Chapter 4: The Woman at the Door
The doorbell rang a third time.
Marcus's hand remained on the handle.
Behind him, Maya stood frozen beside the marble island, staring at Vanessa.
“Open it,” Maya whispered.
Vanessa shook her head.
“Maya, please.””
Marcus turned around.
“You've said please a lot today.””
His voice was dangerously calm.
“Now I'm asking you one question.””
Vanessa swallowed.
“What?””
“Why would Sarah say I'm not Maya's father?””
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
“I don't know.””
Marcus stared at her.
“You don't know?””
“I don't know what Sarah is going to say.””
“But you knew she was coming.””
“No.””
“You knew she was alive.””
Vanessa looked down.
“Yes.””
“You knew about the box.””
“Yes.””
“And you knew something about Maya's father.””
Vanessa's voice became almost inaudible.
“I knew there was a possibility.””
Marcus stepped toward her.
“A possibility?””
The doorbell rang again.
Maya flinched.
“Dad.””
Marcus looked at the door.
Then at his daughter.
He opened it.
The woman standing on the porch looked older than the photograph, but there was no mistaking her.
Same warm brown eyes.
Same small crescent-shaped scar near her left eyebrow.
Same face Maya had spent years imagining whenever someone mentioned her mother.
Sarah looked at Marcus first.
Her lips trembled.
“Marcus.””
He didn't answer.
Her eyes moved past him.
Then she saw Maya.
Everything in her expression collapsed.
“Oh, my God.””
Maya couldn't move.
Sarah covered her mouth.
“You're seventeen.””
Maya's voice came out broken.
“You're alive.””
Sarah nodded.
“I am.””
“You left me.””
Sarah's eyes filled with tears.
“I never wanted to.””
Maya looked at Vanessa.
“That's what she says.””
Sarah's gaze snapped toward Vanessa.
“You told her I abandoned her?””
Vanessa said nothing.
Sarah stepped inside.
“You promised me you would never tell her that.””
Vanessa's face hardened.
“And you promised you'd stay away.””
“I stayed away because you threatened me.””
“I protected this family.””
“You destroyed it.””
Marcus slammed the door shut.
“Both of you. Stop.””
The women went silent.
Marcus looked at Sarah.
“Start talking.””
Sarah stared at him.
“You deserve the truth.””
“Then give it to me.””
Sarah took a breath.
“Fifteen years ago, I found out someone was moving money out of your company.””
Marcus frowned.
“What?””
“Small amounts at first. Then larger ones. I traced the transfers.””
“To who?””
Sarah looked at Vanessa.
“Her.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“That's not true.””
Sarah pulled a folded document from her coat.
“I brought proof.””
Marcus took it.
He opened the document.
His eyes scanned the page.
Bank transfers.
Account numbers.
Dates.
Vanessa's name appeared repeatedly.
Marcus looked up.
“Vanessa.””
“I can explain.””
Sarah laughed bitterly.
“You always say that.””
Marcus looked at Sarah.
“Why didn't you come to me?””
“I did.””
“When?””
“Three times.””
Sarah's voice cracked.
“Every time, Vanessa intercepted the messages.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“No.””
“She told me you were having an affair.””
Marcus stared at Sarah.
“What?””
“She told me you wanted a divorce. She said you'd already chosen her.””
Marcus slowly turned toward Vanessa.
“Did you tell her that?””
Vanessa didn't answer.
Sarah continued.
“When I confronted Vanessa, she threatened to take Maya.””
Maya's eyes widened.
“She said she'd make sure you lost custody.””
Marcus's jaw tightened.
“Vanessa couldn't do that.””
“She had someone at the hospital,” Sarah said.
“Someone who changed records.””
Marcus looked at the birth photograph from the blue box.
“The records.””
Sarah nodded.
“The birth records were altered.””
Maya stepped forward.
“Altered how?””
Sarah looked at her.
“Your father's name was removed.””
Marcus went completely still.
Maya looked between them.
“But why?””
Sarah's eyes dropped.
“Because Vanessa wasn't trying to hide your father from you.””
She looked at Marcus.
“She was trying to hide him from me.””
Marcus's voice was barely audible.
“Who is he?””
Sarah hesitated.
Before she could answer, Vanessa suddenly grabbed the document from Marcus's hand and tore it in half.
Maya gasped.
“Vanessa!””
Marcus seized Vanessa's wrist.
“What are you doing?””
Vanessa stared at him, breathing hard.
“You don't understand what happens if that document survives.””
Sarah took one step forward.
“It doesn't matter.””
Vanessa looked at her.
“What?””
Sarah smiled through her tears.
“I made copies.””
Vanessa's face went blank.
Sarah reached into her coat again.
This time, she pulled out a small black flash drive.
Marcus stared at it.
“What is that?””
“Everything.””
Sarah held it up.
“Bank records. Medical records. Messages. The original birth certificate.””
Maya's heart pounded.
“And the name of my father?””
Sarah nodded.
“Yes.””
Vanessa suddenly whispered,
“Marcus, don't let her show you.””
He looked at her.
“Why?””
Vanessa's eyes filled with terror.
“Because you'll realize I've been lying for a reason.””
Sarah's expression hardened.
“No, Vanessa.””
She stepped closer.
“You've been lying because the truth would destroy the life you stole.””
Then Sarah placed the flash drive on the marble island.
Maya stared at it.
Marcus reached toward it.
And Vanessa suddenly screamed.
“DON'T!””
Marcus stopped.
A second later, someone knocked on the front door.
Three slow knocks.
Sarah's face changed.
She whispered,
“They found me.””
Marcus turned toward the door.
“Who?””
Sarah looked at Vanessa.
Vanessa looked at the floor.
Then a man's voice came through the door.
“Marcus?””
Marcus froze.
He knew that voice.
May you like
Sarah whispered,
“That's him.””
