Chapter 9: The Birth Certificate Secret
I couldn’t move.
The phone screen blurred in front of me.
A name.
A name I had never heard before.
Daniel Carter.
My biological father.
But that was impossible.
Dad looked at me.
“Maya.””
I stepped away.
“No.””
Renee’s face changed.
“What?””
I pointed at the phone.
“The email came from him.””
Nobody spoke.
Because everyone knew what that meant.
Except me.
Because everyone else had years to prepare for this moment.
I had seconds.
“Daniel is dead,” Dad said quietly.
The words landed.
Dead.
I looked at Renee.
She nodded slowly.
“Yes.””
“Then how did he send an email?””
Nobody answered.
The silence was terrifying.
Vanessa moved toward the phone.
“Let me see.””
Dad pulled it away.
“No.””
“Marcus.””
“No.””
His voice was firm.
“You have hidden enough.””
Vanessa stopped.
The pain on her face surprised me.
Because for the first time, I saw something besides fear.
I saw regret.
“I was trying to protect her.””
Dad looked at her.
“You keep saying that.””
“Because it’s true.””
“Then why did you hide everything?””
Vanessa looked at me.
“Because I promised your mother.””
I froze.
“My mother?””
She nodded.
“Before she died.””
The room became quiet.
“She asked me to protect you.””
I swallowed.
“You weren’t even my family then.””
Vanessa looked hurt.
“No.””
She looked at Dad.
“I was just someone who knew the truth.””
Renee sat down.
“Your mother knew Daniel had enemies.””
“Enemies?””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
Renee looked at Dad.
He didn’t stop her this time.
“Your grandfather.””
My heart stopped.
“My grandfather?””
Renee nodded.
“Daniel’s father.””
I stared.
“I don’t understand.””
“Daniel came from a powerful family.””
“And?””
“And that family had secrets.””
The word again.
Secrets.
I was beginning to hate it.
“What does this have to do with me?””
Renee opened the folder.
She removed another document.
“This.””
I looked down.
It was a copy of my birth certificate.
But there was something different.
A section had been changed.
A correction.
A legal amendment.
“What is this?””
Dad answered.
“Your last name.””
I frowned.
“What about it?””
Renee pointed.
“When you were born, your last name was Carter.””
My breath caught.
“But I’m Maya Johnson.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Dad looked away.
“Because we changed it.””
“Who changed it?””
Nobody answered.
I looked at Marcus.
“You did?””
He nodded slowly.
“Your mother asked me.””
“Why?””
His voice broke.
“Because she was afraid someone would find you.””
I stared.
“Find me?””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
Dad didn’t answer.
Then the front door suddenly opened.
Everyone turned.
A man stood there.
Older.
Wearing a dark coat.
His expression was calm.
Too calm.
He looked directly at me.
“Maya Carter.””
My entire body froze.
Nobody had called me that in my entire life.
Dad stepped in front of me.
“Get out.””
The man ignored him.
“I finally found you.””
Renee stood immediately.
“You shouldn’t be here.””
The man smiled slightly.
“I think she deserves to know why everyone has been lying to her.””
Dad’s fists tightened.
“You don’t get to come here.””
The man looked at me.
“I’m sorry you had to find out this way.””
I whispered:
“Who are you?””
He reached into his coat.
Pulled out a document.
And placed it on the marble island.
“My name is Adrian Carter.””
The room went silent.
“And I’m your uncle.””
I stared at the paper.
“What is that?””
Adrian looked at Dad.
Then at Vanessa.
Then back at me.
“The reason your scholarship was targeted.””
He slid the document toward me.
May you like
And at the top, I saw a word that made everyone panic.
*Inheritance.*
