Chapter 13: The Son Who## Chapter 13: The Son Who Was Never His
Was Never His
The three gunshots came from outside the library.
The three gunshots came from outside the library.
Adrian spun toward the doorway.
For one terribleAdrian spun toward the doorway.
For one terrible second, nobody moved.
Then the glass in the hallway shattered.
“DOWN!”” my second, nobody moved.
Then the glass in the hallway shattered.
“DOWN!”” my mother screamed.
I threw myself over Oliver's crib as Sophie dropped behind the desk. Adrian stumbled backward, knocking mother screamed.
I threw myself over Oliver's crib as Sophie dropped behind the desk. Adrian stumbled backward, knocking over a chair. His gun went off, sending a bullet into the ceiling.
“ over a chair. His gun went off, sending a bullet into the ceiling.
“Police!”” someone shouted from outside.
“Drop your weapon!””
Adrian looked atPolice!”” someone shouted from outside.
“Drop your weapon!””
Adrian looked at my mother.
“You knew?””
She stood frozen in the doorway, my mother.
“You knew?””
She stood frozen in the doorway, clutching the old photograph.
“You knew all these years?””
My mother shook her head.
“I suspected clutching the old photograph.
“You knew all these years?””
My mother shook her head.
“I suspected. I didn't have proof until recently.””
Adrian laughed,. I didn't have proof until recently.””
Adrian laughed, but there was no humor in it.
“You let me believe he was my father.””
“He but there was no humor in it.
“You let me believe he was my father.””
“He was the man who raised you for a time,” she replied.
“But was the man who raised you for a time,” she replied.
“But he wasn't your biological father.””
Adrian pointed his weapon toward her.
“You're lying.””
“Put it he wasn't your biological father.””
Adrian pointed his weapon toward her.
“You're lying.””
“Put it down, Adrian.””
“WHO WAS MY FATHER?””
My mother closed her eyes.
“Richard down, Adrian.””
“WHO WAS MY FATHER?””
My mother closed her eyes.
“Richard Hayes.””
The silence that followed was almost unbearable.
Adrian stared at her.
Then he slowly lowered the gun.
“Richard Hayes.””
The silence that followed was almost unbearable.
Adrian stared at her.
Then he slowly lowered the gun.
“Richard?””
My mother nodded.
“Your mother was Richard's wife before she became involved?””
My mother nodded.
“Your mother was Richard's wife before she became involved with your father. When she died, Richard arranged for your father to raise you because he wanted to with your father. When she died, Richard arranged for your father to raise you because he wanted to keep his business connections hidden.””
Adrian shook his head.
“No.””
“Your keep his business connections hidden.””
Adrian shook his head.
“No.””
“Your father believed he was protecting a child. He didn't know the truth until years later.””
Adrian looked at father believed he was protecting a child. He didn't know the truth until years later.””
Adrian looked at the photograph.
The woman standing beside my mother was smiling.
He touched her face with one finger.
the photograph.
The woman standing beside my mother was smiling.
He touched her face with one finger.
“What's her name?””
“Margaret.””
“Where is she?””
My mother hesitated.
“She“What's her name?””
“Margaret.””
“Where is she?””
My mother hesitated.
“She died when you were very young.””
Adrian's expression collapsed.
For the first time, I died when you were very young.””
Adrian's expression collapsed.
For the first time, I saw something other than arrogance in his face.
A frightened child.
A man who had spent his saw something other than arrogance in his face.
A frightened child.
A man who had spent his entire life believing he had been rejected by one father, only to discover that the truth was more complicated.
But entire life believing he had been rejected by one father, only to discover that the truth was more complicated.
But none of that changed what he had done.
He had threatened Sophie.
He had stolen Oliver none of that changed what he had done.
He had threatened Sophie.
He had stolen Oliver.
He had terrorized Eleanor and Lily.
And he had pointed a gun at his own family.
“Adrian.
He had terrorized Eleanor and Lily.
And he had pointed a gun at his own family.
“Adrian,” I said quietly.
He looked at me.
“Put the gun down.””
He glanced,” I said quietly.
He looked at me.
“Put the gun down.””
He glanced toward the crib.
“Do you know what it's like, Marcus? toward the crib.
“Do you know what it's like, Marcus? Watching someone else receive everything you were denied?””
I stared at him.
“I didn't know Watching someone else receive everything you were denied?””
I stared at him.
“I didn't know you were hurting.””
“You never asked.””
“You never gave me a chance.””
He laughed bitterly.
“You had the house. The money you were hurting.””
“You never asked.””
“You never gave me a chance.””
He laughed bitterly.
“You had the house. The money. Father's approval. The inheritance.””
“I didn't even know you existed until tonight.””
“. Father's approval. The inheritance.””
“I didn't even know you existed until tonight.””
“Exactly!””
His voice cracked.
“You got everything without even knowing what you had.””
Exactly!””
His voice cracked.
“You got everything without even knowing what you had.””
My mother stepped forward.
“Adrian, your mother loved you.””
He shook his head.
“Don't.””
My mother stepped forward.
“Adrian, your mother loved you.””
He shook his head.
“Don't.””
“She wanted you to have a normal life.””
“Don't tell me what she wanted!””
He raised the gun again.
Before“She wanted you to have a normal life.””
“Don't tell me what she wanted!””
He raised the gun again.
Before he could point it toward anyone, two officers rushed into the library.
“DROP he could point it toward anyone, two officers rushed into the library.
“DROP IT!””
Adrian froze.
One officer grabbed his wrist while the other forced him IT!””
Adrian froze.
One officer grabbed his wrist while the other forced him against the desk.
The gun fell to the floor.
Sophie rushed toward Oliver.
I against the desk.
The gun fell to the floor.
Sophie rushed toward Oliver.
I checked his breathing.
He was crying, but otherwise unharmed.
I held him against my chest.
“It's checked his breathing.
He was crying, but otherwise unharmed.
I held him against my chest.
“It's okay, little man. Daddy's here.””
Adrian watched me.
Then okay, little man. Daddy's here.””
Adrian watched me.
Then he began laughing.
“You think you've won?””
Officer Bennett entered the room.
“Mr he began laughing.
“You think you've won?””
Officer Bennett entered the room.
“Mr. Cole, you're under arrest.””
Adrian looked at him.
“Ask Marcus to check. Cole, you're under arrest.””
Adrian looked at him.
“Ask Marcus to check the envelope.””
My stomach tightened.
“What envelope?””
Adrian smiled.
“The the envelope.””
My stomach tightened.
“What envelope?””
Adrian smiled.
“The one your father left in the safe.””
I looked toward the one your father left in the safe.””
I looked toward the open safe.
The letter was still there.
But beneath the open safe.
The letter was still there.
But beneath the birth certificates, I noticed another envelope I hadn't seen before.
It was addressed to:
birth certificates, I noticed another envelope I hadn't seen before.
It was addressed to:
*THE PERSON WHO DISCOVERS THE TRUTH ABOUT ADRIAN.*
I picked it up.
*THE PERSON WHO DISCOVERS THE TRUTH ABOUT ADRIAN.*
I picked it up.
Adrian stopped smiling.
“Don't open that.””
I stared at him.
“Adrian stopped smiling.
“Don't open that.””
I stared at him.
“Why?””
“Because it doesn't change anything.””
I opened it.
Inside wasWhy?””
“Because it doesn't change anything.””
I opened it.
Inside was a laboratory report.
A DNA analysis.
The first page listed my father's name.
The second listed Richard Hayes.
The a laboratory report.
A DNA analysis.
The first page listed my father's name.
The second listed Richard Hayes.
The third listed Adrian Cole.
My eyes moved to the final result.
*PATERNITY PROBABILITY: 99.99%.*
Richard third listed Adrian Cole.
My eyes moved to the final result.
*PATERNITY PROBABILITY: 99.99%.*
Richard was Adrian's biological father.
I looked up.
Adrian was watching me.
But there was Adrian's biological father.
I looked up.
Adrian was watching me.
But there was something else in the envelope.
A second report.
This one concerned Richard and the three children.
The results was something else in the envelope.
A second report.
This one concerned Richard and the three children.
The results confirmed that Oliver was biologically connected to me.
Olivia was biologically connected to Adrian confirmed that Oliver was biologically connected to me.
Olivia was biologically connected to Adrian.
And Lily was biologically connected to my father and Eleanor.
But the final page contained a handwritten note.
And Lily was biologically connected to my father and Eleanor.
But the final page contained a handwritten note.
There is one more child.
I frowned.
“What?””
Sophie came.
There is one more child.
I frowned.
“What?””
Sophie came closer.
“What is it?””
I showed her the page.
She read it.
Then she looked at my closer.
“What is it?””
I showed her the page.
She read it.
Then she looked at my mother.
“Mom?””
My mother began crying.
I turned toward her.
“What does this mean?””
She sat mother.
“Mom?””
My mother began crying.
I turned toward her.
“What does this mean?””
She sat down slowly.
“Your father and I had another child.””
I stared.
“You down slowly.
“Your father and I had another child.””
I stared.
“You mean Sophie?””
“No.””
My mother's voice broke.
“Before mean Sophie?””
“No.””
My mother's voice broke.
“Before you were born.””
I felt my stomach tighten.
“Where is you were born.””
I felt my stomach tighten.
“Where is that child?””
She looked toward the photograph of Margaret.
“Your father had a daughter with another woman. But when Margaret died, he believed the that child?””
She looked toward the photograph of Margaret.
“Your father had a daughter with another woman. But when Margaret died, he believed the baby had died too.””
I looked at the report.
“Who is she?””
My mother didn't answer baby had died too.””
I looked at the report.
“Who is she?””
My mother didn't answer.
Instead, she pointed toward the photograph.
The woman beside her was.
Instead, she pointed toward the photograph.
The woman beside her was holding a little girl.
A girl with the same distinctive birthmark beneath her left eye.
I looked at the report again.
holding a little girl.
A girl with the same distinctive birthmark beneath her left eye.
I looked at the report again.
Then I looked at the little girl in the photograph.
The name was written at the bottom.
*HELEN MORROW.*
TheThen I looked at the little girl in the photograph.
The name was written at the bottom.
*HELEN MORROW.*
The doctor.
The woman who had delivered the twins.
The woman my father had identified as the person who knew everything.
I slowly turned toward Sophie.
“Dr doctor.
The woman who had delivered the twins.
The woman my father had identified as the person who knew everything.
I slowly turned toward Sophie.
“Dr. Morrow is our sister?””
My mother nodded.
“She was the baby everyone believed had died.””
Across. Morrow is our sister?””
My mother nodded.
“She was the baby everyone believed had died.””
Across the room, Adrian stopped struggling.
He looked at my mother.
Then he whispered something that made every officer turn toward him.
“That's impossible.””
My mother looked at him.
Ad the room, Adrian stopped struggling.
He looked at my mother.
Then he whispered something that made every officer turn toward him.
“That's impossible.””
My mother looked at him.
Adrian's face had gone white.
“Because Helen isn't the only person Richardrian's face had gone white.
“Because Helen isn't the only person Richard hid.””
He looked directly at me.
“There's another child.””
And then hid.””
He looked directly at me.
“There's another child.””
May you like
And then he revealed the name.
*Nia.*
