Chapter 6: The Second Baby Nobody Mentioned
I couldn't move.
“Twins?””
My mother nodded.
I stared at her, waiting for her to explain that she'd made a mistake.
But she didn't.
“Mom, that's impossible.””
“I wish it were.””
“Maya is twelve. She's our only child from that pregnancy.””
Margaret shook her head.
“No, Marcus.””
I grabbed the back of a chair.
“Where is the other baby?””
She began crying.
“I don't know.””
I felt my knees weaken.
“You were there. You saw the babies. How can you not know?””
Margaret pressed a tissue against her face.
“Vanessa gave birth to a boy and a girl. Maya was the girl. The boy was taken to another room.””
“Taken where?””
“I was told there were medical complications.””
“Who told you?””
“Ethan.””
I stared at her.
“Ethan was at the hospital?””
She nodded.
“He arrived shortly before the delivery.””
My mind raced.
I remembered that night.
The hospital corridor.
The smell of disinfectant.
Vanessa holding my hand.
The nurse telling me the baby was healthy.
I'd been exhausted after thirty hours of labor and complications.
I'd heard one cry.
One.
I had never questioned it.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
Margaret wiped her eyes.
“Vanessa said the second baby hadn't survived.””
“Did you see a body?””
“No.””
“Did you see a death certificate?””
“No.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Another dead baby nobody ever saw.””
My mother flinched.
“I'm sorry.””
I turned away.
“Who signed the hospital paperwork?””
“Ethan handled it.””
I closed my eyes.
My brother had somehow managed to be involved in every secret surrounding my family.
The phone on the counter buzzed.
A message from Vanessa.
*I need to see you. Tonight. Alone.*
I stared at it.
Then another message arrived.
*It's about Maya.*
I showed my mother.
She shook her head.
“Don't go alone.””
“I won't.””
I typed a response.
*Come to the house at seven. We will talk in front of everyone.*
She replied immediately.
*No. Ethan must not be there.*
I frowned.
Why was she suddenly afraid of Ethan?
I called my lawyer, Andrew Collins.
We had worked together on a business property dispute several years earlier.
He answered while driving.
“Marcus?””
“I need urgent advice.””
“What's happened?””
I explained the forged property document, the adoption paperwork, and the recordings.
I left out nothing.
When I finished, Andrew was silent.
“Marcus, don't sign anything. Don't give Vanessa access to financial documents. Preserve every recording and message.””
“What about the children?””
“Keep them out of the confrontation. If you have concerns about parental rights or the children's safety, we need to address those immediately.””
I rubbed my forehead.
“There's something else. My brother says Maya was one of twins.””
Andrew exhaled.
“Do you have any evidence?””
“My mother says she saw both babies.””
“Then we need the original hospital records.””
“I don't know whether the hospital will release them.””
“Give me the hospital name and date. I'll help you obtain them through the proper process.””
I thanked him.
Then he asked something that made me pause.
“Marcus, are you certain Vanessa's current pregnancy is the only other pregnancy she has had since Maya was born?””
I looked toward the hallway.
“Why?””
“Because if she's been using fraudulent documents to alter parental or property arrangements, there may be more than one issue.””
I thought about the photograph.
The adoption.
The missing twin.
The mysterious man Daniel.
“No,” I said quietly.
“I'm not certain of anything anymore.””
At 6:55 p.m., Vanessa arrived.
She was wearing a long beige coat.
Her eyes were swollen.
She carried a small leather handbag and looked around the living room before sitting down.
My mother was there.
Maya was upstairs with Noah.
Andrew had joined us by video call.
Vanessa noticed the laptop.
“You brought a lawyer?””
“I brought someone who can help us understand the documents you've been hiding.””
She looked at the screen.
“Andrew.””
He nodded.
“Vanessa.””
She turned back toward me.
“I wanted to speak to you privately.””
“You've had seven years of privacy.””
Her eyes filled.
“Marcus, I know I've made mistakes.””
“Did you have twins when Maya was born?””
She froze.
For several seconds, the only sound was the ticking clock above the fireplace.
Then she slowly sat down.
“Who told you?””
“My mother.””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“Margaret shouldn't have said anything.””
I felt anger rise.
“That's your response?””
She looked at me.
“I was protecting you.””
“From your own children?””
She began crying.
“I didn't have a choice.””
“You had twelve years to tell me.””
She pressed a hand against her stomach.
“I was young. I was frightened.””
“You were a married woman when you gave birth to Maya.””
“I mean before that. Before we got married. Before everything became complicated.””
I leaned forward.
“Where is the other baby?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“I don't know.””
I stared at her.
“Don't lie to me.””
“I'm not!””
“Then tell me who took him.””
She looked toward my mother.
Margaret began shaking her head.
“Vanessa, please. Tell him.””
My wife swallowed.
“Ethan arranged everything.””
I felt my chest tighten.
“Everything?””
“He told me the boy would be raised by a family who couldn't have children.””
“Like Lily?””
Vanessa's expression changed.
“Yes.””
I stood.
“You gave away two children?””
“I didn't give them away!””
“You let someone take them!””
“I was told they would have better lives!””
“Did you ever see them again?””
She shook her head.
“Not until recently.””
My blood ran cold.
“What does that mean?””
Vanessa opened her handbag and removed a white envelope.
She placed it on the table.
“I received this three weeks ago.””
I looked at the envelope.
There was no return address.
Inside was a photograph.
A teenage boy stood in front of a school building.
He had dark hair.
A familiar smile.
And eyes that looked painfully like mine.
I turned the photograph over.
A name was written on the back.
*NOAH HALE.*
I stared at it.
My eight-year-old son was named Noah.
This boy looked about fourteen.
I looked up.
“Who is this?””
Vanessa's hands began trembling.
“His name is Jacob.””
“Where did you get this?””
“He contacted me.””
“Why?””
She looked directly at me.
“Because he's looking for his biological parents.””
I felt my stomach drop.
“Does he know about Maya?””
Vanessa nodded.
“He knows he has a twin sister.””
My mother covered her mouth.
I looked at the photograph again.
Then I noticed the date printed in the corner.
It had been taken just two weeks earlier.
“Where does he live?””
Vanessa hesitated.
“Ohio.””
I frowned.
“Why Ohio?””
“Because that's where Ethan sent him.””
I looked at her.
“Ethan arranged the adoption of our son?””
She nodded.
“Without telling you?””
“Yes.””
I turned toward the laptop.
Andrew was taking notes.
“Vanessa, I need you to answer one question.””
She looked at me.
“Did Ethan receive money for arranging the adoption of our son?””
Her face crumpled.
“Yes.””
“How much?””
She whispered, “Seventy-five thousand dollars.””
My mother began sobbing.
I stared at my wife.
Then my phone rang.
An unknown number.
I answered.
“Hello?””
A young male voice spoke.
“Mr. Hale?””
“Yes. Who is this?””
“My name is Jacob.””
I couldn't breathe.
“Jacob?””
There was a pause.
Then he said:
“I think you're my father.””
I looked at Vanessa.
She was crying silently.
Jacob continued.
“I know about Maya. I know you raised her.””
My hand tightened around the phone.
“How did you get my number?””
“Someone sent me a photograph of you.””
“Who?””
He hesitated.
Then whispered:
“Your brother.””
I closed my eyes.
“Jacob, where are you right now?””
“At the airport.””
My heart began racing.
“What airport?””
“I'm in Boston. I came here because Uncle Ethan said he would meet me.””
I looked at Vanessa.
She shook her head violently.
“Don't let him meet you,” she whispered.
I turned away from her.
“Jacob, listen to me. Don't go anywhere with Ethan.””
The boy's voice trembled.
“It's too late.””
“What do you mean?””
“I've already met him.””
I gripped the phone.
“Where is he?””
Jacob took a shaky breath.
Then he said:
“He told me something about Maya.””
“What?””
“He said she's not really your daughter either.””
I felt the blood drain from my face.
And before I could ask another question, Jacob whispered:
“Dad, I think Uncle Ethan is my biological father.””
The call disconnected.
I stood motionless.
Across the room, Vanessa began screaming.
“Marcus, don't believe him! Ethan has been lying to everyone!””
I looked down at the photograph.
Then I noticed something written in tiny letters beneath Jacob's name.
A hospital identification number.
Andrew leaned closer to his camera.
“Marcus,” he said urgently, “don't move that photograph. I need to see the number.””
I held it toward the laptop.
Andrew's expression changed.
“Where did you say Jacob was born?””
Vanessa covered her face.
Then she whispered the one detail that made everything even worse.
“He wasn't born in Ohio.””
She looked at me.
“He was born in the same hospital as Maya.””
And suddenly, I understood.
May you like
The missing twin wasn't the only child my brother had been hiding.
*Ethan had been using my name on birth records for years—and the next record might belong to Noah.*
