Chapter 13: The Father I Lost
I couldn’t move.
For a moment, I wondered if my mind had finally broken.
Because standing in my doorway was a man I had buried in my memory years ago.
A man I thought I would never see again.
My father.
“Dad?””
The word escaped before I could stop it.
He looked older.
Much older.
His hair was almost completely gray.
His face carried years I had never witnessed.
But those eyes…
Those were the same eyes I remembered from childhood.
He stepped inside slowly.
“I know this is a lot.””
A laugh almost came out of me.
A bitter one.
“A lot?””
Everyone in the room stared.
Rachel looked confused.
Daniel looked suspicious.
Vanessa looked terrified.
And I finally understood.
She wasn’t afraid of Victor.
She wasn’t afraid of Rachel.
She was afraid of him.
I pointed at him.
“How are you here?””
My father looked down.
“Because I was never gone.””
The room became silent.
I felt anger rising.
Not shock.
Not happiness.
Anger.
“You let me think you were dead.””
His eyes filled with regret.
“I know.””
“You missed my wedding.””
“I know.””
“You missed Lily being born.””
His face broke.
“I know.””
I stepped closer.
“Then why?””
He looked at Vanessa.
That was my answer.
I turned.
“Why is she involved?””
Vanessa couldn’t look at me.
My father sighed.
“Because Vanessa didn’t create this alone.””
My stomach tightened.
“What does that mean?””
He walked toward the table.
He picked up the adoption papers.
“I helped.””
The confession hit harder than anything else.
I stared at him.
“You?””
He nodded.
“Years ago, I worked with Victor.””
Daniel immediately stepped forward.
“Victor Hale?””
My father looked at him.
“Yes.””
Rachel’s face changed.
“You knew him?””
“I knew what he was doing.””
I looked at him.
“And you did nothing?””
My father looked ashamed.
“I thought I could control it.””
I almost laughed.
Everyone in my life had said the same thing.
I thought.
I believed.
I was protecting.
And every time, someone innocent paid the price.
“What did you do?””
My father sat down.
“When Victor started manipulating Rachel and Daniel’s family, I tried to stop him.””
“Then why did you disappear?””
He looked at the floor.
“Because Victor found out.””
The room went quiet.
“He threatened me.””
“With what?””
My father looked at Lily’s bedroom.
“With Lily.””
I froze.
“He knew about her before she was born.””
My father nodded.
“He knew everything.””
Daniel clenched his fists.
“So Victor wasn’t just watching us.””
“No.””
My father looked at him.
“He was building a plan.””
I looked at Vanessa.
“And she was part of it.””
Vanessa started crying.
“I didn’t know how deep it went.””
My father looked at her.
“But you knew enough.””
She nodded.
“Yes.””
The honesty hurt more than another lie would have.
I turned back to my father.
“Why did you let me sign those papers?””
His face changed.
Because that question mattered.
“Because I thought you were the only person who could protect her.””
“Protect her?””
I pointed upstairs.
“She spent years believing secrets were normal.””
My father lowered his head.
“You’re right.””
The words surprised me.
No excuses.
No defense.
Just regret.
A small voice came from behind me.
“Daddy?””
I turned.
Lily stood on the stairs.
Holding her rabbit.
She looked at my father.
Then at me.
“Who is he?””
My father looked at her.
And tears filled his eyes.
“I’m your grandpa.””
Lily tilted her head.
“I have a grandpa?””
The pain on his face was unbearable.
Because he knew he had missed everything.
I walked toward Lily.
“Go back to bed, sweetheart.””
She looked worried.
“Are you leaving too?””
That question stopped everyone.
I looked at my daughter.
“No.””
I knelt down.
“I’m not leaving.””
She nodded.
Then she walked upstairs.
When she disappeared, my father spoke.
“She deserves the truth.””
I looked at him.
“What truth?””
He reached into his coat.
He pulled out a small envelope.
“This is why Victor chose Lily.””
I opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
A hospital photograph.
A newborn baby.
And a document.
I read the first line.
*Genetic compatibility report.*
My heart started racing.
“What is this?””
My father looked at me.
“The reason Victor was obsessed with Lily.””
I looked at the report.
Then at him.
“What am I looking at?””
His answer was barely a whisper.
“Your DNA.””
The room went silent.
I stared at him.
“My DNA?””
He nodded.
“Ethan, Lily wasn’t chosen because of Rachel.””
May you like
He looked toward the stairs.
“She was chosen because of you.””
