Chapter 8: The Truth About Alana
Marcus stood perfectly still.
“What happened to Alana?””
Vanessa looked at the floor.
Evelyn moved closer.
“Marcus, don't listen to her.””
“Why?””
“Because she will say anything now.””
Vanessa laughed through her tears.
“You're still protecting yourself.””
Evelyn's jaw tightened.
Marcus looked between them.
“Both of you are going to tell me the truth.””
The nurse beside Evelyn quietly stepped away, giving them space.
Maya remained against Marcus's side.
Vanessa took a shaky breath.
“After the accident, Alana was taken to St. Anne's.””
Marcus nodded.
“I know.””
“She didn't remember everything.””
“I know.””
“She remembered Maya.””
Marcus's eyes narrowed.
“And me?””
Vanessa nodded.
“She kept asking for you.””
Marcus looked away.
His jaw tightened.
“Why didn't anyone call me?””
Vanessa whispered, “Because I got there first.””
Evelyn shook her head.
“You followed her ambulance.””
Marcus turned.
“You followed her?””
Vanessa's voice broke.
“I needed to know if she was alive.””
“Why?””
“Because I knew she'd come back.””
“And?””
Vanessa stared at him.
“I couldn't lose you.””
Marcus's expression hardened.
“So you lied to me.””
“Yes.””
“You lied to Maya.””
“Yes.””
“You intercepted calls.””
“Yes.””
“You forged my signature.””
Vanessa started crying.
“Yes.””
“And you moved Maya's inheritance.””
“I was going to replace it.””
Marcus shook his head.
“You keep saying that like it makes any of this better.””
Vanessa looked toward Maya.
“I didn't hate her.””
Maya stared back.
“Then why did you treat me like I wasn't yours?””
Vanessa's face crumpled.
“Because every time I looked at you, I saw Alana.””
Marcus closed his eyes.
Evelyn whispered, “And that wasn't the worst part.””
Marcus looked at her.
“What was?””
Evelyn took a breath.
“Alana was discharged from the hospital eight months after the accident.””
Marcus stared.
“She left the hospital?””
“Yes.””
“Where did she go?””
“She went looking for Maya.””
Maya's eyes widened.
“She looked for me?””
Evelyn nodded.
“She went to your old house.””
Marcus's voice dropped.
“And?””
“Vanessa was there.””
Marcus turned toward his wife.
Vanessa looked terrified.
“What did you tell her?””
Vanessa whispered, “That you had moved.””
Marcus stared.
“You told her I moved?””
“Yes.””
“Where?””
“I gave her an address.””
“What address?””
Vanessa didn't answer.
Marcus stepped closer.
“What address?””
“A hotel.””
Maya looked confused.
“Why?””
Vanessa looked at her.
“Because I wanted time.””
“For what?””
“To convince Alana to leave.””
Marcus shook his head.
“And she did?””
“No.””
“What happened?””
Vanessa wiped her face.
“She found me again.””
“When?””
“Three months later.””
Evelyn stepped forward.
“And that's when everything changed.””
Marcus looked at her.
“What happened?””
Evelyn swallowed.
“Alana had recovered enough of her memory to remember the insurance policy.””
Marcus's eyes narrowed.
“She knew about the money.””
“Yes.””
“And she knew Maya was the beneficiary.””
“Yes.””
Vanessa whispered, “She threatened to take Maya away.””
“She was her mother.””
“I was raising her.””
“You had no legal right to hide her.””
Vanessa looked at Marcus.
“I knew that.””
“So what did you do?””
Vanessa said nothing.
Evelyn answered.
“You made a deal.””
Marcus turned toward her.
“With whom?””
“Derrick.””
Marcus's stomach dropped.
“What deal?””
Evelyn looked at Vanessa.
“Tell him.””
Vanessa's hands shook.
“I paid Derrick to help me access the insurance account.””
Marcus stared.
“And Alana?””
Vanessa's voice became barely audible.
“She found out.””
“What did she do?””
“She went to the police.””
Marcus looked shocked.
“You knew?””
Vanessa nodded.
“I followed her.””
“Why?””
“Because I panicked.””
“And?””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“She never made it to the station.””
Maya's fingers tightened around Marcus's hand.
Marcus felt cold.
“What are you saying?””
Vanessa opened her eyes.
“Derrick intercepted her.””
Evelyn whispered, “And after that, Alana disappeared.””
Marcus looked at Evelyn.
“You said she died two years ago.””
“I found her.””
“When?””
“Two years ago.””
“Where?””
“In a nursing facility outside the city.””
Marcus stared.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
Evelyn's eyes filled.
“Because she was dying.””
Maya whispered, “Was she alone?””
Evelyn looked at her.
“Yes.””
Maya's face crumpled.
Marcus held her tighter.
“Did she know about Maya?””
Evelyn nodded.
“Every day.””
“Did she think Maya was safe?””
Evelyn hesitated.
“No.””
Marcus's breathing became uneven.
“What did she say?””
Evelyn reached into her coat again.
This time, she pulled out a small envelope.
“She gave me this.””
Marcus looked at it.
“What's inside?””
“A letter.””
“For Maya?””
Evelyn nodded.
Marcus took the envelope.
The front had one name written in faded blue ink.
*Maya.*
His daughter stared at it.
“Can I read it?””
Marcus crouched.
“You don't have to.””
“I want to.””
He opened it carefully.
Inside was a single sheet.
Maya read the first line.
Her face changed.
“What does it say?””
She looked up.
“She says…”
Maya's voice broke.
“She says she never stopped looking for me.””
Marcus closed his eyes.
Evelyn wiped away a tear.
Maya continued reading.
“She says she knew Vanessa was lying.””
Vanessa began crying harder.
Maya turned the page.
Then stopped.
“Dad?””
“What?””
“There are names.””
Marcus looked down.
At the bottom of the letter were three names.
*Vanessa.*
*Derrick.*
And a third name Marcus recognized immediately.
His own.
Beside it was a date.
The date of the accident.
Marcus stared at the page.
“That isn't possible.””
Evelyn said nothing.
Marcus looked up.
“What does my name have to do with the accident?””
Vanessa suddenly whispered:
“You were supposed to be in that car.””
Marcus went completely silent.
Maya looked between them.
Evelyn's face hardened.
“She wasn't supposed to survive.””
Marcus looked at Vanessa.
“You knew.””
Vanessa covered her face.
“I didn't know she would be driving.””
“Who was supposed to be in that car?””
Vanessa slowly lowered her hands.
Marcus waited.
May you like
She whispered:
“You.””
