Chapter 6: The Name on the File
Nobody breathed.
The voice came again.
“Vanessa. Open the door.””
Marcus backed away from it.
Nia watched him.
“Who is it?””
Marcus swallowed.
“My father.””
Angela's hand flew to her mouth.
“That’s impossible.””
Marcus shook his head.
“I heard that voice.””
Vanessa stood motionless.
The attorney closed her briefcase.
“Everyone needs to stay calm.””
Nia stared at Vanessa.
“You said he was dead.””
Vanessa didn't respond.
“You told me my father died before I was born.””
Still nothing.
Marcus stepped toward her.
“You told me that too.””
Vanessa's shoulders began to shake.
Marcus's voice broke.
“Was any of it true?””
Vanessa looked at him.
“I was trying to protect you.””
“From my father?””
“Yes.””
“From the man standing outside?””
Vanessa nodded.
Marcus stared at the door.
“Why?””
Vanessa couldn't answer.
Angela moved beside him.
“Marcus, don't open it.””
He looked at her.
“I need to know.””
The attorney raised a hand.
“Let me handle this.””
She approached the door.
Vanessa suddenly grabbed her arm.
“Don't.””
The attorney looked down at Vanessa's hand.
“Let go.””
“He can't see her.””
Nia's heart pounded.
“See who?””
Vanessa released the attorney.
Nia stepped forward.
“Who can't see me?””
Vanessa whispered, “Your father.””
The door opened.
A man stood in the hallway.
Black. Late forties. Gray threaded through his short hair. His face looked older than Nia expected, but there was something familiar about his eyes.
Marcus stared at him.
“Dad?””
The man looked at Marcus.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then he whispered:
“My boy.””
Marcus's eyes filled.
“You're alive.””
The man nodded.
“I am.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“Why did everyone tell me you were dead?””
The man looked past him.
His eyes landed on Angela.
Then on Nia.
His expression shattered.
“No.””
Angela began crying.
“David.””
Nia couldn't move.
David stared at her as if he'd been searching for her in every face he'd ever seen.
“My daughter.””
Nia's knees weakened.
“You're my father?””
David nodded.
“I've been trying to find you.””
Vanessa stepped between them.
“David, you need to leave.””
He looked at her.
“You've had eighteen years.””
His voice was quiet.
“You've had enough.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“You don't understand.””
“I understand everything.””
David reached inside his jacket.
Vanessa's eyes widened.
“Don't.””
He pulled out a folded photograph.
He handed it to Nia.
It was the same photograph from the court file.
But this version was larger.
Clearer.
Nia looked down.
She saw Angela holding a newborn baby.
David stood beside her.
And behind them was Vanessa.
Nia looked at Vanessa.
“You were there.””
Vanessa began crying.
“I was trying to help.””
Angela's voice was bitter.
“You came to the hospital pretending to be my friend.””
“I was your friend.””
“You told me the baby was sick.””
“She was sick.””
“She had a fever.””
“And you were unconscious.””
Nia looked at David.
“What happened?””
David closed his eyes.
“I came back from work and they told me your mother had signed custody papers.””
Angela shook her head.
“I never signed them.””
David nodded.
“I know that now.””
Marcus looked at the attorney.
“What happened after that?””
The attorney opened the folder.
“That's where the story changes.””
She removed another document.
“This is the original court order.””
Vanessa whispered, “No.””
The attorney placed it on a folding chair.
“Look at the date.””
Marcus did.
His face changed.
“That was three days after Nia was born.””
Angela stepped closer.
“I was still in the hospital.””
“Yes.””
Nia looked at the signature.
“My mother didn't sign this.””
The attorney shook her head.
“No.””
“Then who did?””
The attorney looked directly at Vanessa.
Vanessa closed her eyes.
Marcus whispered, “Mom…”
The attorney continued.
“The signature was forged.””
David's jaw tightened.
“But that's not the worst part.””
Nia looked at her.
“What could be worse?””
The attorney reached into the folder.
She pulled out a second court document.
“This order was supposed to expire after thirty days.””
Nia frowned.
“What does that mean?””
“It means Vanessa was never granted permanent custody.””
Nia looked at Vanessa.
“Then how did she keep me?””
Vanessa's tears ran down her cheeks.
“Because someone changed the file.””
Angela stared at her.
“Who?””
Vanessa looked at David.
Then Marcus.
Then Nia.
“I didn't do it alone.””
The room went silent.
David stepped forward.
“Say his name.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“I can't.””
“You owe her the truth.””
“I'll go to prison.””
Angela's voice hardened.
“You should.””
Vanessa looked at Nia.
“I thought I was saving you.””
Nia's voice was barely audible.
“Saving me from what?””
Vanessa's lips parted.
Before she could answer, the attorney's phone rang.
She glanced at the screen.
Her face went pale.
Nia noticed.
“Who is it?””
The attorney turned the phone around.
One name appeared.
*THOMAS CARTER.*
Vanessa's brother.
Nia stared at the screen.
Marcus whispered, “Uncle Thomas?””
The attorney answered.
A man's voice came through the speaker.
“You found the file.””
The attorney said nothing.
His voice became colder.
“Then you found out who ordered the lie.””
Nia stepped closer.
“Who?””
There was a pause.
Then Thomas spoke.
“It wasn't Vanessa.””
Vanessa began shaking.
Thomas continued.
“The person who wanted Nia erased from that family wasn't her.””
Nia's heart slammed against her ribs.
“Then who was it?””
The call went silent.
A second later, Thomas whispered:
“It was your father.””
David's face went completely white.
Angela turned toward him.
“David?””
May you like
Nia stared at her father.
And David slowly lowered his eyes.
