Chapter 4: The Second Child Vanessa Hid
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Dad stood in the middle of the living room, his phone still pressed against his ear.
Rebecca was crying on the other end.
Caleb had both hands covering his mouth.
And Vanessa sat in the armchair, staring at the floor as though she had finally run out of places to hide.
Dad slowly lowered the phone.
“What did you just say?””
Vanessa swallowed.
“I didn't mean it the way it sounded.””
Dad laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
“You arranged for one of my children to disappear. Now you're telling me there was another?””
“Maya,” Vanessa said suddenly, “please go upstairs.””
I didn't move.
“No.””
“This is an adult conversation.””
“Then stop making decisions that affect children behind their backs.””
Her face tightened.
Dad pointed toward the sofa.
“Sit down, Vanessa.””
“I am your wife.””
“And I'm asking you to sit down.””
For the first time since I had known her, Vanessa looked genuinely afraid of him.
She lowered herself into the chair.
Dad put Rebecca on speakerphone.
“Rebecca, tell me what you know about the second child.””
Rebecca sniffed.
“Marcus, I don't know everything. I only know what Vanessa told me years ago.””
“What exactly did she tell you?””
“That Noah wasn't the only baby she had been involved with.””
Dad looked at Vanessa.
“Go on.””
Rebecca continued.
“After Noah was placed with her sister, Vanessa contacted me again. She said there was another child who needed help. A little girl.””
My stomach tightened.
“A little girl?”” I repeated.
Rebecca heard me.
“Yes, Maya.””
Dad rubbed his forehead.
“Whose child?””
“I don't know. Vanessa never gave me the full story. She said the girl's mother had died, and the father wasn't capable of raising her.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“That's not what happened.””
Dad turned toward her.
“Then what happened?””
Vanessa's lips trembled.
“I was trying to help families who had nowhere else to turn.””
“By making children disappear?””
“I never kidnapped anyone!””
“Then explain the paperwork!””
Vanessa stood and walked toward the fireplace.
She picked up a framed photograph of our family.
It was taken three years earlier at Christmas.
Dad stood behind me with one hand on my shoulder.
Caleb stood beside Vanessa.
Everyone was smiling.
I remembered that day.
I remembered Vanessa insisting we take twenty pictures because she wanted one where everyone looked happy.
Now the photograph seemed like a cruel joke.
Vanessa placed it face down.
“The little girl was already in foster care,” she said.
“Her mother had died. Her father had been declared unfit.””
Dad crossed his arms.
“And?””
“And I helped arrange a private placement.””
“Where?””
Vanessa looked at me.
“Somewhere safe.””
“That's not an answer.””
She took a shaky breath.
“An adoption agency in another state.””
Dad stared at her.
“Did you know the family?””
“Yes.””
“Who were they?””
She hesitated.
Then she whispered a name.
“Daniel and Patricia Cole.””
I looked at Caleb.
He shook his head slightly.
He had never heard those names.
Dad, however, looked confused for another reason.
“Patricia Cole?””
Vanessa nodded.
“You remember her?””
“No.””
“She used to work with your mother.””
Dad's face changed.
“My mother?””
“Before she retired.””
Dad slowly sat down.
“My mother died twelve years ago.””
“I know.””
“What does she have to do with this?””
Vanessa looked away.
“She knew about the arrangement.””
Dad stared at her.
“You're telling me my mother knew about a child being placed with strangers?””
Vanessa nodded.
“And she approved it.””
Dad stood again.
“Who was the child?””
Vanessa's voice became almost inaudible.
“Her name was Lily.””
I felt a strange chill.
“Lily who?””
“Lily Reed.””
Dad looked at me.
Then at Vanessa.
“Why would my mother have anything to do with a child named Reed?””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“Because Lily was your niece.””
The room seemed to tilt.
Dad grabbed the back of a chair.
“My niece?””
“Your brother Daniel's daughter.””
Dad stared at her.
“My brother Daniel died before I met you.””
“I know.””
“He had no children.””
Vanessa's eyes filled.
“That is what everyone believed.””
Dad looked as if someone had struck him.
“Daniel had a daughter?””
Vanessa nodded.
“And you knew?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
She wiped her face.
“Because I helped your mother find a family for her.””
Dad's voice cracked.
“You helped my mother give away my brother's child?””
“She was very young. Your brother was gone. Her mother had disappeared. Your mother thought it was the only way.””
Dad turned away.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he looked at me.
“Maya, call your aunt.””
I frowned.
“Which aunt?””
“Your mother's sister. Aunt Laura.””
I took out my phone.
I had not spoken to Laura in months.
She had always been kind to me, but after Mom died, Vanessa gradually made it difficult for us to visit each other.
The call connected after three rings.
“Maya, sweetheart?””
“Hi, Aunt Laura. I need to ask you something.””
“Is everything okay?””
I looked at Dad.
“Did my dad have a brother named Daniel?””
Silence.
Then Laura whispered:
“Who told you that?””
Dad stepped closer.
“Laura, it's Marcus.””
“Oh, Marcus.””
Her voice changed immediately.
“What's happened?””
“I need you to tell me whether Daniel had a daughter.””
Another long silence.
Then Laura said:
“Yes.””
Dad closed his eyes.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Your mother begged me not to.””
“Where is she?””
“I don't know.””
Vanessa suddenly spoke.
“Laura, don't.””
Dad turned toward her.
“You know Laura?””
Vanessa looked horrified.
Laura heard her voice.
“Vanessa?””
“Please,” Vanessa whispered.
Laura's voice hardened.
“Marcus, don't let that woman near the documents.””
Dad looked down at the papers.
“What documents?””
“The adoption papers. There was something wrong with them.””
Vanessa stood.
“Laura, you don't understand!””
“I understand perfectly,” Laura snapped.
“You told us Lily was being placed with a loving family. You never told us you changed her records.””
Dad froze.
“What records?””
Laura took a shaky breath.
“The girl's birth certificate was altered. Her father's name was removed.””
Dad stared at Vanessa.
“Why?””
Laura answered before she could.
“Because Daniel had left something behind for his daughter.””
Dad's expression changed.
“What?””
“A trust fund.””
Vanessa's eyes widened.
Laura continued.
“Your mother set it up before she died. Lily was supposed to receive the money when she turned eighteen.””
Dad looked at the photograph of the family on the fireplace.
“Where is that money now?””
Laura hesitated.
Then she said:
“That's what I've been trying to find out.””
The call ended a moment later.
Dad stood motionless.
Then he looked at Vanessa.
“You've been hiding children, changing records, and interfering with inheritances?””
Vanessa began crying again.
“I didn't steal anything.””
“Then where is Lily?””
“I don't know.””
Dad looked toward Caleb.
“Do you?””
Caleb shook his head.
But his expression suggested otherwise.
I noticed him glancing at his phone.
“Caleb?””
He shoved it into his pocket.
“What?””
“What's on your phone?””
“Nothing.””
“Then show me.””
He stepped backward.
Dad's voice dropped.
“Caleb. Phone. Now.””
Caleb reluctantly handed it over.
Dad unlocked the screen.
There was a message from an unknown number.
It had arrived less than a minute earlier.
*I heard your father knows about Noah. Tell him to stop digging. If he finds Lily, all three of us are finished.*
Dad looked up.
“Who sent this?””
Caleb's face drained of color.
“I don't know.””
Then another message appeared.
*Ask Vanessa what happened to Daniel's daughter after the adoption.*
Dad slowly turned toward his wife.
“Vanessa, where is Lily?””
She stared at the screen.
And for the first time, she didn't try to deny anything.
May you like
She whispered:
“She might be closer than you think.””
