Chapter 13: The Man My Father Never Wanted Me to Meet
"Robert's brother...""
My mother's whisper hung in the bedroom.
I turned toward her.
"Uncle Michael?""
She nodded, tears streaming down her face.
Martin immediately replayed the video.
My father's exhausted face appeared again.
"Sarah, if you're watching this, you've probably discovered that Patricia switched the hospital records. You've probably also learned that Linda raised a child who wasn't biologically hers.""
He paused to catch his breath.
"But there is something Patricia doesn't know. Something I kept hidden even from Linda.""
My mother covered her mouth.
My father continued.
"Your biological father is Michael Miller. My older brother.""
I felt the room spin.
Michael.
The uncle I had supposedly never met.
The man whose photograph my mother had shown me once when I was a child.
The man who had disappeared before I was born.
I looked at Martin.
"Is this real?""
He nodded slowly.
"Your father apparently had evidence.""
The video continued.
"Michael and I were very close when we were young. But he made a decision that destroyed our relationship. He became involved with Patricia, and when she became pregnant, he refused to acknowledge the child.""
My mother began crying harder.
I couldn't move.
My father looked directly into the camera.
"Sarah, I discovered the truth after the hospital switch. Patricia had arranged for you to be raised as Linda's daughter, but she didn't know the identity of your biological father had already been established.""
He swallowed.
"I knew Michael was your father. I also knew he had spent years trying to find you.""
I looked toward my mother.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
She shook her head.
"Your father made me promise.""
The recording continued.
"Michael was not a good man when he was young. But he changed. He tried to make things right. I refused to let him near you because I was afraid he would take you away from us.""
My eyes filled with tears.
My father had known the truth.
He had chosen to protect me.
But the video wasn't finished.
"There is one more thing, Sarah. Noah is not Ethan's biological son. Vanessa knows this.
Patricia knows this. And Ethan knows exactly who Noah's father is.""
I looked at Patricia.
Her face had gone completely white.
My mother stepped toward her.
"Who is Noah's father?""
Patricia shook her head.
"Turn that off.""
Martin ignored her.
My father's voice filled the room again.
"The original birth certificate was altered. The DNA results were deliberately hidden. The person listed as Noah's father is not the person who conceived him.""
He paused.
"Sarah, I believe you deserve to know the truth. But I also believe you deserve to be safe.""
The video ended.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then Patricia lunged toward the laptop.
Martin blocked her.
"Don't touch that.""
She screamed.
"You have no idea what you're doing!""
My mother stepped forward.
"I have spent twenty-eight years living with your lies. You switched my baby. You lied about Daniel. You used Robert's illness to steal from this family.""
Patricia pointed at her.
"You got everything! A husband, a house, a daughter! I got nothing!""
Mom stared at her.
"You got a sister who trusted you.""
Patricia laughed bitterly.
"Trust doesn't pay bills.""
I looked at her.
"Is that why you arranged for Ethan to marry me?""
She didn't answer.
"Was the wedding part of your plan?""
Patricia finally spoke.
"Ethan needed access to the estate. You needed a husband who could manage the property. It was supposed to benefit everyone.""
I stared at her.
"You arranged my entire relationship?""
"No. Ethan chose you.""
"Because I was the easiest way to get my inheritance?""
She looked away.
That was answer enough.
Martin reached for his phone.
"I'm calling the police.""
Patricia suddenly turned toward the door.
But my mother stepped in front of her.
"You're not leaving.""
Patricia looked at Linda.
"You wouldn't dare.""
Mom's voice trembled.
"Try me.""
Before Patricia could move, a man appeared in the hallway.
He was tall, with silver hair and a scar above his left eyebrow.
The same man from the photograph.
Daniel Collins.
He looked at Patricia.
"You should have stopped lying years ago.""
Patricia went pale.
"Daniel...""
He entered the room slowly.
Then he looked at me.
"Sarah.""
I couldn't speak.
He had the same eyes I had seen in my own reflection for years.
He took a photograph from his coat pocket.
It showed a younger version of him holding a newborn baby.
On the back was written:
My little girl. March 1992.
He placed it in my hand.
"I was told you had died.""
My throat tightened.
"What?""
"Patricia told me the baby had died during childbirth. She showed me a hospital document. I believed her.""
He looked toward my mother.
"Years later, I discovered the truth. I found out that Linda had raised a little girl who looked exactly like me.""
My mother began crying.
Daniel continued.
"I tried to contact Robert, but Michael was already searching for you. Robert refused to let either of us disturb your life until he understood what Patricia had done.""
I looked at Martin.
"Then who is my biological father?""
Daniel shook his head.
"Michael Miller is.""
I closed my eyes.
"And Noah?""
Daniel looked at Patricia.
"Patricia knows.""
Patricia backed toward the wall.
Daniel's voice hardened.
"Noah is not Ethan's son. He's Michael's.""
The room erupted.
Vanessa, who had been standing silently near the doorway, suddenly screamed.
"That's a lie!""
Daniel turned toward her.
"Then why did Michael pay for your pregnancy tests? Why did he visit you in the hospital? And why did he leave you a letter before disappearing?""
Vanessa began shaking.
I looked at her.
"Where is Michael now?""
Daniel stared at me.
"He's been living at the lakehouse.""
My heart stopped.
"WHAT?""
Martin immediately moved toward the staircase.
But Daniel grabbed his arm.
"Wait. There's something else.""
He looked at me.
"Michael isn't hiding because he's afraid of Patricia.""
He paused.
"He's hiding because someone has been trying to kill him.""
And then a loud crash came from downstairs.
Someone had entered the house.
A man's voice shouted:
"MICHAEL! COME OUT!""
May you like
Daniel's face turned white.
"He's found him.""
