Chapter 6: The Truth Maya Carried Alone
I waited three hours before asking.
Three hours.
Because I was afraid.
Not of what Vanessa had done.
I already knew enough about that.
I was afraid of what Maya had been carrying alone.
That evening, I found her in her room.
Her homework was open on the desk.
But she wasn’t studying.
She was staring out the window.
“Maya.””
She turned.
“You talked to Vanessa?””
I sat on the edge of her bed.
“Yes.””
She looked nervous.
“Did she tell you?””
“Tell me what?””
Her face changed.
And I knew.
She knew exactly what Vanessa meant.
“Maya.””
She looked down.
“Dad…”
I waited.
Finally, she whispered:
“I didn’t want you to know.””
My chest tightened.
“Know what?””
She rubbed her hands together.
“The truth about Mom.””
I froze.
Her biological mother.
The woman we rarely spoke about because the pain was still too sharp.
“What about your mother?””
Maya took a shaky breath.
“Before Vanessa married you… she came to see me.””
I stared at her.
“When?””
“The week before the wedding.””
I stood slowly.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because she asked me not to.””
My voice became quiet.
“What did she say?””
Maya looked at the floor.
“She said if I told you, you would cancel the wedding.””
I felt my jaw tighten.
“And what did she tell you?””
Maya’s eyes filled with tears.
“She said you needed someone new.””
I waited.
“She said I was the reason you were still stuck in the past.””
My heart broke.
“No.””
“I know that now.””
She wiped her face.
“But back then I was ten.””
Ten years old.
A child.
And Vanessa had put adult fears onto her shoulders.
“What else?””
Maya hesitated.
“She told me not to expect things to stay the same.””
I felt anger rise.
“She threatened you.””
“She didn’t say it like a threat.””
Maya looked at me.
“That was the scary part.””
The room was silent.
I sat beside her.
“Why didn’t you tell me after?””
She gave a small, painful smile.
“Because you looked happy.””
I closed my eyes.
My daughter had protected my happiness while losing her own.
“I’m sorry.””
She shook her head.
“Dad.””
“No.””
I looked at her.
“I should have seen it.””
A knock interrupted us.
I turned.
My phone was ringing.
Unknown number.
I answered.
“Hello?””
A woman’s voice spoke.
“Mr. Carter?””
“Yes.””
“My name is Elena. I work with financial investigations.””
I stood.
“How did you get my number?””
“We received a report connected to Maya Carter’s education trust.””
My eyes moved to Maya.
“What report?””
There was a pause.
Then:
“Mr. Carter, we need to discuss another person connected to the account.””
My grip tightened around the phone.
“Who?””
The woman hesitated.
Then said a name.
A name I never expected.
A name that made Maya cover her mouth.
Because she knew it too.
“Marcus…”
I looked at my daughter.
The investigator continued.
“The person who first requested access to Maya’s account was not Vanessa Carter.””
My blood ran cold.
“Then who was it?””
The answer came.
May you like
And everything I thought I knew about my family changed.
“It was someone who had access before Vanessa ever entered your home.””
