Chapter 8: The Truth Behind Noah's Birth
"Tell me she's lying.""
I stood in the middle of the medical office, holding the report with both hands.
Elena couldn't look at me.
Vanessa watched us from the doorway.
Her smile had returned.
"Go ahead, Marcus. Ask your wife.""
I turned toward Elena.
"Is Noah my biological son?""
She closed her eyes.
"Yes.""
"Then explain the report.""
Vanessa laughed.
"She can't.""
Elena suddenly stood.
"Stop manipulating him!""
Vanessa raised the tablet.
"Do you want to see the original records? The ones your father paid millions to hide?""
She tapped the screen.
A video appeared.
A hospital room.
Six years earlier.
Elena was lying in a bed, exhausted and crying.
A nurse approached her with a newborn baby.
Then another woman entered the room.
Margaret Cole.
The mother of the twins.
She carried a medical folder.
I watched Elena on the screen reach for the baby.
Then the video stopped.
Vanessa looked at me.
"Your wife wasn't the only woman who gave birth that night.""
I stared at her.
"What?""
"Three babies were born at the clinic. Your son was one of them.""
Elena stepped forward.
"Don't listen to her.""
Vanessa continued.
"Your father had arranged a private medical study involving families with a specific genetic marker. He believed the children could help him develop a treatment.""
"Why would my father involve three families?""
"Because he wanted to compare the results.""
I looked at the report.
"Whose child is Noah?""
Vanessa smiled.
"Yours and Elena's.""
I turned sharply.
"Then what is she talking about?""
"She hasn't told you the whole story.""
Elena's eyes filled with tears.
"Marcus, please.""
I took her hands.
"Tell me.""
She swallowed.
"When I gave birth, there was another woman in the room. Her baby had died during delivery.""
Vanessa interrupted.
"That's what the clinic told her.""
Elena continued.
"They asked me to sign some documents. They said there had been a complication and that Noah needed special care. I was exhausted. I couldn't understand everything.""
I squeezed her hands.
"What happened?""
"They took him.""
"Who?""
"Margaret.""
I turned toward the woman at the doorway.
Vanessa's smile disappeared.
Elena continued.
"Margaret's baby had died. She had suffered a terrible loss. Your father arranged for her to take Noah temporarily, supposedly until the clinic completed its testing.""
I stared at her.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because they told me he was dead.""
She began crying.
"I spent months believing I had failed our son. I blamed myself. I thought I hadn't been strong enough to protect him.""
Vanessa folded her arms.
"And Margaret believed she was raising her own child.""
I turned toward her.
"Then why did you take him from her?""
Vanessa's expression hardened.
"Because she became unstable. She started asking questions.""
Elena looked horrified.
"What did you do to her?""
Vanessa said nothing.
I stepped toward her.
"Where is Margaret?""
She glanced at the tablet.
"She's right here.""
The video changed.
It showed the woman in the hospital gown sitting on a bed.
Margaret.
Her face was thin and pale.
She looked directly into the camera.
Then she spoke.
"Please... find my son.""
The video ended.
I felt the room spin.
There were three adults whose lives had been destroyed by the same secret.
Me.
Elena.
Margaret.
And one little boy who had grown up believing he belonged to a woman who had stolen him from another family.
I looked at Vanessa.
"Where is Noah?""
"Room twelve.""
"Take us there.""
She laughed.
"You're not in a position to give orders.""
I stepped closer.
"You're surrounded by people who can testify to what you've done. We have your documents. Your recordings. Your medical files.""
Vanessa's eyes moved toward Daniel.
Then toward Peter.
"You think they're going to testify?""
Daniel stepped forward.
"I will.""
Vanessa stared at him.
"You pathetic coward.""
Daniel didn't move.
"I know.""
She raised her tablet.
"Then let's see how brave you are when I show everyone what you did.""
A recording began playing.
Daniel's voice filled the room.
"If Elena disappears, Marcus will eventually accept it. He's already emotionally dependent on Vanessa.""
My stomach dropped.
The recording continued.
"Once he marries her, she'll have access to everything. The house, the company, the archive.""
I turned toward Daniel.
He looked devastated.
"Marcus...""
I raised my hand.
"Don't.""
Vanessa smiled.
"Your best friend helped me arrange the entire thing.""
I stared at Daniel.
"How much?""
He shook his head.
"What?""
"How much money did you receive?""
"Marcus, I—"
"How much?""
Daniel looked down.
"Two million dollars.""
I felt a bitter laugh escape me.
"Two million.""
He nodded.
"And your wife? Your son? Were they worth two million too?""
Daniel began crying.
"I made a mistake.""
I stepped toward him.
"You made a choice.""
Vanessa suddenly pressed a button.
A loud alarm sounded.
Peter grabbed her wrist.
"Don't!""
She struck him with the tablet.
He fell against the door.
Vanessa ran into the corridor.
"Stop her!"" Daniel shouted.
I chased her.
She reached a steel door and entered a code.
I caught it just before it closed.
The door led into another section of the clinic.
A series of small rooms lined the hallway.
At the end was room twelve.
I rushed toward it.
The door was locked.
I slammed my shoulder against it.
"NOAH!""
A small voice answered.
"Daddy?""
My heart stopped.
I hit the door again.
"Buddy, it's me!""
The lock clicked.
The door opened a few inches.
A little boy stood behind it.
He had dark brown hair, blue eyes, and a small scar beneath his chin.
He was holding a stuffed rabbit.
I dropped to my knees.
"Hi, buddy.""
He stared at me.
"Are you really my daddy?""
Tears streamed down my face.
"Yes.""
He looked toward the corridor.
"Vanessa said my daddy didn't want me.""
I shook my head.
"She lied.""
"She said Mommy died.""
I reached out slowly.
"She lied about that too.""
Noah hesitated.
Then he took one small step toward me.
I held out my arms.
He looked at my face for a long moment.
Then he ran into me.
I wrapped him in my arms.
For six years, I had imagined holding my son.
I had imagined his first words, his first steps, his first day of school.
I had missed all of it.
And now he was trembling against my chest, asking whether I would leave him.
"I won't," I whispered.
"Promise?""
"I promise.""
Elena appeared behind me.
When Noah saw her, he froze.
She slowly knelt.
"Hello, my darling.""
Noah stared.
"Who are you?""
Elena began crying.
"I'm your mommy.""
He looked between us.
Then he reached for her.
Elena pulled him into her arms.
Ava ran forward.
"Noah! I'm your sister!""
The little boy looked confused.
"You're my sister?""
Ava nodded enthusiastically.
"I'm six. You're my brother.""
For the first time that night, Noah smiled.
But the moment lasted only seconds.
A gunshot echoed through the hallway.
Everyone dropped.
I covered Noah with my body.
Daniel rushed toward the corridor.
Then Vanessa's voice came over the speakers.
"Congratulations, Marcus. You've found your son.""
A pause.
"But there's one thing you still don't know.""
A screen at the end of the hallway illuminated.
It showed a photograph of Margaret Cole holding a newborn baby.
Beside her stood my father.
And behind them was a little girl.
Ava.
I stared at the image.
The date was six years earlier.
Three months before Ava was born.
Elena looked at the screen.
Her lips trembled.
"Marcus...""
I turned toward her.
"What?""
She whispered:
"Your father didn't just steal Noah.""
May you like
She pointed at Ava.
"He planned to take her too.""
