Chapter 8: The Woman in the Photograph
The photograph was old.
The corners were curled.
The colors had faded into soft shades of gray and brown.
But the two women were clear.
Mom stood on the left.
Beside her was a woman with dark hair and a familiar smile.
I stared at the picture.
“Who is she?””
Evelyn sat down.
“That is Rebecca Miller.””
Tasha frowned.
“I don't know her.””
“You were never supposed to.””
I looked at Evelyn.
“Why?””
She hesitated.
“Because Rebecca is the reason your mother created the second account.””
Tasha's eyes narrowed.
“What does she have to do with Dad?””
“Nothing.””
Evelyn paused.
“At least, not directly.””
She placed another photograph on the table.
This one showed Rebecca holding a baby.
I stared at the child.
Something about the picture made my stomach twist.
Tasha noticed it too.
“Who is the baby?””
Evelyn looked at us.
“That's where this becomes difficult.””
She handed me the photograph.
On the back, Mom had written:
*Rebecca's daughter. Born April 17.*
I looked at Tasha.
“That date…”
Tasha's eyes widened.
“My birthday.””
I looked back at the photograph.
April 17.
My seventeenth birthday.
I couldn't breathe.
“No.””
Evelyn nodded.
“Yes.””
Tasha stared at me.
“You're Rebecca's daughter.””
The room seemed to tilt.
“What?””
Evelyn spoke carefully.
“Your mother adopted you.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
“Maya—”
“No.””
I pushed the photograph away.
“My mother was Nia Johnson.””
“She was your legal mother.””
“That's not what you said.””
Evelyn remained calm.
“Your biological mother was Rebecca Miller.””
Tasha looked at me.
Her eyes were full of shock.
“Did Mom know?””
“Yes.””
“Did Dad?””
Evelyn paused.
“He knew.””
I stared at the photograph again.
A baby.
A woman I had never met.
A secret hidden for seventeen years.
My entire life suddenly felt like a story someone else had written.
“Why?”” I whispered.
Evelyn folded her hands.
“Rebecca was your mother's closest friend.””
“What happened to her?””
“She died shortly after you were born.””
My throat tightened.
“How?””
“Complications from an illness.””
I looked at the photograph.
“So Mom adopted me.””
“Yes.””
“Then why didn't she tell me?””
“Because she and Rebecca made an agreement.””
Tasha leaned forward.
“What agreement?””
Evelyn opened another file.
“Rebecca had inherited money from her parents. She wanted it protected for you.””
I looked up.
“What money?””
“$180,000.””
The second account.
My heart pounded.
“So that money was mine?””
“Yes.””
Tasha stared at me.
“Then why was it hidden?””
“Because your mother believed Marcus would eventually discover it.””
I looked toward the door.
“Did he know Rebecca?””
“Yes.””
“How?””
Evelyn took a breath.
“Rebecca and Marcus were engaged before your mother married him.””
Silence.
Tasha's mouth fell open.
“What?””
I couldn't speak.
Evelyn continued.
“Rebecca became pregnant. Marcus initially agreed to marry her.””
I stared at the photograph.
Then I understood.
“Me.””
Evelyn nodded.
“You were the baby.””
Tasha stood abruptly.
“So Marcus knew Maya was his?””
Evelyn shook her head.
“No.””
“Then whose child is she?””
Evelyn looked at me.
“Rebecca never identified the father in writing.””
My heart sank.
“But Marcus thought he was.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because he believed Rebecca had been faithful to him.””
Tasha looked confused.
“Then why did Mom adopt Maya?””
Evelyn looked down.
“Because Marcus left Rebecca.””
I closed my eyes.
The pieces were becoming impossible to hold together.
Rebecca was Mom's friend.
Marcus had been engaged to Rebecca.
Rebecca had a baby.
Marcus left.
Mom adopted the baby.
Then Mom married Marcus.
And he had no idea the baby he'd abandoned was living in his own house.
Tasha whispered, “This is insane.””
Evelyn nodded.
“Your mother believed Marcus's resentment toward Maya had nothing to do with her personality.””
I opened my eyes.
“What did it have to do with?””
“Rebecca.””
I stared at her.
“Marcus never forgave your mother for taking Rebecca's place.””
Tasha's face hardened.
“So he punished Maya.””
“Yes.””
I thought about every birthday.
Every new phone.
Every expensive gift.
Every time Marcus told me I deserved something.
It suddenly looked different.
Maybe he wasn't loving me.
Maybe he was using me.
Evelyn opened another folder.
“There is more.””
I almost laughed.
“Of course there is.””
She pulled out a legal document.
“This is a DNA test.””
My hands went cold.
“Whose?””
“Marcus and Maya.””
Tasha stared at me.
“Why would they have one?””
Evelyn looked at the date.
“It was conducted two years ago.””
I shook my head.
“I never took a DNA test.””
“Not knowingly.””
My stomach dropped.
“Then how?””
Evelyn looked at Tasha.
“Your father obtained a sample.””
Tasha whispered, “Why?””
Evelyn's expression became serious.
“He wanted to know whether Maya was biologically his.””
I stared at the document.
“What's the result?””
Evelyn hesitated.
Then she pushed it toward me.
I looked down.
The report was clear.
*Probability of paternity: 99.99%.*
I couldn't move.
Tasha covered her mouth.
Evelyn whispered:
“Marcus is your biological father.””
The room disappeared.
I stared at the paper.
My entire life.
My mother.
My father.
The trust.
The money.
The car.
Everything suddenly connected.
Marcus hadn't just stolen from Tasha.
He had stolen from me too.
And he had known exactly who I was.
Tasha whispered, “Then why did he treat Maya better?””
Evelyn looked at us.
“Because he didn't know you were his daughter until two years ago.””
I looked up.
“Two years?””
“Yes.””
“What happened two years ago?””
Evelyn pulled out another document.
“The DNA test.””
I stared at the date.
Then something clicked.
Two years ago, Marcus had suddenly started buying me expensive gifts.
He'd told me he was proud of me.
He'd started calling me “his girl.””
I'd thought he'd finally become a better father.
But he hadn't.
He'd found out I was his biological daughter.
And he'd changed overnight.
I felt sick.
Tasha looked at me.
“Maya…”
I couldn't answer.
Evelyn continued.
“Your mother died six years ago. Marcus discovered the DNA information two years later.””
“But if he knew I was his daughter…”
“Then he also knew Rebecca's inheritance belonged to you.””
The second account.
The $180,000.
My money.
I whispered, “He was trying to get that too.””
“Yes.””
Tasha suddenly stood.
“Then why did he steal my trust?””
Evelyn's face became grim.
“Because he needed money immediately.””
“For what?””
Evelyn slid one final statement toward us.
It showed payments from Marcus's business.
Loan balances.
Overdue notices.
A foreclosure warning.
And at the bottom, a transfer to an account belonging to Johnson Consulting.
Tasha stared.
“He was going bankrupt.””
“Yes.””
I looked at the numbers.
“He wasn't spending our money because he wanted luxury.””
Evelyn shook her head.
“He was trying to cover his debts.””
Tasha's eyes filled with tears.
“Then why buy Maya a car?””
Evelyn looked directly at me.
“Because the dealership transaction was more than a car purchase.””
“What do you mean?””
“The vehicle was collateral.””
My blood ran cold.
“For a loan.””
Evelyn nodded.
“And the loan documents list you as the primary beneficiary.””
I stared at her.
“But I never signed them.””
“I know.””
She pulled out another page.
“That's why I believe your father intended to use your identity to secure a much larger loan.””
Tasha whispered, “How much?””
Evelyn looked at the document.
“Three hundred thousand dollars.””
I couldn't speak.
Then my phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
A text appeared.
*Maya, you need to leave Evelyn's office immediately.*
A second message arrived.
*Your father isn't the only person who knows about the account.*
May you like
Then a third.
*Ask Evelyn who Rebecca's real father was.*
