Chapter 8: The Records That Disappeared
For a moment, I thought I misunderstood him.
The words didn’t connect.
They floated in the air.
Changed.
Medical.
Records.
“What?””
Adrian looked at me.
“She altered information that would have led you to Ava.””
Simone immediately shook her head.
“No.””
Her voice was weak.
“No, that’s not what happened.””
I turned toward her.
“Then explain.””
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Again.
That silence.
That same terrible silence.
Lena stepped closer.
“She knew where you were.””
My eyes moved to her.
“What?””
“She knew how to reach you.””
I looked at Simone.
“And you never told me.””
She cried quietly.
“I wanted to.””
“When?””
She looked away.
That was the answer.
Never.
I walked toward the nearest table and placed my hands on it.
I needed something solid.
Because everything I believed was disappearing.
The woman I planned to marry.
The person I trusted most.
She wasn’t just hiding a child.
She was hiding the path that led to my child.
Adrian placed another folder on the table.
“I didn’t want to bring this here.””
I looked at him.
“Then why did you?””
“Because after today, there was no other way.””
I opened the folder.
Inside were copies of old documents.
Hospital records.
Communication logs.
My name appeared multiple times.
Ava’s birth date.
Lena’s information.
And then…
A note.
My eyes locked on it.
“Patient contact information updated by authorized representative.””
I looked up.
“Authorized representative?””
Adrian nodded.
“That was Simone.””
The room erupted.
Someone gasped.
Someone whispered, “She changed it?””
I turned toward Simone.
“Why did you have access?””
Her tears fell faster.
“Because…”
She stopped.
“Because what?””
She looked at the floor.
“Because I was helping Lena.””
I frowned.
The answer made no sense.
“You were helping her?””
“Yes.””
The room became quiet.
For the first time, Simone’s expression wasn’t defensive.
It was complicated.
Painful.
“I didn’t start this because I wanted to hurt you.””
I waited.
“Then why?””
She looked at Lena.
“I was trying to protect her.””
Lena shook her head.
“No.””
Simone looked at her.
“Yes.””
“No, Simone.””
Lena’s voice trembled.
“You convinced yourself you were saving everyone.””
I watched them.
And I realized something.
This wasn’t a simple betrayal.
It was worse.
Everyone had a version of the story.
Everyone thought they were the hero.
But someone had still lost seven years.
Ava.
I looked down at her.
She was sitting quietly now, holding Mia.
She looked exhausted.
A child who should have been eating cake at a wedding.
Not listening to adults explain why she never met her father.
I sat beside her.
“Are you tired?””
She nodded.
“A little.””
I smiled sadly.
“You did something very brave today.””
She looked at me.
“Will you still be here tomorrow?””
The question hurt more than anything.
Because she wasn’t asking about the wedding.
She wasn’t asking about the documents.
She was asking if I would disappear.
I looked her directly in the eyes.
“Yes.””
She searched my face.
“Promise?””
I nodded.
“I promise.””
For the first time all day, she smiled.
A small smile.
But real.
Then Mia reached toward me again.
I took her tiny hand.
And something inside me became clear.
Whatever happened next…
I was not leaving.
Not again.
Not ever.
I turned back toward Simone.
“I need to understand everything.””
She nodded.
“I know.””
“No.””
I looked at the documents.
“I need the truth from the beginning.””
She wiped her face.
“Okay.””
The ballroom waited.
She took a deep breath.
“When I met you…”
She stopped.
“I already knew who you were.””
My blood ran cold.
“What?””
She looked at me.
“I knew your name.””
“Before we dated?””
“Yes.””
“Before we met?””
“Yes.””
The room seemed to spin.
“How?””
Simone looked toward Adrian.
Then Lena.
Then me.
May you like
And finally she said:
“Because your father hired me.””
