Chapter 9: The Woman Who Disappeared
I couldn’t move.
The words didn’t make sense.
They couldn’t.
I looked at Vanessa.
Then at Marcus.
Then back at the documents.
“This is impossible.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“I know.””
“No.””
My voice became sharper.
“You need to explain what you mean.””
She wiped her tears.
“When I met you, you told me you had never been married.””
“I haven’t.””
“I know.””
“Then why did you say that?””
She looked terrified.
“Because that’s what everyone wanted you to believe.””
The room felt like it was closing in.
I placed Noah gently in Maria’s arms.
Then I turned back.
“Start talking.””
Vanessa took a deep breath.
“Before I met you, Marcus introduced me to people who were interested in your family.””
“My family?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
She looked down.
“Because of Noah.””
I felt anger rising.
“My son was not even born when you met me.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“That’s what I thought.””
I stared.
“What does that mean?””
She pointed toward the folder.
“The hospital records were changed before Noah was born.””
I looked at Marcus.
“Did you know?””
He looked ashamed.
“Not everything.””
“That’s not an answer.””
Marcus sighed.
“I knew there were secrets.””
“You knew and you said nothing?””
“I was trying to find the truth.””
“You were playing detective while my family was being destroyed.””
Marcus accepted that.
Because there was no defense.
Vanessa walked closer.
“I met a woman at the hospital.””
“Who?””
“She called herself Evelyn.””
The name felt unfamiliar.
“What did she want?””
Vanessa looked at Noah.
“She wanted to see him.””
“Why?””
Her voice became barely audible.
“She said Noah was never supposed to be with you.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“Did you believe her?””
“No.””
“Then why hide this?””
Vanessa looked at me.
“Because after that day, she disappeared.””
“And?””
“Two weeks later, someone sent me a message.””
“What message?””
Vanessa reached into a drawer.
She pulled out an old phone.
The same type of cheap phone as the one downstairs.
My stomach tightened.
She unlocked it.
There was one saved message.
A single sentence.
*Raise him until we return.*
I stared.
“Why didn’t you show me this?””
“Because I was afraid.””
“Of what?””
Vanessa looked at me.
“That if I told you, they would take him.””
The answer should have made me feel sympathy.
Instead, I felt betrayed.
“You let me live a lie.””
“I was trying to protect him.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“You were trying to control the situation.””
She looked away.
Because she knew I was right.
Suddenly, Marcus’s phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed immediately.
“What?””
A pause.
Then:
“Where?””
He ended the call.
I looked at him.
“What happened?””
Marcus stared toward the front door.
“The person watching the house was found.””
“Who?””
He hesitated.
Then whispered:
“It was Ethan.””
My heart stopped.
“Found where?””
Marcus looked at me.
“Outside the old hospital where Noah was born.””
I frowned.
“We don’t live near that hospital anymore.””
“I know.””
“Then why was he there?””
Marcus slowly opened his hand.
Inside was a small object.
A hospital identification bracelet.
Old.
Faded.
And printed on it was a name.
Not Noah.
Not Daniel.
Not Vanessa.
A name I had never heard before.
Marcus looked at me.
“Because Ethan wasn’t looking for Noah.””
He handed me the bracelet.
“He was looking for her.””
I read the name.
May you like
And the blood drained from my face.
*Evelyn Walker.*
