Chapter 2: The Name on the Report
Ethan didn't open the result.
Not yet.
He stood frozen in the aisle, Vanessa's phone trembling slightly in his hand.
The auditorium noise returned in pieces.
A microphone squeaked onstage.
Someone laughed nervously three rows behind him.
A graduate whispered, “What happened?””
Then the principal's voice came over the speakers.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we will begin the valedictorian ceremony in approximately five minutes.””
Five minutes.
Ethan stared at the screen.
Five minutes until he was supposed to walk onto that stage and deliver the speech he'd spent months writing.
Five minutes until hundreds of people heard him speak about family, sacrifice, and the people who believed in him.
And sitting beside him was the woman who had apparently been told to keep his mother away until a DNA result was announced.
“Give me the phone,” Vanessa said.
Ethan finally looked up.
“No.””
Her face hardened.
“Ethan.””
“No.””
“Whatever you think you saw, you don't understand it.””
“Then explain it.””
“I can't.””
“You can't?””
Vanessa glanced toward Sarah.
Sarah had not moved.
She looked like she had suddenly become much older.
“Mom,” Ethan said, “did you know about this?””
Sarah shook her head.
“No.””
Vanessa snapped, “Sarah, don't.””
Sarah's eyes flashed.
“Don't what?””
Vanessa lowered her voice.
“Not here.””
Sarah stepped closer.
“You've been telling me for two months that Ethan's graduation was going to be a beautiful day.””
“It still can be.””
“You hid my seat.””
“I moved the card because—”
“Because what?””
Vanessa said nothing.
Ethan looked between them.
“Who ordered the test?””
Vanessa's silence answered more than words could.
He opened the message thread again.
The sender's name was saved as *D. Reynolds*.
Ethan frowned.
“Who is D. Reynolds?””
Vanessa reached for the phone.
“That's private.””
“Who is he?””
“Ethan, stop.””
“No.””
His voice carried farther than he intended.
Several families turned.
A teacher near the aisle started walking toward them.
“Everything okay over here?””
Vanessa immediately changed her expression.
“Yes,” she said.
“Everything's fine.””
Ethan almost laughed.
“Fine?””
The teacher looked at Sarah.
“Ma'am?””
Sarah swallowed.
“I don't know.””
Vanessa stepped between them.
“It's a family matter.””
The teacher nodded uncertainly and walked away.
Ethan stared at the phone again.
The attachment was still open.
The result was hidden beneath a password field.
He tapped the screen.
*ENTER PASSWORD.*
“Password?”” he said.
Vanessa's shoulders dropped.
“Ethan, listen to me.””
“No. You listen to me.””
He held the phone up.
“You hid my mother's name under your shoe. You got a paternity test without telling me. Someone told you to keep my mother away from me. And now this report has a password.””
Sarah reached for his arm.
“Please.””
He turned toward her.
“Mom, did you ever take a DNA test with me?””
Sarah's lips parted.
“No.””
“Did anybody ever ask you?””
She hesitated.
Then she whispered,
“Once.””
Ethan's expression changed.
“When?””
Sarah looked toward the stage.
“Years ago.””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
Ethan saw it.
“You knew.””
Vanessa opened her eyes again.
“I knew there was a question.””
“What question?””
She didn't answer.
“What question?”” Ethan repeated.
Sarah suddenly said, “Ethan, your father is dead.””
The words landed strangely.
Ethan stared at her.
“I know.””
“He died before you were born.””
“I know that too.””
Sarah's voice cracked.
“And that's all you need to know.””
Vanessa looked at Sarah with disbelief.
“You're still lying to him?””
Sarah flinched.
Ethan slowly turned.
“Lying?””
Vanessa's face went pale.
She had said too much.
Sarah whispered, “Vanessa.””
But Ethan was already stepping toward her.
“What did you mean?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“Nothing.””
“You just said my mother was lying.””
“I was angry.””
“About what?””
Vanessa looked at the auditorium doors.
Then at the phone.
Then back at Ethan.
“Your mother isn't the only person who knows what happened.””
“Who else?””
She hesitated.
“Your father.””
Ethan's face went still.
“My father is dead.””
“I know.””
“Then what do you mean?””
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears she seemed furious to have.
“I mean…”
She stopped.
The principal appeared onstage.
“Before we begin, I'd like to remind all graduates that today's ceremony is being recorded.””
Ethan barely heard him.
His entire world had narrowed to Vanessa.
“Finish the sentence,” he said.
Vanessa looked at Sarah.
Sarah whispered,
“Don't.””
Vanessa swallowed.
Then she said,
“Your father may not be who you think he was.””
A sudden silence seemed to fall inside Ethan's head.
He looked down at the report.
The password field blinked.
*ENTER PASSWORD.*
Then his phone vibrated inside his gown pocket.
Unknown number.
One new message.
Ethan pulled it out.
May you like
The message contained only five words:
*Ask Sarah who Marcus is.*
