Chapter 4: The Man Outside My Daughter's Bedroom
For three seconds, I couldn't move.
I read Maya's message again.
*Dad, there's a man outside my bedroom. He says he's my real father.*
Then another message appeared.
*He knows Mom's name. He's asking me to open the door.*
I threw the phone onto the desk, grabbed the first thing I could use as a weapon, and ran upstairs.
“Daniel! Call the police!””
My brother was right behind me.
The hallway was dark except for the small night-light outside Maya's bedroom. Her door was closed.
And someone was standing in front of it.
A man in a dark jacket.
Tall. Broad shoulders. Short brown hair.
He turned when he heard my footsteps.
“Marcus,” he said.
I recognized him immediately from the photographs.
Ethan Reed.
Vanessa's brother.
The man named in Claire's paternity report.
“What are you doing in my house?””
Ethan raised both hands.
“I'm not here to cause trouble.””
“Get away from my daughter's door.””
He glanced toward the bedroom.
“She's frightened. I was just trying to explain something.””
“You have no right to speak to her.””
“I'm her father.””
I grabbed his jacket and shoved him against the wall.
“You are nothing to her.””
“Marcus!”” Daniel shouted.
He pulled me back before I could swing.
Ethan straightened his jacket.
“You can hit me if you want. It won't change the truth.””
I pointed toward the stairs.
“Get out.””
He didn't move.
“Vanessa called me. She said you found the documents.””
“Then you know the police are coming.””
His expression changed.
For the first time, the confidence disappeared.
“You don't want the police involved.””
I almost laughed.
“You broke into my home and approached a twelve-year-old girl in the middle of the night. Tell me why I shouldn't involve them.””
Ethan looked toward Maya's door.
“Because Claire would never have wanted this.””
The mention of my wife's name made my blood boil.
“Don't you dare speak for Claire.””
He lowered his voice.
“You think she told you everything? You think that woman you loved was completely honest?””
I stepped forward again.
“Leave.””
This time, he finally walked toward the stairs.
But before disappearing, he turned around.
“Ask Daniel what happened the night Maya was born.””
I looked at my brother.
Daniel's face had gone pale.
Ethan noticed.
A small, satisfied smile crossed his face.
“Looks like somebody remembers.””
Then he left.
I locked the front door and immediately called the police.
Daniel stayed in the hallway while I entered Maya's bedroom.
She was sitting on the bed, hugging her knees.
Her mother's photograph lay beside her.
“Daddy!””
She ran into my arms.
I held her tightly.
“I'm here, sweetheart. Nobody is going to hurt you.””
“Was that man telling the truth?””
I closed my eyes.
“What did he say?””
“He said he was my real dad. He said Mom kept us apart because she didn't want me to know him.””
I sat beside her.
“Did he say anything else?””
Maya nodded.
“He said he had been waiting for me to grow up. He said Vanessa was going to help him become part of our family.””
My stomach tightened.
“Did he touch you?””
“No.””
“Did you open the door?””
She shook her head.
“Mom always told me never to open the door for strangers.””
I kissed her forehead.
“Your mother gave you good advice.””
Maya looked at me.
“Daddy, is he really my father?””
I didn't know how to answer.
I wanted to tell her no.
I wanted to tell her that the man downstairs was lying, that nothing could change our family, that Claire would never have kept something so important from me.
But I had seen the laboratory report.
And I had heard Vanessa's confession.
So I chose the only answer I could give honestly.
“I don't know everything yet. But I know one thing. You are my daughter. Nothing changes that.””
Maya began crying.
“Will you still love me if he's my real father?””
I pulled her against my chest.
“More than anything in this world.””
The police arrived twenty minutes later.
Ethan was already gone.
They took a statement and checked the security cameras. Unfortunately, the rear gate had been left unlocked after the engagement celebration.
One officer noticed something strange.
“Mr. Reynolds, do you recognize this vehicle?””
He showed me a photograph from the driveway camera.
A black SUV.
The license plate belonged to a company registered under Reed Family Holdings.
I stared at the screen.
“That's Vanessa's family company.””
The officer wrote something down.
“Was Mr. Reed invited here?””
“No.””
“Has he contacted your daughter before?””
“Not that I know of.””
The officer nodded.
“We'll document the incident. If he returns, call us immediately.””
After they left, Daniel and I went back to the study.
I placed the paternity report on the desk.
“Tell me what happened the night Maya was born.””
Daniel sat down slowly.
“Marcus, I need you to understand something. I never intended to hide anything from you.””
“Then don't.””
He stared at the photograph of Claire.
“Three days after Maya was born, Claire called me. She was crying. She told me Ethan had contacted her.””
“Why?””
“He claimed Maya was his daughter.””
I felt my jaw tighten.
“And Claire believed him?””
Daniel shook his head.
“Not at first. But Ethan had evidence. He showed her messages and photographs from before your wedding.””
I looked down.
“Claire knew?””
“She told me she had made a mistake before she married you. She said she had ended things with Ethan long before Maya was born.””
I stood.
“Then why does the test say he's her biological father?””
Daniel rubbed his face.
“I don't know.””
“Did Claire tell you?””
“She said she had taken a DNA test privately. But she never showed me the results.””
I stared at him.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because Claire begged me not to. She said she needed time to protect you and the children.””
I walked toward the window.
Three years.
Three years of believing I understood my wife's final wishes.
And now every memory seemed to contain a question I hadn't known to ask.
My phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number.
It contained a photograph of Claire sitting in a hospital bed.
She looked weak.
Her hair was tied back, and a blanket covered her legs.
Underneath the photograph were eleven words.
*If you want to know why Claire hid the truth, come alone tomorrow.*
I looked at Daniel.
“Who sent this?””
May you like
Before he could answer, another message appeared.
*Ask Vanessa what happened to the first DNA test.*
