Chapter 10: The Truth Behind the Door
The phone kept ringing.
*INCOMING VIDEO CALL: DAD*
Darius stared at the screen.
Marcus whispered, “Don't answer.””
Darius looked at him.
“You've been telling me that all night.””
“Because I know what happens if you do.””
“No.””
Darius tightened his grip around the phone.
“You know what happens if I don't.””
Simone stood frozen beside Nia.
“Darius,” she whispered, “whatever he tells you, don't believe everything.””
Darius looked at her.
“Everything?””
She swallowed.
“Just listen.””
He accepted the call.
The screen went black for two seconds.
Then a man's face appeared.
Older.
Thinner.
Gray around the temples.
But unmistakable.
Darius's knees nearly gave out.
“Dad?””
The man looked directly into the camera.
“Darius.””
Marcus backed away from the table.
“No.””
His father looked at him.
“Marcus.””
Marcus's eyes filled.
“You're dead.””
His father gave a tired smile.
“That's what I needed everyone to believe.””
Darius's voice shook.
“Where are you?””
“Not far.””
“Why did you disappear?””
“Because the people who wanted my children dead were closer than I realized.””
Darius looked at Nia.
“Children?””
His father nodded.
“All three.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“There were three of us?””
“Yes.””
Darius's heart pounded.
“Then who's the third?””
His father looked down.
When he raised his eyes again, there were tears in them.
“Her name was Maya.””
Simone closed her eyes.
Darius turned toward her.
“You knew.””
“I knew about Maya,” Simone whispered.
“I didn't know she was alive.””
His father continued.
“She was born six years ago.””
Darius shook his head.
“Why didn't I know?””
“Because you were never supposed to.””
“Why?””
“Because your mother wanted you separated.””
Marcus interrupted.
“Our mother?””
His father nodded.
“Lorraine wasn't your biological mother.””
Marcus stared.
“What?””
“She was the woman who raised you.””
Darius looked at Simone.
His father continued.
“Your biological mother was Simone's mother.””
Nobody moved.
Darius's face emptied.
“What?””
Simone began crying.
“My mother had you and Marcus before she died,” his father said.
“And six years ago, she had another child with me.””
Darius stared at the screen.
“Maya.””
“Yes.””
“Then why did everyone say Mom died?””
“She did.””
“But you said she wasn't our mother.””
“She wasn't the woman you believed she was.””
Darius looked at Marcus.
Marcus whispered, “That's why the records were sealed.””
His father nodded.
“Lorraine adopted you and Marcus. She wanted the family inheritance. When she discovered Maya existed, she tried to erase every record connected to her.””
Simone stepped forward.
“That's not the whole truth.””
Darius looked at her.
She wiped her cheeks.
“No. It isn't.””
His father's expression changed.
“Simone.””
“You promised.””
“I know.””
“You promised you'd tell him yourself.””
“I am.””
“No,” Simone said.
“You're still protecting yourself.””
Darius looked between them.
“Protecting himself from what?””
Simone took a breath.
“Your father wasn't the only man in that hospital.””
Darius's eyes narrowed.
“Who else was there?””
Simone looked toward Marcus.
“Marcus.””
Marcus closed his eyes.
“Tell him.””
Darius turned.
“Tell me.””
Marcus's voice broke.
“I was the one who switched the records.””
Darius stared.
“You?””
“I was twenty-four. I thought I was protecting the family.””
“You helped hide Maya.””
“I thought she was dead.””
“You told me she was dead.””
“I believed it.””
Darius stepped closer.
“Then why did you know where she was?””
Marcus looked at the photograph.
“Because I found her.””
“When?””
“Six months ago.””
Simone gasped.
“You found her?””
Marcus nodded.
“She was living with a foster family under another name.””
Darius's face tightened.
“Where is she now?””
Marcus looked at his father on the phone.
His father answered.
“She is safe.””
“Where?””
A pause.
“Outside.””
Darius turned toward the windows.
His father said, “She's been watching this entire celebration.””
Darius stared at the glass.
“The woman.””
“Yes.””
“Who is she?””
“Maya's guardian.””
Darius's eyes widened.
“The woman in the photograph.””
“Yes.””
Simone suddenly covered her face.
Darius looked at her.
“And the DNA test?””
His father's expression became serious.
“That was the part you needed to know.””
Darius waited.
“Your wife was never testing whether the baby was yours.””
He looked at Simone.
She nodded through tears.
“What was she testing?””
His father said,
“Whether you were related to your own children.””
Darius's face went blank.
Simone stepped toward him.
“I didn't understand the question at first.””
His father continued.
“Lorraine changed more than adoption records. She changed biological records. She wanted everyone to believe you and Marcus were unrelated to the third branch of the family.””
Darius looked at Nia.
“So Nia…”
“Is your daughter,” Simone said.
Darius stared at her.
“Completely?””
“Yes.””
He exhaled.
“And Maya?””
Simone nodded.
“Her twin.””
Darius closed his eyes.
All the fear.
All the lies.
All the missing years.
Suddenly, one question remained.
“Why did you make Nia hide the phone?””
Simone's face crumpled.
“I didn't.””
Darius frowned.
“What?””
Simone looked at Nia.
“I never gave her that phone.””
Darius slowly turned toward his daughter.
Nia was staring at the dining table.
Darius knelt.
“Nia.””
She looked at him.
“Who gave you the phone?””
She pointed toward the window.
“Maya.””
Darius's heart stopped.
“When?””
“Before the party.””
“How did she get inside?””
Nia shrugged.
“She said Grandpa told her to.””
Darius looked at the video call.
His father's face had disappeared.
The screen now showed only a message:
*TURN AROUND.*
Darius turned.
The mansion doors opened.
A woman stood outside.
She was Black, perhaps in her forties, with tearful eyes and one hand resting protectively on the shoulder of a little girl.
Curly hair.
Pink bow.
Same eyes.
Same smile.
Same face.
Maya.
Nia gasped.
“Maya!””
The little girl smiled.
“Hi.””
Simone began sobbing.
Darius couldn't move.
Maya looked directly at him.
“Are you my daddy?””
Darius's eyes filled instantly.
He stepped toward the door.
“Yes.””
His voice broke.
“Yes, baby.””
Maya ran inside.
Darius dropped to his knees.
She threw her arms around him.
He held her as if letting go would make her disappear again.
Nia rushed over.
The sisters stared at each other.
Then Nia smiled.
“You look like me.””
Maya giggled.
“You look like me.””
Simone knelt beside them, crying.
Marcus stood several feet away, unable to speak.
Darius looked over Maya's shoulder at him.
“You should have told me.””
Marcus nodded.
“I know.””
Darius looked toward the phone.
His father's face returned.
Darius lifted it.
“Dad.””
“Yes?””
“You could have come home.””
His father smiled sadly.
“I couldn't.””
“Why?””
“Because someone still needed to make sure you were safe.””
Darius looked around the bright dining room.
The flowers.
The untouched champagne.
The family gathered around the table.
For the first time that day, the celebration felt real.
Darius looked at Simone.
She reached for his hand.
He took it.
“You should have trusted me.””
“I know.””
“You don't get to hide something like this from me again.””
“I won't.””
Maya looked up.
“Daddy?””
Darius smiled through his tears.
“Yeah?””
“Can we have cake?””
A laugh escaped him.
The first genuine laugh of the night.
“Yes.””
Nia grabbed Maya's hand.
“I saved you a piece.””
Maya smiled.
Behind them, Marcus quietly wiped his eyes.
Darius looked once more at the phone.
His father was still there.
Still alive.
Still watching.
And just before the call ended, he said something that made Darius's smile disappear.
“Son?””
“Yeah?””
“There is one more secret.””
Darius waited.
His father's expression turned serious.
“But this one isn't about our family.””
The call disconnected.
Darius stared at the blank screen.
May you like
Then Maya slipped her hand into his.
And for the first time in six years, he knew exactly where his daughter was.
