Chapter 9: The Photograph From the Past
I couldn't speak.
A photograph of me?
That was impossible.
I had never met Amelia.
I had never known she existed.
"Show me," I demanded.
Vanessa shook her head.
"I don't have it.""
"Where is it?""
"With Evelyn.""
Rebecca stood.
"Why would Amelia have a photograph of Marcus?""
Vanessa looked at me.
"Because she believed you were her father.""
I stared at her.
"That's impossible.""
"She said Claire told her.""
"Claire never told me about a daughter.""
"Maybe she didn't have the chance.""
I turned toward Rebecca.
"Did Claire ever mention who Amelia's father was?""
Rebecca shook her head.
"She refused to discuss it. She only said that the man had disappeared before the baby was born.""
I felt a strange pressure behind my eyes.
Seven years before Noah.
Claire and I hadn't met yet.
But I had been living in the same city.
I had worked at a construction company.
I had dated other women.
I had traveled.
There were years of my life that Claire and I had never discussed in detail.
"What was the date of Amelia's birth?"" I asked.
Rebecca showed me the photograph again.
I calculated the year.
Then something clicked.
I had been twenty-seven.
And I remembered a woman.
A woman I had dated briefly.
Her name was Laura.
We met at a charity auction in Chicago.
We went out several times.
Then she disappeared without explanation.
I had called her twice.
She never answered.
I never heard from her again.
I looked at Rebecca.
"Was Claire living in Chicago at the time?""
"Yes.""
My heartbeat quickened.
"Did she know Laura?""
Rebecca looked surprised.
"Laura who?""
I shook my head.
"I don't know yet.""
Vanessa leaned forward.
"Wait. What was her last name?""
I looked at her.
"Why?""
"Because Evelyn mentioned her once.""
"Who?""
"Laura.""
My stomach dropped.
"What did your mother say?""
Vanessa rubbed her forehead.
"She said Claire had taken something that didn't belong to her.""
Rebecca stepped closer.
"What does that mean?""
"I don't know.""
"Vanessa!""
"She said Laura was supposed to marry someone. That Claire ruined everything.""
I felt the room spinning.
Laura.
A woman I had dated before Claire.
A woman who had disappeared.
A daughter born the same year.
I looked at the photograph again.
The baby had dark hair.
Just like Claire.
But the little girl in the birthday photograph had my eyes.
I had never noticed it before.
I picked up the adoption document.
At the bottom was a handwritten reference number.
I called Patricia.
She answered immediately.
"Marcus?""
"I need you to investigate an adoption record. A girl named Amelia, born seven years before my son. Her biological mother was Claire Reed.""
There was a pause.
"Do you have documentation?""
"Yes.""
"Send me everything. I'll start with the agency and the hospital records.""
"There's another name. Laura.""
"Laura what?""
"I don't know yet.""
Patricia agreed to investigate.
After ending the call, I looked at Noah.
He was sitting quietly beside Susan.
"Are you okay, buddy?""
He nodded.
"Can I keep the picture?""
I handed it to him.
He studied his sister's face.
"She looks like Mom.""
"She does.""
"Do you think she'll like me?""
My throat tightened.
"I think she'll be very happy to meet you.""
Noah smiled faintly.
Then he asked something that made my heart ache.
"Do you think she knows Mom is dead?""
I looked at Rebecca.
She lowered her eyes.
I didn't have an answer.
That evening, Daniel stayed with Noah while I drove to Evelyn's house.
I knew Patricia wouldn't approve.
But I needed answers.
Evelyn lived in a large house behind an iron gate.
When she opened the door, she wasn't surprised to see me.
"Marcus.""
"Where is Amelia?""
She sighed.
"I wondered how long it would take you.""
"Where is she?""
"That's not something I can tell you.""
"Why did you hide Claire's daughter?""
Evelyn stepped aside.
"Come in.""
I refused.
"Answer me here.""
She looked toward the street.
Then she lowered her voice.
"Amelia was placed with a family who couldn't have children. They loved her. They raised her. Claire had no right to disrupt that.""
"Then why did she search for her?""
"Because she couldn't accept that her daughter was gone.""
"She wasn't gone. She was alive.""
Evelyn's expression hardened.
"Life is complicated.""
"Not complicated enough to justify falsifying adoption records.""
She looked at me for several seconds.
Then she said, "You have no idea how much money was involved.""
I stared at her.
"That's what this was about?""
"Money keeps people safe, Marcus. It keeps families together. It makes difficult decisions possible.""
"You stole a child.""
"I arranged a placement.""
"You lied to her mother.""
"Claire was unstable.""
"She was dying.""
Evelyn's eyes narrowed.
"Exactly.""
The word chilled me.
I took a step closer.
"What did you do to Claire?""
She folded her arms.
"Your wife was determined to destroy everything my daughter and I had built.""
"Did you change her medication?""
Evelyn didn't answer.
Instead, she said, "Ask Vanessa why she stayed in the hospital room after Claire stopped breathing.""
I froze.
"What?""
"Ask her.""
"Why?""
Evelyn smiled faintly.
"Because there was something she needed to take.""
"What did she take?""
She turned away.
"Goodnight, Marcus.""
I grabbed the doorframe.
"You're not ending this conversation.""
She looked back.
"You should go home. Your son is waiting for you.""
I stared at her.
Then my phone rang.
It was Daniel.
"Marcus, where are you?""
"At Evelyn's.""
"Get back here. Now.""
"What happened?""
His voice shook.
"Noah found something in the garage.""
I started walking toward my car.
"What?""
"A small box. Hidden behind the workbench.""
"What's inside?""
Daniel hesitated.
Then he said:
"A hospital bracelet. With Amelia's name on it.""
I stopped.
"That doesn't make sense. Amelia was adopted years before Noah was born.""
"I know.""
"Read me the date.""
Daniel went quiet.
Then he whispered:
"Marcus, the bracelet is dated the night Claire died.""
I felt my blood turn cold.
"Are you sure?""
"There's something else.""
"What?""
Daniel's voice cracked.
"There's a second name written underneath Amelia's.""
I gripped my phone.
"Whose?""
He took a breath.
Then he answered.
"Vanessa.""
I looked back at Evelyn's house.
The front door was still open.
And a figure stood behind the upstairs curtain, watching me.
Daniel continued.
"Marcus, I think Vanessa was involved in something that happened to Amelia at the hospital that night.""
I stared at the dark window.
Then I heard a car engine start behind me.
A black SUV pulled away from Evelyn's driveway.
Its headlights swept across the road.
I recognized the vehicle from Claire's old photographs.
And as it passed, the rear passenger window lowered just enough for me to see the woman inside.
It was Vanessa.
She was holding a photograph.
The same photograph of me that Amelia had supposedly carried.
May you like
But on its back, written in Claire's handwriting, were six words:
*HE IS NOT THE FATHER. ASK REBECCA.*
