Chapter 10: The Night Lily Was Born
The room felt different after that call.
Not louder.
Not more chaotic.
Just heavier.
Because suddenly every memory I had of Lily’s birth felt like it belonged to someone else.
The hospital lights.
The first time I held her.
The way Bianca cried when she heard her heartbeat.
The moment the nurse placed that tiny bundle in my arms and told me, “Congratulations, Dad.””
I had never questioned any of it.
Not once.
And now Bianca was standing in front of me, telling me there was a part of that night I never knew.
“What records?””
My voice sounded unfamiliar.
Bianca looked at the floor.
“Marcus…”
“No.””
I stepped closer.
“You don’t get to stop now.””
She swallowed.
“I was afraid.””
“You’ve said that already.””
“Because it’s true.””
I looked at Maya and Lily.
Then back at her.
“Afraid of what?””
Bianca sat down slowly.
“I found out after Lily was born.””
My heart tightened.
“Found out what?””
“That Adrian had been looking for me.””
The name again.
The person who had existed somewhere in the background of my marriage.
Someone I never knew was still connected to my family.
“How?””
She rubbed her hands together.
“He sent a letter.””
“A letter?””
“Yes.””
“When?””
“Three years ago.””
I stared at her.
“Three years ago?””
She nodded.
“And you never told me?””
“No.””
The honesty hurt more than another lie.
“Why?””
“Because I was scared it would destroy everything.””
I looked around the dining room.
Everything was already destroyed.
“You should have told me.””
“I know.””
“No, Bianca.””
My voice hardened.
“You don’t know.””
She looked up.
“You had a choice.””
A tear rolled down her cheek.
“And I made the wrong one.””
I almost laughed.
One wrong choice.
That was how she described years of secrets.
I looked at the phone.
“Where are the records?””
She hesitated.
“Bianca.””
“On the cloud.””
Maya immediately opened the laptop on the table.
“You saved them?””
Bianca nodded.
“I thought I might need them.””
“For what?””
She looked at me.
“I don’t know.””
That answer was terrifying.
Maya searched through the files.
A few seconds later, she stopped.
“I found something.””
I walked over.
The screen showed a folder.
*Birth Records.*
My chest tightened.
Maya clicked.
Inside were hospital documents.
Emails.
And one audio file.
Recorded the night Lily was born.
I stared.
“What is that?””
Bianca looked away.
“Adrian.””
I froze.
“You recorded him?””
“No.””
“Then why is his voice there?””
She didn’t answer.
Maya looked at me.
“Dad?””
I nodded.
“Play it.””
The audio started.
At first, there was only static.
Then a woman’s voice.
Bianca.
Younger.
Scared.
“I don’t know what to do.””
My stomach twisted.
Then a man’s voice.
Adrian.
“You need to tell him.””
Bianca’s voice shook.
“I can’t.””
“Why?””
“Because he loves her.””
A pause.
Then Adrian said:
“And I’m her father.””
The room disappeared.
Not literally.
But everything else faded.
The table.
The lights.
The walls.
All I could hear was that sentence.
I looked at Bianca.
She was crying silently.
Maya grabbed my arm.
The audio continued.
“I made a mistake,” Bianca said.
“You made a choice,” Adrian replied.
“I love Marcus.””
“And you love the life he gave you.””
Another pause.
Then Bianca whispered:
“I don’t know if Lily is yours.””
My legs felt weak.
I grabbed the chair.
Maya covered her mouth.
Lily looked confused.
She didn’t understand.
And I was grateful she didn’t.
The audio stopped.
Nobody spoke.
Finally, I looked at Bianca.
“Was she mine?””
The question came out quietly.
Almost broken.
Bianca cried harder.
“Marcus…”
“Was she mine?””
She nodded.
“Yes.””
I stared.
“What?””
“Yes.””
“Then why?””
“Because I was confused.””
“Confused?””
I couldn’t believe the word.
“You made me question my daughter.””
“I never stopped believing you were her father.””
“Then why test her?””
She looked down.
“Because Adrian wouldn’t stop.””
My phone buzzed.
A message.
From Adrian.
I opened it.
*You heard the recording. Now ask Bianca what she did after that night.*
My eyes moved to her.
“What did you do?””
Bianca went completely still.
Maya noticed.
“What does that mean?””
I held up the phone.
Bianca’s face changed.
And I knew.
There was still something missing.
“Tell me.””
She whispered:
“I made Adrian disappear from our lives.””
“How?””
Silence.
“Bianca.””
She looked at me.
“I paid him.””
The room went cold.
“You what?””
“I paid him to leave.””
Maya stared.
“Why?””
Bianca closed her eyes.
“Because I was afraid he would take Lily.””
I looked at my daughter.
Then back at her.
“You paid him to disappear.””
“Yes.””
“And you never told me.””
“No.””
“Why?””
Her answer was barely audible.
“Because I knew you would ask questions.””
I stepped back.
The truth was becoming impossible to hold.
Not because Lily wasn’t mine.
She was.
But because Bianca had spent years making decisions for everyone.
Controlling every piece.
Every person.
Every truth.
My phone buzzed again.
Another message.
This time there was a photo.
A bank transfer.
Bianca’s name.
Adrian’s name.
And a date.
The date was yesterday.
I looked at Bianca.
May you like
“You paid him again.””
Her face went white.
