Chapter 9: The Truth I Was Forced to Forget
Dad returned home just after midnight.
Grandma was sitting beside me on the couch.
Jordan was asleep upstairs.
I looked up when the front door opened.
“Daddy!””
He came straight toward me and hugged me.
“Are you okay?””
I nodded.
“Where's Nicole?””
“She won't be coming back.””
Grandma stood.
“Marcus, did they arrest her?””
“They've detained her for questioning. The investigation is moving forward.””
I looked between them.
“Did she say something about me?””
Dad hesitated.
Then he sat beside me.
“Maya, I need to ask you something. Do you remember visiting Nicole's mother three years ago?””
I stared at him.
The question made something uncomfortable stir in my memory.
A large house.
A woman sitting in a wheelchair.
The smell of medicine.
A glass of orange juice.
Then a voice.
I slowly nodded.
“I remember.””
Dad leaned forward.
“What happened that day?””
I looked down at my hands.
“Nicole told me to stay in the car.””
“Did you?””
“At first.””
“What happened?””
I swallowed.
“I got scared because the car was hot. So I went inside.””
Grandma sat beside me.
“What did you see?””
“Nicole was arguing with Grandma's mother.””
Dad frowned.
“Nicole's mother?””
I nodded.
“She was crying.””
“What were they arguing about?””
I closed my eyes.
I could almost hear the conversation.
Nicole had been standing beside the bed, holding a folder.
Her mother had been crying.
And I had heard something that made no sense to me at the time.
“She said Nicole had stolen a baby.””
Dad went completely still.
I continued.
“She said the baby belonged to another family. Nicole told her to stop talking.””
“What else?””
I rubbed my forehead.
“Nicole said she had already fixed everything. Then the old lady said that one day the truth would come out.””
Dad held my hand.
“Did she say anything about Emily?””
I nodded slowly.
“She said the baby's real mother was still looking for her.””
Dad closed his eyes.
I remembered something else.
The woman had looked toward the doorway.
She'd seen me standing there.
Then she'd whispered:
“Maya, sweetheart, you must never believe everything Nicole tells you.””
I looked at Dad.
“She told me that Nicole wasn't my real mother.””
Grandma's eyes filled with tears.
Dad squeezed my hand.
“What did you say?””
“I asked if she was my grandmother.””
He nodded.
“And what happened?””
“Nicole came back. She grabbed my arm and told me to get in the car.””
I hesitated.
“Then she said if I ever told you, you'd lose your job and we'd lose our house.””
Dad's face changed.
“She threatened you?””
I nodded.
“She said you would blame me because I was making trouble.””
Dad pulled me into his arms.
“Oh, Maya.””
“I tried to forget.””
“You don't have to forget anymore.””
I began crying.
“She made me promise.””
Dad held me tighter.
“You don't have to keep promises that protect someone hurting you.””
Grandma wiped her eyes.
“Marcus, we need to find Nicole's mother.””
Dad nodded.
He called his attorney immediately.
Within an hour, they had located the care facility where Nicole's mother, Margaret Carter, was receiving treatment.
The next morning, Dad and Grandma went to see her.
I stayed home with Jordan and a trusted family friend.
When Dad entered Margaret's room, she was sitting beside the window.
Her hair was completely white.
She looked up.
“Marcus.””
He stopped.
“You remember me?””
Margaret nodded.
“I remember everything.””
Dad sat beside her.
“Then tell me the truth.””
She closed her eyes.
“Nicole told you about Emily?””
“Yes.””
“Then you know what she did.””
“I know part of it. But I need to know why.””
Margaret looked at him.
“Because my daughter has spent her entire life believing she deserves whatever she wants.””
Dad leaned forward.
“Why did she choose my family?””
Margaret's voice trembled.
“When Nicole was younger, she was in love with a man who married someone else. That woman was Rachel.””
Dad stared.
“Rachel?””
Margaret nodded.
“Nicole met Rachel years before you did. They were friends briefly. When Rachel became engaged to you, Nicole became obsessed.””
Grandma shook her head.
“But Nicole told Marcus she'd never met Rachel.””
“She lied.””
Margaret continued.
“She watched your wedding from a distance. She kept photographs. She knew when Rachel was pregnant. And when Emily was born, she convinced herself that the baby belonged with her.””
Dad looked sick.
“Did you help her?””
Margaret began crying.
“Yes.””
Grandma stood.
“You helped steal an innocent child?””
“I was afraid of losing my daughter. She threatened to disappear if I didn't help.””
“You should have called the police!”” Grandma snapped.
Margaret lowered her head.
“I know.””
Dad took a breath.
“Why did Nicole target Maya?””
Margaret looked toward him.
“Because Maya reminded her of Rachel. She couldn't stand seeing Rachel's daughter loved in the same house where she wanted to be the only mother.””
Dad's jaw tightened.
“So she punished Maya.””
Margaret nodded.
“She started with small things. Taking away toys. Hiding school supplies. Making Maya feel unwanted.””
Dad's eyes filled.
“And the food?””
Margaret looked horrified.
“I didn't know about the food.””
“She told Maya she had to earn dinner.””
Margaret began sobbing.
“I warned Nicole that she was becoming cruel.””
Dad stared at her.
“And what did she say?””
Margaret looked down.
“She said Maya would never tell you because she was afraid of losing her father.””
The words hit Dad hard.
He stood and walked toward the window.
Then Margaret reached into her bedside drawer.
“I have something else.””
She handed him a small key.
“What is this?””
“The key to my old safety deposit box.””
Dad looked at it.
“What does it contain?””
“Original photographs. Letters. And a recording.””
“What recording?””
Margaret's voice dropped.
“The night Nicole arranged Emily's transfer, she called me from the hospital. I recorded the conversation because I was afraid she would deny everything.””
Dad stared at her.
“Why didn't you give it to the authorities?””
“Because I was ashamed. And because Nicole threatened to tell everyone I had helped her.””
Grandma took the key.
“Where is the box?””
Margaret gave them the bank's name.
Then she looked at Dad with tears running down her cheeks.
“Marcus, there's something you need to know about Maya.””
He turned.
“What?””
“Nicole never wanted Maya to disappear completely.””
Dad frowned.
“Why?””
Margaret swallowed.
“Because Maya was the only person who could eventually identify the hospital employee who helped Nicole change Emily's records.””
Dad stared at her.
“Who?””
Margaret shook her head.
“I don't know his full name. But Nicole called him Uncle Peter.””
Grandma's eyes widened.
“Peter?””
Dad looked at her.
“Do you know him?””
Grandma nodded slowly.
“Peter was my late husband's brother.””
Dad stepped backward.
“My uncle?””
Margaret nodded.
“He worked at the hospital administration office. He was the one who changed the records.””
Dad looked stunned.
His own family had helped Nicole steal his daughter.
But Margaret wasn't finished.
She reached for his hand.
“Marcus, there's another reason Nicole kept Maya close.””
He stared at her.
“Tell me.””
“Because Maya's biological mother left something for her before she died.””
Dad's face went pale.
“What?””
“A trust fund. It was supposed to pay for Maya's education and future.””
Grandma slowly sat down.
“How much?””
Margaret whispered the amount.
“Almost three hundred thousand dollars.””
Dad's mouth fell open.
“Where is it?””
Margaret looked directly at him.
“Nicole took control of it when Maya was little. She has been withdrawing money for years.””
Dad felt the room spin.
The missing food money.
The stolen birthday gifts.
The hidden adoption records.
And now this.
He gripped the edge of the bed.
“How much is left?””
Margaret shook her head.
“Nothing.””
Dad closed his eyes.
Then his phone rang.
It was his attorney.
“Marcus, we accessed the financial records. There's a major development.””
“What?””
“The trust fund wasn't simply emptied. A large portion was transferred into an overseas account last week.””
Dad looked at Margaret.
“Can you trace it?””
“We're trying. But the account is connected to someone who recently contacted Nicole.””
“Who?””
The attorney paused.
“Olivia Carter.””
Dad froze.
“That can't be right.””
“We have the transaction records.””
Dad's voice dropped.
“Are you saying Emily took the money?””
“I'm saying someone used her identity.””
Dad ended the call.
He looked at Grandma.
Then at Margaret.
And suddenly, the story became even more frightening.
Because Nicole might have been arrested, but someone else was still carrying out her plan.
Someone who had access to Emily's identity.
Someone who knew about the trust fund.
And someone who might already be inside our family.
At that exact moment, my phone rang at home.
I answered.
A woman's voice whispered:
“Maya, don't trust your father. There's something he hasn't told you about your real mother.””
Then she said a name.
A name I had never heard before.
May you like
And before I could ask another question, the caller added:
*“If you want to know why you were really adopted, meet me tomorrow. Come alone.””*
