Chapter 9: The Baby
Nia stared at the photograph.
The room seemed to tilt.
“Who was the baby?””
Vanessa's lips trembled.
“Nia…”
“Answer me.””
Thomas looked at Vanessa.
“Don't.””
The police officer stepped closer.
“Ma'am, you need to come with us.””
Vanessa didn't move.
Nia held up the photograph.
“Who was that baby?””
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
“You.””
Nia shook her head.
“No.””
“Yes.””
“You said I was born at Mercy General.””
“You were.””
“You said my aunt died that night.””
“She disappeared.””
“You said my father died.””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“I lied.””
Nia's voice broke.
“How many lies are left?””
No one answered.
The officer looked at Thomas.
“Sir, we need you to step outside.””
Thomas ignored him.
“Nia, listen to me.””
She turned.
“Don't call me that like you know me.””
“I do know you.””
“You knew me while you were stealing from me.””
Thomas looked wounded.
“I never stole your money.””
“Then where did it go?””
He looked away.
Nia understood.
“Where did it go?””
Thomas finally said, “A trust account.””
“Whose name?””
Silence.
“Whose name?””
“Vanessa's.””
Nia looked at her stepmother.
Vanessa nodded through tears.
“Yes.””
Nia's face went numb.
“You had my inheritance?””
“I never touched it.””
“Then why was it in your name?””
“Because Thomas told me it was temporary.””
Thomas snapped, “Because your aunt was looking for you!””
Vanessa looked at him.
“You told me she was dead.””
“I thought she was.””
“No.””
Thomas went quiet.
Vanessa stepped forward.
“You knew.””
Thomas's face hardened.
“You don't know what you're saying.””
“You knew she survived.””
“I suspected.””
“And you kept the money anyway.””
Thomas looked at Nia.
“I was trying to keep you hidden.””
Nia shook her head.
“From my aunt?””
“No.””
“Then from who?””
Thomas hesitated.
The police officer interrupted.
“Sir, you're coming with us.””
Thomas looked at Nia.
“The person you should fear isn't me.””
David stepped forward.
“Don't do this.””
Thomas ignored him.
“He has been watching you for eighteen years.””
Nia stared.
“Who?””
Thomas's eyes moved toward the auditorium.
“Your grandfather's lawyer.””
Angela frowned.
“He died.””
Thomas shook his head.
“No.””
Nia's stomach tightened.
“What?””
“He didn't die.””
The police officer grabbed Thomas's arm.
Thomas resisted.
“Ask Vanessa about the basement.””
The officers began leading him away.
Nia looked at Vanessa.
“What is in the basement?””
Vanessa whispered, “I don't know.””
“You do.””
“I haven't been down there in years.””
“You just admitted there is something there.””
Vanessa's face collapsed.
“I was scared.””
Angela stepped beside Nia.
“Then let's go.””
The officers moved Thomas into the hallway.
David stayed behind.
“I'm coming with you.””
Nia looked at him.
“You're not my father.””
David stopped.
Nia immediately regretted saying it.
His eyes filled.
“I know.””
He looked down.
“But I raised you.””
Nia swallowed.
“And I loved you.””
“I know.””
“I still do.””
David's voice broke.
“But you deserve the truth.””
They left the backstage room together.
The auditorium was only a few yards away.
The ceremony continued.
Families applauded.
Graduates smiled for photographs.
Nia walked past them without stopping.
She still wore only part of her gown.
The other half was draped over her arm.
Angela kept close.
Vanessa followed silently.
They reached the corridor leading toward the service stairs.
Vanessa stopped.
“I can't.””
Nia turned.
“You're coming.””
“I can't go down there.””
“Why?””
Vanessa stared at the floor.
“Because the last time I opened that door, I heard someone crying.””
Nia froze.
“Crying?””
Vanessa nodded.
“I thought it was a baby.””
David looked at her.
“That was eighteen years ago.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“No.””
She looked terrified.
“It happened three years ago.””
Angela's face went pale.
“What?””
Vanessa whispered, “I heard crying again.””
Nia slowly reached for the basement door.
David grabbed her arm.
“Wait.””
A sound came from the other side.
Three knocks.
Everyone froze.
Nia stared at the door.
Three more knocks.
Then a woman's voice whispered through the wood.
“Nia?””
Nia's eyes widened.
“Renee?””
The voice answered.
“Open the door.””
Vanessa stumbled backward.
“That isn't her.””
Nia looked at her.
“How do you know?””
Vanessa's face was white.
“Because Renee never called you Nia.””
The voice came again.
“Nia, please.””
Nia's hand hovered over the doorknob.
Angela whispered, “Don't.””
Then the voice behind the door changed.
It became deeper.
Colder.
A man's voice.
“Your mother should have told you who your father really was.””
Nia froze.
David stepped in front of her.
“Who are you?””
The man behind the door laughed softly.
Then he said:
“Ask Vanessa why she was paid to raise someone else's child.””
Nia turned toward Vanessa.
Vanessa began sobbing.
“I can explain.””
“No.””
Nia shook her head.
“You've had eighteen years.””
She turned the handle.
The door opened.
The basement was dark.
A single bare bulb swung from the ceiling.
At the far wall stood a tall wooden cabinet.
And beside it was a child's crib.
Nia stopped breathing.
On the crib's side was a faded nameplate.
She stepped closer.
Her fingers brushed the dust away.
Three letters appeared.
*AVA.*
Nia stared.
“I don't understand.””
Angela suddenly covered her mouth.
David looked at Vanessa.
“Who is Ava?””
Vanessa whispered, “Your sister.””
Nia turned slowly.
“My sister?””
Vanessa nodded.
“She was born the same night you were.””
Silence.
Nia looked back at the crib.
Then she saw something underneath it.
A sealed envelope.
Her name was written across the front.
Not *Nia*.
A different name.
A name she had never seen before.
She picked it up.
Vanessa screamed.
“Don't open that!””
Nia stared at the envelope.
“Why?””
Vanessa backed away.
“Because that's the name they gave you before they changed it.””
Nia's fingers tightened around the seal.
Angela whispered, “What name?””
Nia looked down.
Slowly, she read the handwriting.
And the name on the envelope was not Carter.
May you like
It was *Ava Carter*.
Before anyone could speak, the basement light went out.
