Chapter 6: The Secret From Ethan’s Birth
The room went silent.
Even Ethan stopped playing with his bicycle.
Sarah’s face had lost all color.
“James…”
“What happened the night Ethan was born?””
She didn’t answer.
That was enough.
I stood up.
“Sarah.””
She wiped her eyes.
“I was going to tell you.””
“When?””
She looked away.
“I don’t know.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Apparently everyone in my life knows things except me.””
Ryan stepped forward.
“James, this is connected.””
I turned to him.
“You knew?””
He hesitated.
That hesitation destroyed the little trust I had left.
“You knew?””
Ryan lowered his eyes.
“I knew part of it.””
“Part?””
Sarah stepped between us.
“James, please.””
“No.””
My voice shook.
“I spent years thinking I had a perfect family.””
I pointed toward the hidden phone.
“But someone was filming us.””
I pointed toward Ryan.
“A lawyer was secretly meeting my wife.””
Then I looked at Sarah.
“And now I find out there’s something about my son’s birth you never told me.””
Ethan started crying quietly.
Sarah immediately went to him.
“Ethan, go to your room for a minute.””
“No.””
He held onto her.
“I want Daddy.””
That broke me.
I walked over and hugged him.
“I’m here.””
After Ethan went upstairs, Sarah finally spoke.
“The night Ethan was born…”
She stopped.
Took a deep breath.
“There was a mistake at the hospital.””
I frowned.
“What kind of mistake?””
She looked terrified.
“A mistake involving Ethan’s records.””
I stared at her.
“What does that mean?””
She sat down.
“When Ethan was born, another baby was delivered at the same time.””
I felt my heartbeat change.
“Sarah.””
“James, listen.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“The hospital had a paperwork error.””
Ryan added quietly:
“Someone changed the records.””
I looked at both of them.
“You’re telling me my son’s birth records were changed?””
Sarah nodded.
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“That’s what I’ve been trying to find out.””
The room felt unreal.
“You thought hiding this from me was protecting me?””
“No.””
Her voice cracked.
“I was afraid.””
“Afraid of what?””
She looked toward the stairs.
Then whispered:
“That Ethan might be connected to someone who wanted him.””
I froze.
“What?””
Ryan opened another folder.
Inside were hospital documents.
One page had a name highlighted.
My eyes moved down.
Then stopped.
Because beside Ethan’s name was another name.
A name I recognized.
Michael Carter.
My own last name.
But not my family.
Not my brother.
Not anyone I knew.
“What is this?””
Ryan looked at me.
“James, we believe someone has been trying to hide Ethan’s true connection.””
My hands trembled.
“That’s impossible.””
Sarah shook her head.
“I wanted to tell you.””
“When?””
“After I found proof.””
“And did you?””
She looked at the floor.
“No.””
“Why?””
Her voice dropped.
“Because the proof disappeared.””
I stared at her.
“What proof?””
She slowly reached into her purse.
Pulled out an envelope.
And placed it on the table.
“I kept one copy.””
I opened it.
Inside was a hospital document.
A DNA report.
My eyes scanned the page.
Then stopped at the final line.
*Biological father: Confirmed.*
Relief came for half a second.
Until I saw the next sentence.
*Additional genetic match identified.*
My breathing stopped.
I looked at Sarah.
“Who else matched my son?””
Before she could answer, someone knocked on the front door.
Three slow knocks.
Ryan turned toward the sound.
His face changed.
“That’s not possible.””
I looked at him.
“Who is it?””
Ryan whispered:
“The person who was supposed to be gone.””
The door opened.
And a man’s voice came from the hallway.
“James.””
I froze.
Because I knew that voice.
May you like
It belonged to my father.
A man who had been declared dead seven years ago.
