shook my head.
"That's not enough.""
Margaret reached toward me.
"Please forgive me.""
I stepped away.
"Did you know Rachel was pregnant when the accident happened?""
She nodded.
"Yes.""
"Did you know Vanessa planned to hurt her?""
Margaret began sobbing.
"I knew they were going to scare her. I didn't know they would cause an accident.""
Rachel entered the room.
"Scare me?""
Margaret looked at her.
"They told me they only wanted you to disappear for a while.""
Rachel's voice trembled.
"And you believed them?""
"I was afraid.""
Rachel stepped closer.
"I was afraid too. I woke up in a hospital, unable to move. I begged for my daughter.
I begged for my husband. Nobody came.""
Margaret covered her face.
"I know.""
"No," Rachel said.
"You don't.""
The room fell silent.
Then Detective Miller noticed the metal box was not empty.
There was a small envelope hidden beneath the documents.
He opened it.
Inside was a photograph of William Carter standing beside a young woman.
The woman wore a wedding ring.
On the back was a handwritten message:
If Ethan ever discovers his real identity, tell him who his father truly was.
I looked at Margaret.
"What does this mean?""
Her face turned white.
"Don't read it.""
But Miller had already unfolded the letter.
He read the first sentence.
Then stopped.
I took it from him.
The words were written in my grandfather's handwriting.
Ethan is not Thomas's biological son. The man who fathered him is still alive, and he knows where the eighteen million dollars is hidden.
I looked up.
"Who is my real father?""
Margaret began trembling.
Then she whispered:
"The man who has been helping us all along.""
I turned toward Victor.
His face had gone completely pale.
And before anyone could ask another question, a gunshot exploded downstairs.
Detective Miller shouted:
"EVERYONE GET DOWN!""
Rachel pulled me toward the floor.
A second shot followed.
Then a man's voice echoed through the house.
"ENOUGH HIDING, ETHAN!""
I recognized that voice.
It was Thomas.
My father.
But when he appeared at the top of the staircase, he wasn't holding a weapon.
He was holding a photograph.
And standing behind him was a man I had never seen before.
Thomas looked directly at me.
"Son, it's time you met your real father.""
The stranger stepped into the light.
May you like
Then he smiled.
"Hello, Ethan. I've waited thirty-seven years to meet you.""
