Chapter 13: The Daughter My Father Gave Away
Nobody moved.
Nia stood in the doorway, staring at Arthur as if she had never seen him before.
I looked from her to my father.
"Tell me what that message means.""
Arthur's lips trembled.
"Marcus, let me explain.""
"Then explain.""
He glanced at Nia.
She shook her head.
"No. Don't look at me like that. I deserve the truth too.""
Arthur lowered himself into a chair.
"Twenty-nine years ago, before your mother and I married, I knew Evelyn.""
Evelyn.
Nia's mother.
I felt my stomach tighten.
"How?""
"We worked at the same hospital. She was a nurse. I was doing maintenance and helping with the medical supply deliveries.""
Nia's voice was barely audible.
"You were together?""
Arthur nodded.
"For a short time.""
I looked at Evelyn's daughter.
"Does your mother know?""
"She does," Arthur replied.
"She has always known.""
Nia backed against the doorframe.
"You're saying you're my father?""
Arthur nodded again.
She covered her mouth.
I looked at him.
"Then why did you let her marry Daniel? Why did you let her grow up believing Daniel was her father?""
"Because Evelyn was already married when she discovered she was pregnant. Daniel knew the child wasn't his. He agreed to raise her, but he demanded that the truth never be revealed.""
"Why?""
Arthur's eyes darkened.
"Because Daniel believed he could use the child to control Evelyn. He threatened to take her away if she ever told anyone.""
Nia looked as though the floor had disappeared beneath her.
"And you just walked away?""
"No.""
"Then where were you?""
Arthur struggled to answer.
"Your mother and I were already together by then. Margaret knew about you. She helped Evelyn arrange the birth and promised that you would never be used as a weapon.""
Nia shook her head.
"So Margaret knew I wasn't Daniel's daughter?""
"Yes.""
"And she knew you were my father?""
"Yes.""
Nia began crying.
"Then why did she let me grow up in that house?""
Arthur looked at her with unbearable sadness.
"Because Daniel had threatened to destroy both families if anyone challenged him.""
I turned away.
The revelations were coming too quickly.
My father had hidden a daughter.
My mother had protected her.
Daniel had raised her while secretly knowing she wasn't his.
And somehow, all of it connected to the two babies born on the same night.
I looked at Richard.
"What's the truth about the children?""
Richard remained silent.
My father answered.
"Michael is Margaret's biological son. He was born healthy. You were born healthy too. But Daniel had arranged for the hospital records to be altered because he wanted to control the inheritance.""
I frowned.
"Why would he care about which baby belonged to which family?""
"Because the Bennett property was supposed to pass through Margaret's bloodline. Daniel wanted a child he could claim was connected to that inheritance.""
Nia wiped her cheeks.
"And what about me?""
Arthur looked at her.
"You were born several years earlier. Daniel had already discovered that the property would become valuable. He wanted a way to gain access to it through Evelyn.""
I stared at him.
"That still doesn't explain why Michael said Nia isn't my sister.""
Arthur hesitated.
Then he said something I hadn't expected.
"Because I'm not your biological father, Marcus.""
The room went silent.
I laughed once.
Not because it was funny.
Because my mind couldn't process another revelation.
"What?""
Arthur's eyes filled.
"Margaret was pregnant when she married me. I knew.""
I stepped backward.
"Who was my father?""
Arthur looked down.
"Daniel Carter.""
Nia made a small sound.
I stared at him.
"Daniel?""
"Margaret and Daniel had been together before she met me. She discovered what he was doing with the company and ended their relationship. When she found out she was pregnant, she chose to marry me.""
I felt as though someone had punched me in the chest.
"You knew I wasn't yours?""
"From the beginning.""
"And you raised me anyway?""
Arthur nodded.
"You were my son the moment I held you.""
I couldn't speak.
He continued.
"Daniel never wanted you. He wanted the property. Margaret knew that. She asked me to protect you, and I promised her I would.""
I looked at the old man sitting in front of me.
All my life, I had believed he was my father because we shared blood.
Now I understood that he had chosen to be my father when he had every reason to walk away.
But that didn't erase the lies.
"You let me believe something that wasn't true.""
"I did.""
"You let me hate you for keeping secrets.""
"I know.""
"Why didn't you tell me when I was old enough?""
He looked toward the photograph of Margaret.
"Because every time I considered telling you, Daniel found another way to threaten you.""
My phone vibrated.
Michael.
*I can prove everything. Come to the farmhouse. Bring Arthur. Don't bring Richard.*
I showed the message.
Richard immediately shook his head.
"That's a trap.""
"How do you know?""
"Because Michael has been missing for years. We don't know who has access to his phone.""
Nia stepped forward.
"I believe him.""
Richard looked at her.
"You shouldn't.""
She lifted her chin.
"You've lied to us too.""
Richard said nothing.
I turned toward my father.
"Are you coming?""
Arthur stood.
"Wherever your brother is, I'm going.""
We drove toward Charlottesville as the afternoon light faded.
The farmhouse stood at the end of a narrow gravel road.
A single lamp glowed in the front window.
I knocked.
No answer.
Then the door opened.
A man stood in the doorway.
The scar beneath his chin matched the photograph.
He looked at me for a long moment.
Then his eyes moved to Arthur.
"Hello, Uncle Arthur.""
My father froze.
Michael stepped aside.
"Come in.""
Inside, a woman sat in an armchair beside the fireplace.
Her hair was almost completely white.
Her face was thinner than I remembered.
But I knew those eyes.
I knew that smile.
I had seen them in photographs all my life.
"Mom?""
Margaret began to cry.
"Marcus.""
I crossed the room.
She reached for me with trembling hands.
I fell to my knees beside her chair.
For a moment, I couldn't speak.
Then I whispered, "You were alive.""
She touched my cheek.
"Yes, sweetheart.""
"All these years.""
"I know.""
I looked at Arthur.
He stood near the doorway, unable to move.
Margaret reached one hand toward him.
"Arthur, I'm sorry.""
He covered his face.
Michael closed the door.
Then he placed a thick envelope on the table.
"Now that we're all here," he said, "we need to talk about what Daniel did.""
Margaret's expression changed.
"Not Daniel.""
She looked directly at me.
"Daniel is only the man they wanted us to blame.""
I frowned.
"Who is they?""
She looked toward the window.
May you like
Then she whispered:
"The person who ordered my disappearance is still alive.""
