Chapter 6: The Child Vanessa Called Her Nephew
“Who is Ethan Reed?””
David looked at me with something close to pity.
“Your other son.””
I grabbed his jacket.
“Where is he?””
“Marcus, calm down.””
“Where is my son?””
David pulled free.
“Vanessa has been raising him since he was a baby. She told everyone he was her sister's child.””
I stared at him.
“Vanessa doesn't have a sister.””
“Exactly.””
Margaret stepped closer.
“David, why are you telling us this now?””
He looked at the ground.
“Because my sister has gone too far.””
“Too far?”” I repeated.
“She stole two children!””
David's jaw tightened.
“I know.””
“Then why didn't you stop her?””
He didn't answer.
Instead, he reached into his coat and handed me a folded document.
It was an old photograph of a family gathering.
Vanessa stood beside a little boy of approximately six years old.
The child had dark brown hair, hazel eyes, and a small dimple in his left cheek.
I stared at him.
I knew that face.
I had seen it before.
In the mirror.
The boy looked like me.
“His name is Ethan,” David said.
“He was born forty minutes before Lily.””
I felt dizzy.
“Where is he now?””
“At Vanessa's house.””
“Why?””
“Because she told him you abandoned him.””
My chest tightened.
David continued.
“She told him his biological father was dead. She said his mother had died during childbirth and that she was the only person who loved him.””
I closed my eyes.
Another child had been taught to believe he was unwanted.
Another child had been made to grow up without knowing his father.
“Why would she do this?””
David looked at Margaret.
Then he looked back at me.
“Money.””
“The trust?””
“Partly.””
He took a breath.
“But there's something else.””
I waited.
“Vanessa believes the Carter family company should have belonged to her.””
I frowned.
“What?””
David shook his head.
“She has been obsessed with your family for years. Before Claire died, she worked for a financial consultancy that handled some of the Carter family's investments.””
I remembered a company name.
Reed Financial Advisory.
I had terminated their contract five years earlier after discovering irregularities in a subsidiary account.
“Was Vanessa involved?””
David nodded.
“She was the one who managed the accounts.””
I felt cold.
“How much money?””
“Over three million dollars.””
I stared at him.
“She stole from us?””
“She transferred funds through several shell companies. When Claire discovered the transactions, Vanessa panicked.””
Margaret spoke quietly.
“That's why she threatened Claire.””
David nodded.
“And when she learned Claire was pregnant with twins, she realized there was another way to gain control of the family.””
I felt sick.
“She took my children to cover up financial crimes?””
“That's what she planned.””
I looked at the photograph again.
Two babies.
Two children.
My children.
And Vanessa had separated them before they could even open their eyes.
I pulled out my phone and called the police.
Within an hour, I had filed a formal report regarding the forged guardianship documents, suspected child abduction, and financial fraud.
But there was one thing I refused to wait for.
I wanted to see Ethan.
David agreed to take us to Vanessa's property.
It was a large white house outside the city, surrounded by tall hedges and an iron gate.
I recognized it immediately.
Vanessa had told me it belonged to a wealthy aunt.
She had visited it several times during our relationship.
I had never asked why.
David entered a code into the gate.
We drove up the gravel driveway.
A young woman opened the front door.
She wore a pale pink sweater and looked startled when she saw us.
“Mr. Reed?””
David shook his head.
“I'm here to see Ethan.””
Her expression changed.
“Vanessa said nobody was allowed to visit him today.””
“I'm not asking permission.””
He walked past her.
I followed.
The house was spotless.
Too spotless.
White furniture. Glass tables. Expensive paintings.
And on a small shelf near the staircase stood a framed photograph of Vanessa holding a little boy.
Ethan.
I picked it up.
His tiny hand rested against her cheek.
She looked happy.
Almost maternal.
But I knew now that love could be imitated.
“Where is he?”” I asked.
The young woman pointed upstairs.
“His bedroom.””
I climbed the stairs.
At the end of the hallway, a door stood slightly open.
I knocked.
“Ethan?””
A small voice answered.
“Who is it?””
“My name is Marcus.””
Silence.
Then footsteps.
The door opened.
A little boy stood in front of me wearing a navy sweater.
His eyes were hazel.
His left cheek had a dimple.
He looked at my face.
Then he looked down at my wedding ring.
“Are you Vanessa's friend?””
I crouched.
“Something like that.””
He studied me.
“Are you here to take me away?””
The question broke my heart.
“No, buddy. I'm here because I wanted to meet you.””
He stepped back.
“Vanessa said my real dad doesn't want me.””
I swallowed.
“That's not true.””
His eyebrows drew together.
“Then why has he never visited?””
I struggled to find the words.
“Because he didn't know you existed.””
Ethan stared at me.
Then he shook his head.
“That's what she said about my mother.””
I froze.
“Your mother?””
He nodded.
“Vanessa said my real mother left me because I was sick.””
My throat tightened.
“Do you remember her?””
He looked toward the bedside table.
There was a small photograph.
Claire.
My Claire.
The same photograph from the hospital.
Ethan picked it up.
“Vanessa says this lady is nobody.””
I took the photograph carefully.
“That's your mother.””
His face changed.
“No.””
“Yes.””
“She died?””
I nodded.
He stared at the photograph for a long time.
Then he asked a question I wasn't prepared to answer.
“Did she love me?””
I felt tears burn behind my eyes.
“With everything she had.””
He looked down.
“Then why didn't she come back?””
I reached for his hand.
“Because something terrible happened, sweetheart. But it wasn't your fault.””
A noise came from the hallway.
David turned.
I looked up.
Vanessa stood at the top of the stairs.
She was wearing a cream blouse and black trousers.
Her face was pale.
“Marcus.””
I stood slowly.
“Don't come any closer.””
She looked at Ethan.
“Sweetheart, go downstairs.””
Ethan immediately stepped behind me.
Vanessa noticed.
Her expression hardened.
“Ethan, come here.””
He shook his head.
“I'm staying with him.””
She stared at me.
“What have you told him?””
“The truth.””
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“You don't know the truth.””
“I know you forged my signature. I know you stole my children. I know you lied about Lily, and I know you used my family to hide millions of dollars.””
Her face twisted.
“You have no idea what I sacrificed.””
“You sacrificed my children?””
“I raised them!””
“You stole them!””
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
For a moment, she looked almost human.
Then she turned toward Ethan.
“Tell him what you know.””
The little boy looked confused.
“About what?””
Vanessa pointed at me.
“Tell him what Claire said before she died.””
I looked at her.
“What did you do?””
Vanessa smiled without warmth.
“Your wife didn't want those babies, Marcus.””
“That is a lie.””
“She was dying. She knew she couldn't raise them.””
Ethan started crying.
“Stop shouting!””
Vanessa ignored him.
“Claire signed the documents herself.””
Margaret stepped forward.
“We have her letter denying that.””
Vanessa's expression changed.
For the first time, she looked genuinely cornered.
Then she reached into her handbag and pulled out a folded sheet.
“You want proof?””
She threw it onto the bed.
It was a document bearing Claire's signature.
A declaration of voluntary guardianship.
I picked it up.
The signature looked authentic.
Too authentic.
My eyes moved to the date.
Three days after Claire had supposedly become unconscious.
I looked at Vanessa.
“Where did you get this?””
She smiled.
“From the person who helped me take your children.””
“Who?””
She glanced toward David.
My brother-in-law looked away.
Vanessa laughed.
“Ask your precious housekeeper, Marcus.””
I turned.
Amara wasn't there.
She had stayed at home with Leo.
But something about Vanessa's expression made me uneasy.
She walked toward Ethan.
“Come with me.””
He clutched my hand.
“No.””
Vanessa's smile disappeared.
“Ethan, I said come here.””
He shook his head harder.
“I'm not going.””
Then he whispered something that made my blood run cold.
“Daddy, please don't let her take me back.””
I froze.
It was the first time he had called me that.
I knelt and wrapped my arms around him.
“I won't.””
Vanessa stared at us.
Then she said quietly:
“You should ask Amara what happened to the original guardianship papers.””
My phone rang.
It was Amara.
I answered immediately.
“Amara?””
Her voice was trembling.
“Marcus, you need to come home.””
“What happened?””
“Leo is missing.””
My blood turned to ice.
“What?””
“The police are here. Someone came to the house and took him.””
I looked at Vanessa.
She was smiling.
Then Amara whispered the words I would hear in my nightmares.
“And Marcus… they left a note.””
I gripped the phone.
“What does it say?””
May you like
Her voice broke.
*“Bring Ethan back, or you'll never see Leo again.””*
