Chapter 13: The Secret Written on Maya's Birth Certificate
I drove to Elena's house so fast that Daniel had to remind me twice to slow down.
Her last sentence kept repeating in my head.
Your daughter wasn't supposed to be registered under your name that night.
When I arrived, Elena was sitting on the living room sofa. Maya was beside her, holding a glass of orange juice.
There was a white envelope on the coffee table.
Elena looked up.
"Michael, we need to talk before you read what's inside.""
I sat opposite her.
"Tell me everything.""
She glanced at Maya.
"Can we speak privately?""
Maya immediately looked nervous.
"Am I in trouble?""
Elena shook her head.
"No, sweetheart. Never.""
I smiled at my daughter.
"Why don't you go upstairs and finish your drawing? I'll come see it in a minute.""
Maya nodded and disappeared.
Elena waited until she heard the bedroom door close.
Then she opened the envelope.
Inside were three documents.
The first was Maya's original hospital birth record.
The second was a laboratory report.
The third was a handwritten statement signed by a nurse named Patricia Wells.
I picked up the birth record.
The father's information section was blank.
I frowned.
"What's this?""
Elena swallowed.
"When Maya was born, Vanessa told the hospital that you weren't her biological father.""
I stared at her.
"That's impossible.""
"I know.""
"Why would she say that?""
"Because she claimed you had signed a document acknowledging that another man was Maya's biological father.""
I looked at the paper again.
There was a reference number beside the blank section.
"Did you ever see this document?""
Elena nodded.
"Vanessa showed it to me after you left the hospital.""
"What document?""
"An alleged paternity declaration.""
I felt my jaw tighten.
"Whose name was on it?""
Elena looked directly at me.
"Richard Bell.""
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
Then I laughed.
Not because anything was funny.
Because the alternative was screaming.
"Richard Bell? The man who forged the adoption papers? The man who handled the money?""
Elena nodded.
"Vanessa claimed Richard had been involved with me before you and I married.""
"That's a lie.""
"I know.""
"Did she believe that herself?""
"I don't think so.""
I stood and paced across the room.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
Elena's eyes filled.
"Because she threatened to use the document to prove you weren't Maya's father. She said if I challenged her, she'd have Maya placed in temporary care while the court investigated.""
I stopped.
"Did she have a DNA test?""
Elena nodded.
"She showed me a laboratory report.""
I picked up the second document.
The report stated that Richard Bell had a 99.9 percent probability of being Maya's biological father.
My hands began shaking.
"Where did this come from?""
"I don't know. I never consented to the test.""
Daniel, who had been standing near the doorway, finally spoke.
"Michael, don't assume the report is genuine.""
He examined the laboratory name.
"This company was acquired several years ago. We'll need to contact the successor organization and verify whether the report number exists.""
I looked at Elena.
"Did you ever believe Richard was the father?""
She shook her head immediately.
"Never.""
"Then why did you keep this?""
"Because Vanessa told me she would use it against you. She wanted me to disappear, and she wanted you to believe you had no legal claim to Maya.""
Daniel carefully placed the report inside a plastic document sleeve.
"We need to verify the biological relationship independently.""
I nodded.
"Whatever it takes.""
Elena took my hand.
"Michael, there's something else.""
I looked at her.
"Go on.""
She pointed to the third document.
It was the nurse's statement.
Patricia Wells had written that she remembered Vanessa entering the maternity ward shortly after Maya's birth.
According to the statement, Vanessa had presented a document claiming that the father had requested a temporary restriction on the biological mother's access to the child.
The nurse had refused to follow it.
But the next morning, a hospital administrator had instructed staff to treat Vanessa as an authorized family representative.
I read the final paragraph.
The visitor repeatedly referred to the infant as her daughter and stated that the biological mother would soon be removed from the child's life.
I lowered the paper.
"Why would Vanessa want everyone to think Richard was Maya's father?""
Elena looked toward the window.
"Because Richard had promised her something.""
"What?""
"Control.""
Daniel frowned.
"Control of what?""
Elena shook her head.
"I never understood the whole arrangement. But I remember Vanessa saying that once the paternity declaration was accepted, she could become Maya's legal guardian without your consent.""
I felt sick.
Daniel checked his phone.
"I've contacted the laboratory's successor organization. They're reviewing the report number.""
He paused.
"There's also something we need to establish. If Michael is Maya's biological father, the report may have been used to interfere with his parental rights.""
I looked at Elena.
"Did you ever tell Vanessa you would agree to Richard being listed as the father?""
"No.""
"Did you sign anything?""
"No.""
"Then we'll prove it.""
My phone rang.
The caller ID showed my mother.
I answered.
"Mom?""
Her voice sounded different.
Weak.
"Michael, I need to see you.""
"What happened?""
"I found something in Peter's house.""
I glanced at Daniel.
"What?""
"An old envelope. It has your name on it.""
"What's inside?""
My mother began crying.
"Your original DNA test.""
I stopped breathing.
"What DNA test?""
"The one you took when Maya was born.""
I looked at Elena.
She had gone pale.
"Mom, I never took a DNA test when Maya was born.""
"I know.""
"Then what are you talking about?""
She whispered:
"Vanessa arranged one. But the result wasn't what she wanted.""
My stomach tightened.
"Where is it?""
"At Peter's house. He kept the original.""
"Why?""
"Because he was supposed to destroy it.""
Daniel stepped closer.
"Ask her whether Peter is there.""
I repeated the question.
My mother answered, "No. He's gone.""
"Where?""
"I don't know. But Michael, you need to come quickly.""
"Why?""
She hesitated.
Then she whispered:
"Because Peter knows the real reason Vanessa wanted Richard listed as Maya's father.""
The call ended.
Daniel immediately contacted his office.
"We're not going there without arranging protection and confirming the documents are secure.""
I looked at Elena.
"Do you think my mother is telling the truth?""
Elena took a long breath.
"I think she finally understands what she's helped hide.""
That evening, the laboratory called Daniel.
The old report number was invalid.
Worse, the laboratory confirmed that the company name printed on the document had never performed paternity tests.
The report was fabricated.
But there was another discovery.
A genuine DNA test had been conducted using samples submitted under Michael Carter's name.
The result had been stored in an archived account.
Daniel opened the secure report while I sat beside him.
The conclusion was unmistakable.
*Probability of paternity: 99.9998%.*
I was Maya's biological father.
I covered my face.
For nine years, Vanessa had tried to make me question my place in my daughter's life.
She had tried to replace Elena.
She had tried to replace me.
And now the laboratory had confirmed what I had always known in my heart.
Maya was my daughter.
Daniel scrolled down.
"Michael, there's another name listed as the person who requested the original test.""
I looked up.
"Who?""
He turned the screen.
*Applicant: Peter Carter.*
My uncle.
The same man who had witnessed the adoption application.
The same man who had helped Vanessa silence Elena.
And according to the laboratory's records, he had requested the genuine test three days before Vanessa submitted the fake one.
Daniel looked at me.
"Your uncle knew the truth from the beginning.""
Then an email arrived.
It contained a scanned letter from Peter.
May you like
The first sentence read:
If Michael has finally discovered the truth, he deserves to know why Vanessa was willing to destroy three families to protect one secret.
