Chapter 8: The Mother
Darius couldn't speak.
The woman stepped into the ballroom.
She looked older than the woman in the photograph, but there was no mistaking the resemblance.
The same eyes.
The same jawline.
The same small scar above the eyebrow.
Darius whispered, “Mom?””
She smiled.
“Yes.””
Camille backed away.
“No.””
The woman looked at her.
“You've done enough.””
Darius turned toward Camille.
“You knew she was alive.””
Camille shook her head.
“I didn't know she'd come here.””
“You knew.””
“My father told me she was dead.””
The woman laughed softly.
“Your father lied to both of us.””
Naomi stepped forward.
“Evelyn.””
Darius looked at Naomi.
“That's my mother's name?””
“Yes.””
Evelyn smiled.
“You remembered.””
Darius touched his forehead.
“I don't know what's happening to me.””
Evelyn walked closer.
“Because they took pieces of you.””
Naomi immediately stepped between them.
“Stay away from him.””
Evelyn stopped.
“I didn't come for him.””
“Then why are you here?””
Evelyn looked at Zoe.
“I came for her.””
Zoe grabbed Darius's hand.
He moved in front of her.
“No.””
Evelyn's expression softened.
“Darius, listen to me.””
“You're not taking her anywhere.””
“I don't want to take her.””
“Then explain.””
Evelyn looked toward Camille.
“Tell him.””
Camille shook her head.
“No.””
“Tell him who Zoe is.””
Darius's stomach tightened.
He looked at Camille.
“Who is she?””
Camille's lips trembled.
“She's…”
She couldn't finish.
Evelyn did.
“Your daughter.””
Darius stared at Zoe.
Zoe stared back.
“No.””
Naomi whispered, “Darius…”
He shook his head.
“No. Amara is my daughter.””
“Yes,” Evelyn said.
Darius's face tightened.
“Then Zoe can't be.””
Evelyn nodded.
“That's what they wanted you to believe.””
Naomi took Darius's hand.
“Amara was born seven years ago.””
Darius looked at her.
“And Zoe?””
“Eight.””
He looked at Zoe.
Eight.
The age she had told him.
His chest tightened.
Evelyn continued.
“Zoe was born before Amara.””
Darius stared.
“You had another child?””
Naomi shook her head.
“Not exactly.””
Evelyn stepped closer.
“She is your biological daughter.””
Darius looked at Camille.
“Why didn't I know?””
Camille began crying.
“Because your father made me swear.””
“Swear what?””
“That I'd never tell you.””
“Why?””
“Because Zoe was the proof.””
“Proof of what?””
Camille looked at Naomi.
“Your father was experimenting on memory because he wanted to know whether identity could be manipulated.””
Darius's voice became cold.
“And Zoe?””
“She was one of the children used in the study.””
Naomi closed her eyes.
Darius's face hardened.
“You used my daughter?””
Camille shook her head desperately.
“No. I tried to get her out.””
“Then why was Naomi involved?””
“Because she found the children.””
Evelyn interrupted.
“And because your father discovered Zoe was resistant.””
Darius stared.
“Resistant to what?””
“Memory alteration.””
Zoe looked confused.
“What does that mean?””
Naomi knelt beside her.
“It means people tried to make you forget.””
Zoe frowned.
“I remember smoke.””
Darius's eyes filled with tears.
“So do I.””
Evelyn nodded.
“That night, your father planned to destroy every record.””
“Then why did he start the fire?””
“Because Naomi stole the files.””
Darius looked at Naomi.
“And Amara?””
Naomi's expression broke.
“She was taken before the fire.””
“By who?””
Naomi looked toward Camille.
Camille shook her head.
“I don't know.””
Evelyn's face became grim.
“I do.””
The room went silent.
“Who?””
Evelyn reached into her handbag and removed a sealed folder.
She handed it to Darius.
He opened it.
Inside were medical records.
Photographs.
Birth certificates.
And a handwritten note.
Darius read the first line.
His face drained of color.
*SUBJECT AMARA — TRANSFERRED TO PRIVATE CUSTODY.*
Below it was a signature.
Darius knew it instantly.
His own.
He looked at Naomi.
“I signed this?””
Naomi shook her head.
“No.””
Darius turned to Evelyn.
“Then who did?””
Evelyn's eyes filled with tears.
“Someone who had your memories.””
Darius looked down at the signature.
It was perfect.
His handwriting.
His name.
His authorization.
Then Zoe suddenly screamed.
Everyone turned.
She was pointing at the folder.
“That's the man I saw.””
Darius looked at her.
“What man?””
“The one who carried me out of the fire.””
Naomi's face went white.
“Zoe, what did he look like?””
Zoe stared at Darius.
“Like you.””
Darius couldn't breathe.
Evelyn whispered:
“There were two Darius witnesses that night.””
Darius slowly looked at her.
“What?””
She opened another photograph.
Two identical men stood outside the burning house.
One carried Zoe.
The other carried Amara.
Darius stared at the image.
Then Naomi whispered:
“The man who carried Amara away…”
She pointed to the second figure.
“…wasn't Darius.””
The ballroom lights suddenly went out.
A phone rang in the darkness.
Once.
Twice.
Then a man's voice came from the speakers.
“Darius.””
The lights returned.
The black phone on the floor was ringing.
May you like
Its screen displayed one word:
*DAD.*
