Chapter 7: The Man Who Claimed My Daughter
The man’s words stayed in the air.
*“I’m the man who has been looking for my daughter.””*
I felt Rachel’s hand tighten around my arm.
Not because she was holding onto me.
Because she was afraid.
And that scared me more than anything.
Rachel had faced Vanessa.
She had faced losing two years of her life.
She had faced seeing me hate her.
But this man standing in front of us?
This was different.
“Who are you?”” I asked again.
The man smiled slightly.
It wasn’t a friendly smile.
It was the kind of smile someone gives when they believe they already won.
“My name is Daniel.””
I waited.
Nothing.
The name meant nothing.
Then I noticed Rachel’s face.
She had gone completely pale.
“Rachel?””
She didn’t answer.
“Who is Daniel?””
Her lips moved.
But no sound came out.
Daniel looked at her.
“You never told him?””
Rachel stepped between us.
“Stay away from him.””
Daniel laughed quietly.
“Still protecting him.””
I moved closer.
“Rachel.””
She looked at me.
Her eyes were full of fear.
“He’s Sophie’s biological father.””
The words hit me harder than anything else that night.
Even though I knew there was a possibility.
Even though Rachel’s letter had warned me.
Hearing it out loud was different.
I looked at Daniel.
The stranger who claimed my daughter.
The man who had a photograph of Sophie before I knew he existed.
“No.””
Daniel tilted his head.
“No?””
I stepped forward.
“Sophie is my daughter.””
His expression changed.
Almost amused.
“Legally, yes.””
The anger inside me burned.
“She calls me Daddy.””
“I know.””
“You weren’t there when she had nightmares.””
Daniel said nothing.
“You weren’t there when she got sick.””
Silence.
“You weren’t there when she took her first steps.””
My voice shook.
“You don’t get to show up after three years and call yourself her father.””
For the first time, Daniel’s smile disappeared.
“You think I chose to stay away?””
I didn’t answer.
“Rachel made sure I disappeared.””
I looked at Rachel.
“Is that true?””
Her eyes closed.
“Ethan…”
“Is it true?””
A long pause.
Then she nodded.
“Yes.””
The answer hurt.
Even though I knew I shouldn’t be surprised anymore.
Everyone had secrets.
Everyone had reasons.
Everyone had decided I couldn’t handle the truth.
Rachel looked at me.
“I was protecting Sophie.””
“From him?””
“Yes.””
Daniel laughed.
“Of course she says that.””
Rachel turned toward him.
“You know exactly why I left.””
“You left because you were afraid.””
“Yes.””
“And you should have been.””
My blood ran cold.
I stepped between them.
“Enough.””
Daniel looked at me.
“You have no idea what you’re standing in the middle of.””
“I know enough.””
“No.””
He shook his head.
“You know the version they gave you.””
I looked at Vanessa.
Then Rachel.
Then him.
Everyone had a different version.
But all of them had one thing in common.
They had lied.
A siren sounded in the distance.
I realized I had forgotten my phone was still in my pocket.
The police.
I had called them before coming back.
Daniel glanced toward the street.
“You called the police?””
“Yes.””
He looked almost disappointed.
“You really don’t understand.””
“What don’t I understand?””
Daniel stepped closer.
“You think Vanessa is the biggest threat?””
I didn’t respond.
“She’s not.””
Rachel’s voice became urgent.
“Ethan, don’t listen to him.””
Daniel ignored her.
“The truth is, Vanessa was never trying to take Sophie.””
My eyebrows pulled together.
“What?””
“She was trying to get to me.””
I looked at him.
“That makes no sense.””
“It will.””
Daniel pointed toward Rachel.
“She knows.””
Rachel shook her head.
“Stop.””
“She knows why Sophie was hidden.””
I looked at Rachel.
“What is he talking about?””
Rachel looked exhausted.
“I was trying to tell you.””
“No.””
My voice was quiet.
“No more half-truths.””
She swallowed.
“Okay.””
The word hung there.
“After Sophie was born, I discovered Daniel was involved in something dangerous.””
Daniel’s expression hardened.
“Careful.””
Rachel continued.
“People were using him.””
“Using me?”” Daniel snapped.
“You were part of it.””
Daniel laughed.
“And your husband knows nothing about the money your father took?””
My head turned.
“What money?””
Rachel looked at me.
“Ethan…”
“No.””
I stepped back.
“No more.””
I pointed at both of them.
“You’re all going to tell me everything.””
Nobody spoke.
The police car turned onto the street.
Red and blue lights flashed across the houses.
Daniel looked toward the approaching vehicle.
Then he looked at me.
“You have ten minutes before this gets worse.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
He reached into his jacket.
My body immediately tensed.
But he didn’t pull out a weapon.
He pulled out a small envelope.
He handed it to me.
“What is this?””
“Proof.””
“Of what?””
“That Sophie was never supposed to be yours.””
My jaw tightened.
“She is mine.””
Daniel looked at me.
“Open it.””
I didn’t move.
Rachel whispered:
“Ethan, don’t.””
I looked at her.
“Why?””
She looked terrified.
“Because once you know, there’s no going back.””
I took the envelope.
Inside was a photograph.
An ultrasound image.
A date.
And a name.
Daniel’s name.
My fingers went numb.
The second item was a hospital document.
I read the top line.
*PATERNITY TEST RESULTS*
My heart dropped.
“No.””
Daniel watched my reaction.
“What does it say?””
I didn’t answer.
Because I couldn’t.
The document showed a match.
A biological match.
Daniel was Sophie’s father.
The proof was right there.
But then I saw something else.
A handwritten note attached to the report.
One sentence.
Written by Rachel.
*“If Daniel ever finds Sophie, he will use her the same way he used me.””*
I looked up.
Daniel saw the note.
His face changed.
For the first time, he looked angry.
Not calm.
Not confident.
Angry.
“You weren’t supposed to have that.””
Rachel stepped closer.
“Ethan, listen to me.””
Daniel looked at her.
“You still think you can protect him?””
Then he looked toward the house.
Toward where Sophie was sleeping.
And said something that made my blood run cold.
“You should ask Vanessa where she took Sophie the night before she pushed her into that pool.””
I froze.
“What?””
Rachel turned toward Vanessa.
“You told me she didn’t know.””
Vanessa said nothing.
That silence was the answer.
I looked at Vanessa.
“What is he talking about?””
She backed away.
“Ethan…”
“No.””
My voice shook.
“What did you do?””
Vanessa looked terrified now.
Not guilty.
Terrified.
Because something worse than the pool incident had just been revealed.
The police car stopped outside.
Officers stepped out.
But before they reached us, my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I almost ignored it.
Then I saw the message underneath.
A picture had been sent.
My daughter.
Sophie.
Sitting in a car.
Awake.
Crying.
May you like
And beneath the photo were six words:
*“Come alone if you want her back.””*
