Chapter 7: The Child Nobody Knew Existed
Damon couldn’t hear anything after the word twins.
The city outside his window continued moving.
Cars passed.
People laughed on the streets below.
Somewhere, a phone rang in another room.
But inside Damon’s apartment, everything stopped.
"Say that again.""
His attorney, Michael, was silent for a moment.
"I said the medical records show Sarah Bennett delivered twins five years ago.""
Damon gripped the phone tighter.
"No.""
The word came out automatically.
"No, that’s not possible.""
"I thought the same thing," Michael replied.
"That’s why I had the records verified twice.""
Damon looked across the room.
Sarah was sitting on the couch with Lily asleep beside her.
The little girl had one hand wrapped around her mother’s sleeve, even while sleeping.
A child who spent years afraid someone would take her only family away.
"Where is the other child?""
Michael hesitated.
"That’s the problem.""
Damon’s heart dropped.
"What problem?""
"There is no official record after the birth.""
The room felt colder.
"What does that mean?""
"It means someone removed the information.""
Damon closed his eyes.
Someone.
Not an accident.
Not a mistake.
Someone.
"Find everything.""
"I’m already looking.""
"No.""
Damon’s voice hardened.
"I want everything. Every hospital employee. Every document.
Every payment. Every person connected to Sarah’s delivery.""
Michael paused.
"Mr. Cross, if this involves your father...""
"It does.""
Damon looked at Sarah.
And for the first time, he wondered how much pain one person could survive.
"Just find my child.""
The next morning, Sarah woke up to the smell of coffee.
For a second, she looked confused.
Then she remembered.
She was not behind the church.
She was not worrying about rent.
She was not trying to figure out how to make one meal last two days.
She was in Damon’s home.
But comfort felt strange after years of fear.
She walked into the kitchen.
Damon was standing there making pancakes.
A billionaire making breakfast.
The sight almost made her laugh.
"You’re doing that wrong.""
He looked up.
"What?""
"You’re supposed to flip them before they burn.""
He looked at the pan.
The pancake was completely ruined.
For the first time in years, Sarah smiled.
A real smile.
Damon noticed.
"You still do that.""
"What?""
"Smile when you’re trying not to.""
Her expression softened.
"You remember?""
"I remember everything.""
The words hung between them.
Sarah looked away.
"Damon...""
He lowered his voice.
"I’m sorry.""
She looked back.
"For what?""
"For not finding you.""
Her eyes became wet.
"I should have fought harder.""
"No.""
He shook his head.
"You were alone.""
She looked toward the living room where Lily was sleeping.
"I wasn't alone.""
Damon followed her gaze.
"No.""
His voice softened.
"You had her.""
A quiet moment passed.
Then Sarah said:
"She always asked about you.""
Damon looked at her.
"What did you tell her?""
"The truth.""
His eyebrows lifted.
"What truth?""
Sarah smiled sadly.
"That her father was someone who loved people deeply.""
Damon swallowed.
"You told her that?""
"I knew you.""
She looked down.
"Even when I thought you left me, I couldn't hate you.""
Those words hurt more than anger would have.
Before Damon could answer, Lily appeared in the doorway.
Her hair was messy.
Her eyes were half closed.
"Mommy?""
Sarah immediately walked to her.
"Good morning.""
Lily looked around.
"Are we staying here?""
Damon knelt.
"If you want to.""
She studied him.
"Forever?""
The question was so simple.
But Damon felt the weight behind it.
He had missed five years.
Five birthdays.
Five Christmas mornings.
Five years of bedtime stories.
"I hope so.""
Lily nodded.
Then she smiled.
"Okay.""
Later that afternoon, Michael arrived with the first investigation report.
Damon met him in his office.
"What did you find?""
Michael placed a folder on the desk.
"The hospital records were altered six days after Sarah gave birth.""
Damon opened it.
"Who changed them?""
Michael looked serious.
"A nurse named Patricia Wells.""
"Where is she now?""
"Retired. Living outside Atlanta.""
Damon flipped through the papers.
"What else?""
Michael hesitated.
"There’s more.""
Damon looked up.
"Say it.""
"The second child wasn't listed as deceased.""
Silence.
Damon’s fingers tightened around the document.
"Then where is the child?""
Michael took a breath.
"According to the original record, a woman signed temporary guardianship papers.""
"Who?""
Michael slid another page forward.
Damon read the name.
His face changed.
Elisa Rochefort.
"No.""
Michael nodded.
"She took the child.""
Damon stood immediately.
"Why?""
Michael looked at the final page.
"Because according to this document, she claimed Sarah was mentally unstable and unable to care for either baby.""
Damon stared.
The woman who smiled at charity events.
The woman who talked about helping children.
The woman who called Lily a beggar.
She had stolen a child.
But before Damon could speak, his phone buzzed.
A message appeared.
Unknown number.
One sentence.
I know you found out about the second child.
Then another message arrived.
May you like
And this one made Damon’s blood run cold.
You should ask Sarah why she never told you the truth about your son.
