Chapter 14: The Last Lie My Mother Told

My mother sat in the hospital waiting room with her hands folded in her lap.

I stood in front of her.

For several seconds, neither of us spoke.

Then I asked the question I had been afraid to ask.

“Was Jacob your son?””

Margaret nodded.

I looked away.

“How old was I?””

“Six.””

“And Dad?””

“He knew.””

I laughed once, without humor.

“Of course he did.””

Margaret began crying.

“He was the only person who knew the whole story.””

“Except Ethan.””

She nodded.

I sat across from her.

“Tell me everything.””

She looked toward the hospital doors.

“When I was younger, I had a relationship with a man before I married your father. I became pregnant. Your father knew the child wasn't his, but he agreed to raise him as his own.””

“Who was the man?””

She closed her eyes.

“Your father's younger brother.””

I stared at her.

“My uncle?””

“His name was Samuel.””

I had never heard of him.

My father had told me he was an only child.

Margaret wiped her cheeks.

“Samuel died before you were born. Your father never wanted the family to know.””

I shook my head.

“So Jacob was my cousin?””

“Yes.””

“And my mother gave him up?””

“No. I was told he died during childbirth.””

I stared at her.

“Just like Vanessa's baby?””

Margaret flinched.

“Ethan told me Jacob had died. Years later, I found out he had been placed with another family.””

“Who arranged it?””

“Your father.””

I stood.

“Why?””

“Because he believed the child would be safer away from the family.””

“Safer from whom?””

Margaret didn't answer.

I leaned forward.

“Mom.””

She looked at me.

“Your father was afraid of Ethan.””

I froze.

“What?””

“Ethan had become violent. He was stealing money from the company, threatening people, and using family secrets to control everyone. Your father discovered what he was doing.””

I remembered Ethan's voice at the warehouse.

You got the house. The wife. The children. The life I was supposed to have.

My father had seen the danger.

He had tried to stop it.

But he'd left behind a trail of lies that Ethan turned into a weapon.

“Why didn't Dad tell me?””

“Because he thought he could fix it before he died.””

I stared at her.

“He died eleven years ago.””

“I know.””

“And you've been hiding this for eleven years.””

Margaret nodded.

“I was afraid.””

I looked at her.

“Of Ethan?””

“Of losing you.””

I felt my throat tighten.

“You already lost me.””

She began sobbing.

I walked away.

Andrew arrived an hour later carrying a thick folder.

He found me outside the neonatal unit.

“We need to talk.””

“Not another secret.””

“I understand.””

He opened the folder.

“Rebecca has agreed to speak with us. Her adoptive parents confirmed that Ethan visited her regularly until she was sixteen. He told her that Marcus Hale was responsible for her mother's death.””

I looked at him.

“Did she believe him?””

“She did. But she also found letters from Patricia before she was adopted.””

“What did they say?””

Andrew handed me a copy.

The first letter was addressed to Rebecca.

My sweet girl, if you ever learn who your family is, remember that you were never unwanted. Your grandfather loved you. Your uncle Marcus may not know you exist, but he is not your enemy.

I read it twice.

Then I looked at Andrew.

“Her grandfather?””

“Your father.””

I swallowed.

“Patricia knew?””

“Yes. She knew your father was her biological father. She wanted Rebecca to know the family someday.””

I folded the letter.

“What about Jacob?””

Andrew opened another document.

“His adoptive family has been located. They received him through a private placement arranged by Ethan. The paperwork lists Margaret as the birth mother and your father as the biological father.””

I stared at the page.

“Does Jacob know?””

“He knows something is wrong. He agreed to come here tomorrow.””

I nodded.

Then Andrew showed me another document.

A handwritten note.

My father's handwriting.

I recognized it immediately.

If Ethan ever takes control, the children must be brought together. Marcus deserves to know the truth. Margaret must be protected, but she must not be allowed to keep lying.

I closed my eyes.

My father had known.

He had left instructions.

And someone had ignored them.

“Where did you find this?””

“In the false bottom of the warehouse filing cabinet.””

I stared at him.

“Was there anything else?””

Andrew hesitated.

“A name.””

He turned the page.

*NOAH HALE — ORIGINAL MATERNAL RECORD: LAURA HALE.*

I frowned.

“Laura?””

Andrew nodded.

“The record suggests Noah was originally registered as Laura's biological child.””

I looked at him.

“But Laura died six years ago. Noah is eight.””

“Exactly. The date doesn't match.””

I felt the familiar coldness spreading through my chest.

“Then it's another false record.””

“Possibly. But there's a second document.””

He placed it beside the first.

It was a hospital discharge summary from eight years ago.

The mother's name was Vanessa.

The child's name was Noah.

But the biological father field had been altered.

The original name was covered by a black mark.

Andrew tilted the page toward the light.

“We've requested the original digital record.””

I stared at the document.

“Who could have changed it?””

Andrew didn't answer.

Then my phone rang.

An unknown number.

I answered.

“Hello?””

A teenage boy spoke.

“Is this Marcus Hale?””

“Yes.””

“My name is Jacob.””

I straightened.

“Where are you?””

“At the airport. I'm coming to St. Mary's.””

“Are you alone?””

“Yes.””

There was a pause.

Then he said:

“I found something in the papers Ethan gave me.””

“What?””

“A photograph.””

I waited.

“It's a picture of my mother holding a baby.””

“Vanessa?””

“No.””

His voice trembled.

“Your mother.””

I closed my eyes.

“Margaret?””

“Yes.””

He took a shaky breath.

“And there's a note on the back.””

“What does it say?””

Jacob read slowly.

“'To my son, Marcus. One day, you'll understand why I let them believe the child was dead.''”

I stared at the hospital wall.

My mother had not simply hidden Jacob.

She had allowed the entire family to believe he had died.

“Jacob,” I said carefully, “bring that photograph to me.””

“I will.””

Then he whispered:

“There's something else.””

“What?””

“The baby in the picture isn't me.””

I froze.

“What?””

“There's another baby in the photograph. A little girl.””

I couldn't breathe.

“Are you sure?””

“Yes. And the note says her name.””

I gripped the phone.

“What name?””

Jacob swallowed.

“Lily.””

I looked toward the maternity unit.

Lily Bennett.

The eight-year-old girl adopted by Robert and Susan.

The girl who had grown up beside Maya.

The girl whose birth had been hidden by Vanessa and Ethan.

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Jacob whispered:

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