Chapter 9: The Night Everything Changed
Marcus couldn't speak.
The mall hallway seemed to stretch endlessly around him.
Maya looked up at her father.
“Dad?””
He didn't answer.
Vanessa was crying.
Evelyn stood rigidly beside her.
Marcus finally spoke.
“Start at the beginning.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“You won't forgive me.””
“I don't care about forgiveness.””
His voice was quiet.
“I want the truth.””
Vanessa wiped her face.
“It started ten years ago.””
Marcus stared.
“Before Maya was born?””
“Yes.””
“You knew Alana?””
“Yes.””
“How?””
“We worked together.””
Marcus frowned.
“Where?””
“At a medical office.””
Evelyn interrupted.
“Vanessa wasn't just Alana's coworker.””
Marcus looked at her.
“She was her friend.””
Vanessa nodded.
“At first.””
“What happened?””
Vanessa swallowed.
“Alana told me she was pregnant.””
Marcus's eyes moved to Maya.
“She was already with me?””
“Yes.””
“And you?””
“I was single.””
Marcus waited.
Vanessa's voice trembled.
“I fell in love with you.””
Evelyn shook her head.
“You became obsessed.””
Vanessa glared at her.
“You don't know what it was like.””
“I know exactly what it was like.””
Marcus looked between them.
“Why did Alana disappear before the accident?””
“She didn't,” Vanessa said.
“What?””
“She left because she was afraid.””
“Of me?””
“No.””
Vanessa looked at Maya.
“Of what I'd do.””
Marcus's face hardened.
“What did you do?””
“I told her you didn't want the baby.””
Marcus stared.
“What?””
“I lied.””
“You told her I didn't want Maya?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because I wanted her to leave.””
Maya looked down.
Marcus felt something inside him break.
“You destroyed my family before I even knew what you were doing.””
Vanessa cried.
“I thought you'd choose me.””
“I never had the chance.””
“No.””
“You took it away.””
Vanessa nodded.
“Yes.””
Marcus looked at Evelyn.
“And you knew?””
“I knew Vanessa was lying,” Evelyn said.
“I didn't know how far she'd go.””
Marcus looked at the letter.
“What happened on the night of the accident?””
Vanessa hesitated.
Evelyn answered.
“Alana had evidence.””
“What evidence?””
“The forged insurance documents. The bank transfers. Messages between Vanessa and Derrick.””
Marcus looked at Vanessa.
“You knew she had it.””
“Yes.””
“And you followed her.””
“Yes.””
“You caused the accident?””
Vanessa shook her head violently.
“No.””
Marcus waited.
“I didn't touch her car.””
Evelyn stepped forward.
“But you gave Derrick the address.””
Vanessa looked at her.
“I didn't know what he was going to do.””
Marcus's voice became cold.
“What did you think he was going to do?””
“I thought he would scare her.””
“And he did.””
Vanessa looked down.
“He followed her.””
Marcus clenched his fists.
“He hit her car.””
Vanessa nodded.
Maya covered her mouth.
Marcus looked at his daughter.
“Go with Evelyn.””
Maya shook her head.
“No.””
“Maya.””
“I want to stay.””
Marcus looked at her.
She was crying, but she wasn't looking away anymore.
He nodded.
“Okay.””
Evelyn watched them.
“There's more.””
Marcus turned.
“What?””
“Alana left one final recording.””
Vanessa's face went white.
“No.””
Evelyn reached into her coat.
A small flash drive rested in her palm.
Marcus stared at it.
“Where did you get that?””
“Alana gave it to me before she died.””
“What does it contain?””
“Everything.””
Vanessa stepped forward.
“You can't play that here.””
Marcus looked at her.
“Why?””
“Because Maya shouldn't hear it.””
Maya whispered, “I want to.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“No.””
Marcus took the flash drive.
“We're going somewhere private.””
They moved into a small family lounge near the mall's customer service desk.
Marcus connected the drive to his phone.
A video appeared.
The image was shaky.
A woman sat in a hospital bed.
Alana.
Older than the photograph.
Thinner.
But unmistakably Maya's mother.
Maya stared at the screen.
“Mom…”
Marcus's throat tightened.
Alana looked directly into the camera.
“If you're watching this, then I wasn't able to come home.””
Maya began crying.
Marcus wrapped an arm around her.
Alana continued.
“Marcus, if you're seeing this, I'm sorry.””
Marcus stared.
“I tried to reach you.””
Vanessa turned away.
Alana's voice continued.
“Vanessa will tell you she was afraid. She will tell you she made mistakes. But there is something she doesn't know.””
Marcus leaned closer.
Alana paused.
“I never changed Maya's beneficiary.””
Marcus looked at the insurance document.
“She didn't,” he whispered.
Alana continued.
“I changed it years ago.””
Maya wiped her eyes.
“To Maya, I leave everything.””
Marcus's breathing slowed.
Then Alana said something that made Evelyn close her eyes.
“And if Vanessa is still with you, ask her about the night Maya was born.””
Marcus turned toward Vanessa.
She was trembling.
Alana's voice continued.
“She wasn't there by accident.””
The video ended.
Silence.
Marcus slowly looked at Vanessa.
“What happened the night Maya was born?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“Nothing.””
Evelyn stepped forward.
“Tell him.””
Vanessa backed toward the door.
Marcus stood.
“Vanessa.””
She stopped.
“Tell me.””
Vanessa's eyes filled with terror.
“I can't.””
Marcus took one step toward her.
“Why?””
Vanessa whispered:
“Because Maya wasn't the baby I was supposed to take.””
Maya froze.
Marcus stared.
“What does that mean?””
Vanessa reached for the door.
Evelyn grabbed her arm.
“Don't run.””
Vanessa screamed, “You don't understand!””
Marcus stepped closer.
“Then make me understand.””
Vanessa looked at Maya.
Then at Marcus.
And finally she whispered the truth that shattered everything he thought he knew about his daughter.
“The baby I was supposed to take that night…”
She stopped.
Maya held her breath.
May you like
Vanessa's voice broke.
“…wasn't Maya.””
