Chapter 10: The Son Vanessa Tried to Erase
Vanessa stood in the doorway holding white roses.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
My father looked at her as though he had never seen her before.
Then he stepped between her and my mother.
"Get out.""
Vanessa lowered the flowers.
"Marcus, please.""
"I said get out.""
"I came because I was worried about you.""
"You followed us across state lines because you were worried?""
Her eyes moved toward Elizabeth.
"You're making a terrible mistake bringing her back into your life.""
My mother tried to lift herself against the pillows.
"Don't you dare speak about my family.""
Vanessa gave a small, humorless laugh.
"Your family? You disappeared for twenty years. You abandoned your husband and daughter. And now you want to walk back into their lives and pretend nothing happened?""
Mom's fingers tightened around mine.
"I never abandoned Maya.""
"Then where were you?""
"Trying to survive.""
Vanessa placed the flowers on a nearby table.
"You were given everything. You had a husband who loved you, a beautiful daughter, and a future. You threw it away.""
Dad turned toward her.
"Stop talking.""
Vanessa ignored him.
"Do you know how difficult it was to raise Maya while everyone compared her to a dead woman? Every birthday, every school event, every Christmas. I was always the second choice.""
I stared at her.
"You told me you loved being my mother.""
"I did love you.""
"Then why did you hide my real mother?""
Her eyes filled.
"Because I knew she would come back and take you away.""
Mom shook her head.
"I never wanted to take Maya away from you.""
Vanessa laughed.
"You wanted everything.""
"No," Mom whispered.
"I wanted my children to know each other.""
Dad turned sharply.
"Explain what you said about Noah.""
Vanessa's expression changed.
She looked toward the floor.
"That child is none of your concern.""
"He's my wife's son.""
"He's not yours.""
Dad stepped closer.
"Where is he?""
Vanessa shook her head.
"I don't know.""
Mom suddenly began coughing.
The doctor entered and checked her oxygen.
"Everyone needs to leave. She's exhausted.""
Dad nodded reluctantly.
But before he could move, Mom caught his wrist.
"Marcus, don't let her leave with the documents.""
"What documents?""
Mom looked toward Vanessa's purse.
"The birth records.""
Vanessa's face went white.
Dad immediately moved toward her.
"Give me your purse.""
"No.""
"Vanessa.""
"Those documents don't belong to you.""
He held out his hand.
"Give them to me.""
She backed away.
"Marcus, you have no idea what you're getting into.""
"Then educate me.""
For a moment, I thought she would throw the purse at him.
Instead, she slowly unzipped it.
She removed a thick envelope and placed it on the table.
Dad opened it.
Inside were medical records, hospital transfer forms, and several photographs.
He examined the first document.
Then his expression changed.
"What is this?""
Mom answered from the bed.
"The original birth record for Noah.""
Dad read the page.
"Mother: Elizabeth Bennett.""
He looked at the next line.
"Father: Thomas Collins.""
Rachel's name suddenly appeared in my mind.
Thomas Collins was her late husband.
Dad stared at Mom.
"Thomas was Noah's father?""
Mom closed her eyes.
"Yes.""
I felt dizzy.
"So Lily and Noah...""
"Are biological siblings," Mom whispered.
Dad sat down.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because Thomas was married to Rachel. He threatened to take Noah away if I exposed the truth.""
Vanessa interrupted.
"That's not what happened.""
Mom turned toward her.
"Then tell them what happened.""
Vanessa remained silent.
Mom continued.
"Thomas and I had been involved before he married Rachel. I became pregnant. He promised he would leave his wife, but he never did.""
Dad stared at her.
"And Noah?""
"He was born several months before Maya.""
I looked at the dates on the documents.
That meant my mother had another child before me.
A brother I had never known existed.
"Where did he go?"" I asked.
Mom's eyes filled.
"Thomas arranged for him to be raised by another family.""
"Did he know?""
"I don't think so.""
Dad looked at Vanessa.
"How did you get these records?""
She finally answered.
"Thomas gave them to me.""
"Why?""
"Because he wanted someone to keep the truth hidden.""
Dad's voice became cold.
"And you agreed?""
Vanessa nodded.
"I thought I was protecting Maya.""
Mom shook her head.
"No. You were protecting Thomas.""
Vanessa flinched.
Dad turned toward her.
"Did you know Noah was alive?""
"Yes.""
"Where?""
"I don't know.""
Mom whispered, "You're lying.""
Vanessa looked at her.
"He's better off without us.""
"Where is my son?""
For the first time, Vanessa's composure completely collapsed.
She began crying.
"He's in Boston.""
Dad stood.
"Give me his address.""
"I don't have it.""
"Then who does?""
Vanessa looked toward the documents.
There was one final sheet.
A handwritten note.
Dad picked it up.
He read the name at the bottom.
*Dr. Samuel Reed.*
The retired physician Grandma had mentioned.
Beneath his signature was a sentence:
The boy was placed with the Bennett family on the understanding that no biological relative would ever contact him.
Dad looked confused.
"The Bennett family?""
I stared at the page.
"Wait.""
I remembered something from school.
A boy named Noah Bennett had once been mentioned in a family history project.
My English teacher had told us about a former student who had been adopted and later discovered his birth records were sealed.
I pulled out my phone.
I searched the name.
A professional profile appeared.
*Noah Bennett — Boston, Massachusetts.*
Twenty-five years old.
Photograph attached.
I enlarged it.
The resemblance was unmistakable.
The same dark eyes as my mother.
The same crooked smile I saw in my own reflection.
I turned the screen toward Dad.
"Is this him?""
Mom began sobbing.
Dad looked at the photograph.
Then he whispered, "We found him.""
But Vanessa suddenly grabbed the phone.
"Don't contact him!""
Dad snatched it back.
"Why?""
She looked at him with pure desperation.
"Because Noah already knows who his biological father was.""
Dad frowned.
"What's wrong with that?""
Vanessa stared at the photograph.
"He's been looking for Thomas Collins's family for years.""
She paused.
"And he's not looking for a reunion.""
May you like
Her voice dropped.
"He's looking for revenge.""
