Chapter 4: The Man in the Shadows
Daniel Cross stood beneath the red emergency light, holding the second silver locket between two fingers.
Maya stared at him.
Sarah moved instantly.
She stepped between them.
“Stay away from my daughter.””
Daniel smiled.
“You always did have a talent for making everything sound dramatic.””
Evelyn's voice was colder.
“You're supposed to be dead.””
Daniel looked at her.
“So are a lot of people who aren't.””
Maya pressed herself against Sarah's back.
Evelyn raised her phone higher.
“You locked these doors.””
“I did.””
“Why?””
Daniel glanced at Maya.
“Because there are some conversations that shouldn't happen in front of an audience.””
Sarah's voice shook.
“You don't get to control this anymore.””
Daniel laughed softly.
“Sarah, I've controlled this story for twenty-nine years.””
He lifted the locket.
“And tonight, you walked straight into the one room where I couldn't let the truth come out.””
Evelyn stepped forward.
“What truth?””
Daniel looked at her.
“The truth about your daughter.””
Maya whispered, “Me?””
Daniel's eyes settled on her.
“Yes.””
Sarah grabbed Maya's hand.
“Don't listen to him.””
Daniel tilted his head.
“Why not? She deserves to know.””
Evelyn's expression hardened.
“Start talking.””
Daniel looked at the hospital document in her hand.
“You still have that?””
Evelyn looked down.
“Yes.””
“You were never supposed to see it.””
“Why?””
“Because you were easier to control when you believed she was dead.””
Evelyn's jaw tightened.
“You lied to me.””
Daniel shrugged.
“Your husband lied to you first.””
“My husband is dead.””
“So is the version of him you remember.””
Evelyn stepped closer.
“Don't play games with me.””
Daniel's smile disappeared.
“I brought your daughter here tonight because someone else was about to expose everything.””
Sarah stared at him.
“Who?””
Daniel looked toward the ceiling.
“The people who paid for it.””
Sarah went pale.
Evelyn noticed.
“You know who they are.””
“I know exactly who they are.””
“Then tell me.””
Daniel shook his head.
“Not yet.””
Evelyn's voice cracked.
“Twenty-nine years, Daniel.””
She pointed at Maya.
“You let me bury an empty coffin.””
Daniel's face remained expressionless.
“There was a coffin.””
“There was no baby in it.””
“No.””
Evelyn inhaled sharply.
“Then where was she?””
Daniel looked at Sarah.
“Ask her.””
Sarah's eyes closed.
Evelyn turned.
“Sarah?””
Sarah whispered, “I didn't have a choice.””
“You always say that.””
“Because it's true.””
“You stole my child.””
“I saved your child.””
Evelyn's face twisted.
“From whom?””
Sarah looked at Daniel.
“From him.””
Daniel chuckled.
“Still blaming me.””
“You took her from the hospital.””
“I moved her.””
“You sold her.””
Maya's eyes widened.
Sarah immediately said, “No.””
Daniel's expression changed.
“Careful.””
Sarah stepped forward.
“You threatened me.””
“I protected you.””
“You threatened to kill her.””
Daniel went silent.
Evelyn stared at him.
“Who?””
Sarah pointed at Daniel.
“He wasn't working alone.””
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
“Sarah.””
“No more.””
Her voice shook, but she didn't retreat.
“You want the truth? Then tell her about the night you came into my room.””
Daniel stared at her.
“You were there,” Sarah continued.
“You stood over that baby and said Evelyn would never see her again.””
Evelyn's eyes filled.
“What baby?””
Sarah looked at Maya.
“Her.””
Silence.
Maya slowly shook her head.
“But you said I was your daughter.””
“You are.””
“Then why was I in a hospital?””
Sarah crouched.
“Because your birth mother couldn't protect you.””
Maya looked at Evelyn.
“Is she my birth mother?””
Evelyn's lips parted.
“Yes.””
Maya stared at her.
The woman in the emerald gown suddenly looked smaller.
Older.
Broken.
Daniel watched them carefully.
Then he said, “There is one thing neither of them has told you.””
Sarah stood.
“Don't.””
Daniel reached into his jacket.
Evelyn stiffened.
But he didn't pull out a weapon.
He pulled out a photograph.
He held it beneath the emergency light.
It showed a hospital corridor.
A younger Sarah stood beside a bassinet.
And beside her was another woman.
Evelyn stared at the photograph.
Her breathing stopped.
“No…”
Sarah whispered, “Daniel, please.””
Evelyn snatched the photograph.
The woman beside Sarah had her face.
Her hair.
Her emerald earrings.
She looked exactly like Evelyn twenty-nine years younger.
But she was wearing a hospital gown.
Evelyn turned the photograph over.
A date was written on the back.
The same date as Maya's birth.
Below it were five words:
*She wasn't the only baby.*
Evelyn looked up.
Daniel was already walking toward the dark hallway.
“Wait!””
He stopped.
Without turning around, he said, “Now you know where to look.””
Then the lights came back on.
And Daniel was gone.
The ballroom doors unlocked with a heavy click.
Sarah stared at the empty hallway.
Evelyn looked at the photograph.
Then Maya's face.
“Sarah,” she whispered.
“What?””
“Who was the other baby?””
Sarah didn't answer.
May you like
Because she was staring at the photograph too.
And for the first time, she looked more frightened of the truth than of Daniel.
