Chapter 5: The Document Diane Tried to Destroy
Marcus closed the front door and placed every document on the dining table.
Nobody sat down.
Sunlight spilled across the polished wood, illuminating the laboratory report, the hospital discharge summary, the photograph, and Diane's handwritten note.
Terrence stood near the window with his travel bag at his feet.
Nia remained beside Marcus, Eli resting against her chest.
Diane occupied the chair at the head of the table as though she were still hosting the party.
Marcus pointed to the note.
"What does tomorrow have to do with any of this?""
Diane folded her hands.
"Terrence was supposed to take Nia and the baby away before you returned.""
Marcus stared at her.
"You planned to send my wife away with another man?""
"I planned to remove a problem before it destroyed your life.""
Nia let out a disbelieving laugh.
"A problem?""
Diane ignored her.
"You have a career, Marcus. You have responsibilities. You cannot spend your life managing every crisis your wife creates.""
Marcus leaned forward.
"Tell me what you believe happened.""
Diane's gaze shifted toward Terrence.
"Tell him.""
Terrence shook his head.
"I'm not playing your game anymore.""
Diane's fingers tightened around the edge of the table.
"You came here because you wanted answers.""
"I came here because you told me I might have a son. You said Nia had hidden a pregnancy from me. You said the documents would prove it.""
"And they do.""
"No," Terrence said.
"They prove somebody wanted me to believe it.""
Marcus looked at him carefully.
"What changed?""
Terrence reached into his folder and removed a folded sheet.
"This.""
He laid it beside the hospital summary.
It was a photocopy of an email exchange.
The sender's name was partially obscured, but the date was clear. The messages had been exchanged months before Eli's birth.
Marcus read the first message.
The patient is stable. The family has requested that no additional visitors be permitted.
The reply read:
Understood. Please ensure all inquiries go through me.
The signature at the bottom belonged to Diane.
Marcus looked up.
"You were controlling who could visit Nia in the hospital?""
Diane didn't answer.
Terrence pointed to the second page.
"Look at the date. I was already living in another state. I hadn't spoken to Nia in months. But someone was making sure I couldn't contact her.""
Nia shook her head.
"I never knew you tried to reach me.""
Terrence looked at her.
"I sent messages. I called your old number. I even wrote to the address I had for you.""
"I never received anything.""
"I believe you now.""
Marcus tapped the table.
"Wait. You said you didn't know she was pregnant.""
"I didn't. I found out last month, when Diane contacted me. But when I saw the hospital records, I recognized the date. I had tried to contact Nia around that time because I wanted to apologize for how our relationship ended.""
He looked down at the photograph.
"I never went to the hospital. I never saw her that night.""
Marcus turned toward his mother.
"Then why does this photograph exist?""
Diane lifted her chin.
"Because I found it.""
"Where?""
"In Nia's belongings.""
Nia shook her head.
"That photograph was taken two years before Eli was born.""
Marcus looked at the date written on the back.
It was the same date as the hospital admission.
"Who changed the date?"" he asked.
Nobody answered.
He turned the photograph over again.
The handwriting was different from Diane's note, but the ink looked fresh.
Marcus pulled his phone from his pocket and photographed both sides.
Diane watched him.
"What are you doing?""
"Making copies of evidence.""
"You make everything sound like a crime.""
"Then stop giving me things you don't want examined.""
He took the laboratory report and studied the identification section again.
"Terrence, did you ever provide a DNA sample?""
"No.""
"Did you authorize anyone to collect one?""
"No.""
Marcus looked at the report.
"Then how can this be a legitimate paternity result?""
Terrence shook his head.
"It can't establish what Diane claims it establishes. She told me she had access to a private laboratory and that the results were conclusive. I called the laboratory this morning.""
Diane's head snapped up.
"You did what?""
"I asked them to verify the report number.""
Marcus leaned forward.
"And?""
Terrence removed a second sheet.
"They told me they couldn't discuss another person's medical information without authorization. But they confirmed that the document Diane sent me did not match the format of the report they currently issue.""
Diane pushed back her chair.
"This is ridiculous.""
"Sit down," Marcus said.
She stared at him.
"Excuse me?""
"Sit. Down.""
For a moment, it seemed she might throw the papers across the table.
Instead, she slowly lowered herself into the chair.
Marcus turned to Nia.
"Did you ever give my mother permission to obtain medical records about you?""
"No.""
"Did you sign anything?""
Nia shook her head.
"Not that I remember.""
Diane laughed bitterly.
"Of course she doesn't remember. She was always so overwhelmed, so emotional. Half the time, she couldn't even keep track of what she signed.""
Nia's face tightened.
"I remember every document you put in front of me.""
"Then explain the authorization form.""
Marcus turned.
"What authorization form?""
Diane reached into her handbag and pulled out a single page.
She placed it on the table.
The document appeared to authorize the release of Nia's medical records to Diane Reed.
At the bottom was a signature.
Nia's signature.
Marcus stared at it.
"Is this yours?""
Nia bent closer.
"No.""
Diane threw up her hands.
"How convenient!""
Nia pointed to the signature.
"Look at the date.""
Marcus read it.
The authorization was dated two days after Eli's birth.
Nia had been recovering in the hospital at that time.
She looked at Marcus.
"I was barely awake. I couldn't even hold a full conversation that morning.""
Diane's expression hardened.
"You were perfectly capable of signing your name.""
"Then why is the signature wrong?""
Marcus compared it with Nia's signature on their marriage certificate, which he kept in a digital folder on his phone.
The difference was obvious.
The authorization form contained a signature that copied the general shape of Nia's name, but the letters were stiff, uneven, and unnatural.
Marcus placed both images side by side.
"Who signed this?""
Diane rose from her chair.
"I will not sit here and be accused of forgery by people who owe me everything.""
Marcus stood too.
"Nobody owes you the right to control their life.""
"I raised you!""
"And I love you. But that doesn't give you ownership of my wife or my son.""
Diane's eyes flashed.
"You have no idea what I sacrificed to keep this family together.""
"Then explain it.""
She looked at Terrence, then at Nia.
Finally, she sat down again.
"When Marcus was a child, his father nearly destroyed us financially. I worked two jobs. I kept the house. I made sure my son had every opportunity.""
Marcus's expression softened despite himself.
He remembered the long hours Diane had worked when he was young, the lunches she packed, the way she sat beside him during school plays even when she looked exhausted.
Those memories were real.
So was the woman sitting across from him now.
Diane continued.
"When he started earning money, I promised myself nobody would ever take advantage of him again. Then Nia arrived, and suddenly everything changed. He stopped asking my advice.
He stopped coming to me first. He started making decisions without considering what I'd done for him.""
Nia stared at her.
"So you decided to punish me?""
"I decided to protect my son.""
"By making me afraid to speak?""
Diane looked away.
Marcus rubbed his forehead.
"Mom, did you arrange the tickets?""
"Yes.""
"Did you prepare those legal documents?""
"Yes.""
"Did you tell Terrence he might be Eli's father?""
"Yes.""
"Did you know the DNA report wasn't properly verified?""
Diane's silence stretched.
Then she answered.
"I knew there were questions.""
Marcus stared at her.
"That's not what I asked.""
She looked at him.
"No.""
The single word changed everything.
Marcus stepped away from the table.
"You knew the report wasn't verified, but you used it to make my wife believe she'd lose her family.""
"I never said she'd lose you.""
Nia laughed through her tears.
"You told me Marcus would never forgive me if I stayed.""
Diane's lips parted.
"You told me," Nia continued, "that you had already shown him the report. You said he'd asked you to arrange the tickets. You said he wanted me gone before he came home.""
Marcus looked at his mother.
"You told her I agreed?""
Diane stared at the table.
He felt something inside him give way.
"You let my wife believe I was sending her away.""
"I thought you would understand once you saw the evidence.""
"What evidence? A report you couldn't verify? A signature you couldn't explain? A man you contacted without telling either of us the truth?""
Diane stood abruptly.
"I made a mistake!""
The admission rang through the room.
Nobody moved.
Diane's eyes filled, but her voice remained firm.
"I made one mistake because I was afraid.""
Marcus swallowed.
"Afraid of what?""
She looked at Nia.
"That if the truth came out, I'd lose my grandson.""
Nia shook her head slowly.
"You didn't lose him, Diane. You pushed us away.""
For the first time, Diane looked genuinely uncertain.
Marcus gathered the documents into a neat stack.
"I'm contacting a lawyer. An independent one. We're going to verify every document, every signature, and every claim you've made.""
Diane's face went pale.
"You wouldn't take this outside the family.""
"You took it outside the family when you brought Terrence into my home and tried to send my wife away.""
Terrence picked up his bag.
"I'll cooperate with whatever investigation you need. I don't want custody of a child I don't know. I want the truth.""
Marcus nodded.
"Then stay available.""
Terrence moved toward the hallway.
Before he reached the door, he stopped and turned back.
"Marcus, there's one more thing.""
He removed a small flash drive from his pocket.
"Diane sent me a video of Nia from the hospital. She said it proved Nia was hiding something.""
Nia's face drained of color.
Marcus took the drive.
"What's on it?""
"I haven't watched it. I thought it might be private medical footage, and I didn't want to violate her privacy.""
Diane suddenly lunged across the table.
"Give me that!""
Marcus pulled his hand away.
The chair scraped violently against the floor.
Diane froze, breathing hard.
Marcus looked at the flash drive.
Then at his mother.
"Why are you so afraid of us watching this?""
Diane's lips trembled.
May you like
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then she whispered, "Because the person in that video isn't supposed to be alive.""
