Chapter 10: The Truth Maya Deserved
“The baby I was supposed to take wasn’t Maya.””
No one moved.
Maya stared at Vanessa.
Marcus's face had gone completely still.
“What does that mean?””
Vanessa looked at the floor.
“I was supposed to take the other baby.””
Marcus frowned.
“There was no other baby.””
Vanessa slowly lifted her eyes.
“Yes, there was.””
Evelyn closed her eyes.
Marcus looked at her.
“You knew?””
Evelyn nodded.
“I knew.””
Maya whispered, “What other baby?””
Vanessa couldn't answer.
Marcus stepped closer.
“Tell me.””
Vanessa's voice shook.
“Alana had twins.””
The words landed like a physical blow.
Marcus stared.
“Twins?””
Evelyn nodded.
“A boy and a girl.””
Maya looked at Marcus.
“You mean… I have a brother?””
Marcus's eyes remained fixed on Vanessa.
“Where is he?””
Vanessa began crying.
“He's Noah.””
Marcus stopped breathing.
Maya looked toward the hallway.
“Noah?””
Evelyn nodded.
Vanessa whispered, “Derrick told me Alana was having twins. He said if I wanted you, I had to make sure the boy disappeared.””
Marcus looked toward the lounge door.
“Noah is Alana's son?””
Vanessa nodded.
“And you knew?””
“Yes.””
Marcus's voice became barely audible.
“Then why did you raise him as yours?””
“Because I couldn't have children.””
Marcus looked at her.
“You stole him.””
“I didn't steal him.””
“You just said—”
“I was told he would be taken away anyway!””
“By who?””
“Derrick.””
Evelyn stepped forward.
“Derrick arranged everything.””
Marcus's face hardened.
“Everything?””
Vanessa nodded.
“He knew about the inheritance. He knew Alana had changed the policy. He knew there were two babies.””
Marcus looked at Maya.
Then toward the hallway where Noah had been sitting.
“So all these years…”
He couldn't finish.
Maya whispered, “Noah is my brother.””
Evelyn nodded.
“Yes.””
Maya's eyes filled.
“But he didn't do anything.””
“I know,” Marcus said immediately.
“He got all the shoes.””
Marcus looked at her.
A sad smile touched his face.
“That wasn't his fault.””
Maya nodded, crying.
Vanessa sank into a chair.
“I couldn't tell you.””
Marcus stared at her.
“You couldn't tell me the truth.””
“I was afraid you'd hate me.””
“I do hate what you did.””
Vanessa covered her face.
“But I don't hate you,” Maya said.
Everyone looked at her.
Maya wiped her tears.
“I just don't want to be scared of you anymore.””
Vanessa lowered her hands.
For the first time, she looked at Maya without anger.
Only shame.
“I am sorry.””
Maya didn't answer.
Marcus stepped toward the door.
“Where is Noah?””
Vanessa looked up.
“With my mother.””
Marcus immediately called the grandmother who had taken Noah to the family lounge.
A few minutes later, Noah appeared in the doorway.
He was holding one of his new shoes.
“Dad?””
Marcus crouched.
“Come here, buddy.””
Noah ran into his arms.
Marcus held him tightly.
Noah laughed.
“Why are you hugging me so hard?””
Marcus closed his eyes.
“Because I missed you.””
Noah looked over his shoulder.
Maya was standing there.
He smiled.
“Maya!””
He ran to her.
Maya hugged him.
“You're my brother.””
Noah blinked.
“What?””
She laughed through her tears.
“Nothing.””
Evelyn watched them.
Then she handed Marcus one final envelope.
“There's something else.””
Marcus opened it.
Inside was a hospital record.
Two birth certificates.
Two names.
*Maya Alana Carter.*
*Noah Daniel Carter.*
Both born on the same night.
Both listed as children of Marcus Carter and Alana Carter.
Marcus stared at the papers.
“I never knew.””
Evelyn nodded.
“Alana tried to tell you.””
Marcus looked at the hospital record.
“How?””
“She mailed the records to you.””
“When?””
“Three years ago.””
Marcus looked up.
“I never got them.””
Evelyn nodded.
“Because Vanessa intercepted that envelope too.””
Vanessa began crying again.
Marcus turned toward her.
“Why?””
She whispered, “Because I knew if you found out, you'd leave.””
Marcus shook his head.
“You didn't save our marriage.””
He looked at Maya and Noah.
“You stole their family.””
Vanessa nodded.
“I know.””
A siren sounded faintly outside.
Vanessa looked toward the window.
Evelyn said quietly, “The police are on their way.””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
Marcus didn't stop them when they arrived.
He didn't shout.
He didn't celebrate.
He simply stood beside Maya and Noah while the officers took the documents, the flash drive, the bank records, and the forged insurance papers.
As Vanessa was led away, she stopped beside Maya.
“I really am sorry.””
Maya looked at her.
Then she glanced down at her own shoes.
The same worn sneakers.
The torn sole.
The frayed lace.
Vanessa followed her gaze.
“I should have bought you those shoes.””
Maya shook her head.
“No.””
Vanessa looked confused.
Maya lifted her eyes.
“My dad did.””
Marcus smiled faintly.
Outside the store, the morning sunlight spilled across the pavement.
Marcus took Maya's hand in one hand and Noah's in the other.
Maya looked up.
“Dad?””
“Yeah?””
“Can we go back inside?””
Marcus smiled.
“Why?””
She pointed toward the shoe store.
“I still want those thirty-four-dollar shoes.””
Marcus laughed softly.
“You can have whatever pair you want.””
Maya shook her head.
“No.””
She looked at Noah.
“Those.””
She pointed to a simple pair of sneakers in the window.
Marcus nodded.
“Those it is.””
Inside the store, Maya finally sat down.
Marcus knelt and removed her old shoes.
He carefully untied the broken lace.
Then he slipped the new sneakers onto her feet.
Maya stood.
They fit perfectly.
Noah looked at her.
“They're cool.””
Maya smiled.
“Thanks.””
Marcus looked at both children.
For ten years, he had believed he had lost one family and built another.
He had never realized the family he was searching for had been standing in front of him the entire time.
Maya looked down at her new shoes.
Then she looked at her brother.
May you like
And for the first time, neither child had to earn their place beside their father.
They already belonged there.
