Chapter 10: The Man Who Never Left
“Adrian.””
The name came from the officer's radio again.
I stared at the device in Officer Bennett's hand.
“Why is Lily asking for Adrian?””
The officer looked uncomfortable.
“We don't know yet. She's refusing to speak to anyone else.””
Eleanor stepped forward.
“She's my daughter. Take me to her.””
Officer Bennett nodded.
“We'll arrange that.””
I grabbed my jacket.
“I'm coming too.””
Daniel touched my arm.
“Marcus, there's something you need to understand before we get there.””
I turned toward him.
“If you tell me to calm down, I'll throw you out of this building.””
He didn't flinch.
“Richard Hayes was found in a hospital storage room. He had been stabbed once. The police believe he was killed shortly before your mother arrived.””
I stared at him.
“Who killed him?””
“They haven't established that.””
“Then why did you say there's something I need to understand?””
Daniel lowered his voice.
“Because Richard called me six hours ago.””
My stomach tightened.
“What did he say?””
“He told me Adrian was going to make a move.””
“Against whom?””
“Everyone.””
I looked toward the hospital entrance.
“Then let's stop wasting time.””
We arrived at St. Catherine's fifteen minutes later.
The hospital corridor smelled of disinfectant and stale coffee. Nurses hurried between rooms, while two uniformed officers stood outside a private pediatric room.
My mother was sitting in a chair.
Alive.
Older than I remembered.
Her hair had turned almost completely silver, and her face looked thinner. But her eyes were unmistakable.
The moment she saw me, she stood.
“Marcus.””
I stopped in the doorway.
For ten years, I had imagined what I would say if I ever saw her again.
I had rehearsed the questions.
The anger.
The accusations.
But when she opened her arms, all I could remember was being seven years old and running toward her after falling off my bicycle.
“Mom?””
She began crying.
I didn't hug her immediately.
“Why?””
She lowered her arms.
“I know.””
“No, you don't. Why did you let me believe you were dead?””
Her eyes filled.
“Because your father threatened to destroy Sophie if I came back.””
“You could have called me.””
“I tried.””
“When?””
“Every birthday. Every Christmas. I wrote letters I never sent.””
I shook my head.
“That's not the same as being a mother.””
She looked down.
“No. It isn't.””
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then a small voice came from the bed.
“Are you Marcus?””
I turned.
A little girl sat beneath a white hospital blanket.
Dark hair.
Brown eyes.
A small stuffed rabbit held tightly against her chest.
Lily.
Eleanor rushed toward her.
“Baby.””
The little girl shrank back.
Eleanor stopped immediately.
“I'm sorry,” she whispered.
“I won't touch you unless you want me to.””
Lily looked between us.
“Are you my mother?””
Eleanor covered her mouth.
“Yes, sweetheart.””
Lily studied her face.
“Why didn't you come before?””
Eleanor began crying.
“I thought you were gone.””
“But Grandma said you knew.””
My mother looked away.
I turned toward her.
“What did you tell this child?””
“Marcus, please—”
Lily interrupted.
“Grandma said my daddy was a bad man.””
The room went silent.
Eleanor slowly sat beside the bed.
“Who did she say was your daddy?””
Lily looked toward my mother.
“Uncle Adrian.””
I felt my stomach tighten.
“Uncle Adrian?””
Lily nodded.
“He used to visit me.””
Eleanor went pale.
“How often?””
“Sometimes on Sundays.””
“Where?””
“At the house with the blue door.””
I remembered the photograph.
Rosewood Children's Home.
My mother had been raising Lily there.
But Lily wasn't finished.
“Uncle Adrian said I wasn't supposed to tell anyone about our visits.””
My mother stood abruptly.
“That's enough.””
I turned toward her.
“No. Let her finish.””
Lily clutched her rabbit.
“He said he was going to take me away when I turned eight.””
Eleanor began shaking.
“Why?””
“He said I belonged to him.””
I looked at my mother.
“What's going on?””
She closed the hospital room door.
Then she turned toward me.
“Adrian isn't Lily's biological father.””
I frowned.
“We already know that.””
“No, Marcus. You don't understand.””
She reached into her handbag and removed an old photograph.
It showed Adrian standing outside a maternity ward.
Beside him was a woman wearing a hospital gown.
I recognized the woman immediately.
Eleanor.
But she looked much younger.
My mother pointed to the date.
“Seven years ago, Adrian was not visiting his sister.””
I looked at the photograph again.
“Then why was he there?””
My mother took a breath.
“Because he was working for Richard.””
I felt cold.
“What does that mean?””
“Richard arranged the entire pregnancy. He used your father's genetic material and Eleanor's eggs. But Adrian was responsible for collecting the baby after delivery.””
I looked at Eleanor.
“Did you know?””
She shook her head.
“I thought my daughter had died.””
My mother nodded.
“Richard told you that. But Adrian secretly took Lily to the facility where I was staying. He told me the child was evidence of your father's illegal arrangements.””
“Why would you agree to raise her?””
“Because I believed it was the only way to keep her alive.””
I looked at Lily.
She was watching us carefully.
Then she spoke.
“Uncle Adrian said Grandma was going to disappear.””
My mother closed her eyes.
A knock interrupted us.
Officer Bennett entered.
“Mr. Bennett, we need to speak with you outside.””
I followed him into the corridor.
He handed me a clear evidence bag.
Inside was a phone.
“Found in Richard's belongings,” he said.
“What's on it?””
“Several recordings. One was made this afternoon.””
He pressed play.
Richard's voice filled the corridor.
“Adrian, you cannot kill me. The trust agreement is worthless without Lily.””
A second voice answered.
Adrian.
“You made a mistake when you brought the boy into this.””
Richard laughed.
“You mean Oliver?””
“No. Marcus.””
There was a pause.
Then Adrian spoke again.
“He still believes he's the only son.””
I stopped breathing.
Richard answered quietly.
“Because he is.””
Adrian laughed.
“Not anymore.””
The recording ended.
I looked at Officer Bennett.
“What does that mean?””
He shook his head.
“We're still examining the phone.””
I turned toward the room.
Through the small glass window, I could see Eleanor holding Lily's hand.
My mother was standing beside them.
For the first time, they looked like a family.
Then my phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number.
*Oliver is alive. If you want him back, come to the place where your father buried his secrets.*
An address followed.
The old Bennett estate.
The house my father had abandoned before his death.
And underneath the address were six words.
*Bring the boy's birth certificate. Come alone.*
I looked at the hospital room.
Then at the recording.
Adrian knew something about my identity.
May you like
Something my father had hidden.
And whatever it was, he believed it was worth killing Richard Hayes for.
