Chapter 9: The Truth in the Records
Malik followed the officer toward the side of the altar.
“Where is he?””
“Being treated.””
“Is he hurt?””
“Not seriously.””
“Then what did you mean when you said he isn't who I think he is?””
The officer glanced at Evelyn.
“That depends on what your mother told you.””
Malik looked at her.
She had gone completely still.
“Tell me.””
Evelyn whispered, “I can't.””
“You've said that too many times.””
The officer pulled a sealed evidence bag from his coat.
Inside was a stack of hospital records.
“Samuel gave these to us.””
Malik stared at them.
“Why?””
“He wanted you to have them.””
Malik opened the bag.
The first page was an original birth record.
Mother: *Evelyn Brooks.*
Father: *Unknown.*
Child: *Male.*
Birth time: *6:12 a.m.*
Malik frowned.
“That's Samuel.””
The officer nodded.
“That's what we thought.””
Malik flipped the page.
A second record.
Same mother.
Same date.
Birth time: *6:31 a.m.*
Child: *Male.*
Father: *Malik Brooks Sr.*
Malik stared at the page.
“Two babies?””
Evelyn nodded through her tears.
“Yes.””
Malik's eyes widened.
“You had twins?””
“I didn't know.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“You didn't know until afterward.””
Malik looked at him.
“Twins?””
Marcus nodded.
“Your father knew.””
Malik stared at the records.
“Then which one of them is me?””
The officer pointed to the second record.
“You.””
Malik's fingers tightened around the paper.
“And Samuel?””
“The first.””
Malik looked toward Evelyn.
“Why did everyone say there was only one baby?””
Evelyn shook her head.
“Because when I woke up, they told me Samuel had died.””
“And they gave me to you?””
“No.””
Malik looked confused.
“What?””
“They told me I had lost both babies.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“That's the lie.””
The officer nodded.
“Samuel found the original records three months ago.””
Malik's eyes moved across the pages.
“Then why didn't he come to me?””
“Because he believed someone was still trying to hide the truth.””
Malik looked at Tiana.
She lowered her eyes.
“What did you know?””
She took a breath.
“Samuel contacted me because he found something else.””
“What?””
“He found a second file.””
Evelyn whispered, “No.””
Malik looked at her.
“What second file?””
Tiana reached into her clutch.
She pulled out a small folded sheet.
Malik stared.
“You had it the whole time?””
“I was afraid.””
He took it.
The document was older than the others.
Its edges were yellow.
At the bottom was a signature.
*Evelyn Brooks.*
Malik read the handwritten statement.
His face changed.
“What is this?””
Evelyn began crying.
“I didn't mean for it to happen.””
Malik looked at her.
“You signed this.””
“Yes.””
“It says you consented to the transfer of Samuel.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Evelyn shook her head.
“Because the doctor told me he would be killed if I refused.””
Marcus's expression softened.
“Who was the doctor?””
Evelyn whispered the name.
“Dr. Charles Bennett.””
The officer immediately looked up.
“Bennett?””
Malik noticed.
“You know him?””
The officer nodded.
“He died fifteen years ago.””
Evelyn exhaled.
Malik looked back at the document.
“Then how could he have contacted Samuel?””
The officer's face changed.
“He couldn't.””
Silence.
Malik stared at him.
“What?””
“The message Samuel sent you today…”
The officer pulled out his phone.
“Wasn't sent from Samuel's phone.””
Tiana's face went white.
“What are you saying?””
The officer showed Malik the screen.
“The number belonged to a prepaid phone purchased yesterday.””
Malik looked at Evelyn.
Then Marcus.
Then Tiana.
Someone had been pretending to be Samuel.
Someone had wanted Malik to come here.
Someone had deliberately exposed the family secrets in front of all these people.
Malik looked toward the wedding doors.
“Then where is my brother?””
The officer's jaw tightened.
“We don't know.””
A sudden cry came from the back of the ceremony.
Everyone turned.
One of the guests was holding a phone.
“Malik!””
He ran toward them.
“What?””
The guest handed him the phone.
A live video was playing.
The image showed a hospital hallway.
At the far end stood a man in a hospital gown.
Samuel.
Alive.
He looked directly into the camera.
Then he raised one hand.
Behind him, a door opened.
A woman stepped into the frame.
Evelyn screamed.
“No…”
Malik stared at the screen.
The woman was holding an old photograph.
Then she looked into the camera and said,
“Malik, if you're watching this, your mother has finally told you half the truth.””
The video cut.
Malik looked at Evelyn.
“Who was that woman?””
Evelyn's lips trembled.
“She was the nurse who delivered you.””
Malik stared.
“She died.””
Evelyn shook her head.
“No.””
She looked toward the wedding doors.
“She disappeared.””
Then Jordan's phone rang.
He answered.
A voice whispered through the speaker:
“Tell Malik to look at the groom's ring.””
Jordan slowly looked at Malik's hand.
Malik looked down.
His wedding ring had been engraved on the inside.
He had never noticed the tiny letters.
He turned it toward the light.
Four words were etched into the metal:
*NOT YOUR FIRST NAME, SON.*
Malik looked at Evelyn.
May you like
She was crying.
And this time, she didn't deny knowing what it meant.
