Chapter 8: The Truth They Buried
For several seconds, nobody moved.
I stared at Denise.
She stared back at me.
The woman who had spent six years telling me I wasn't really part of her family was now claiming to be my biological mother.
“No,” I said.
Denise shook her head.
“Maya…”
“No.””
I backed away.
“You said Elena was my mother.””
Elena looked just as confused as I was.
“I was told my baby died,” she whispered.
Victor looked at the DNA report.
“There has to be an error.””
Dad grabbed the paper.
“Then explain it.””
Victor took the document.
He scanned the results.
His face became pale.
“It isn't an error.””
Elena stepped toward him.
“Then what is it?””
Victor swallowed.
“The laboratory confirmed the relationship.””
Dad looked at Denise.
“She is your daughter.””
Denise nodded.
I couldn't stop shaking.
“Then why did you tell me I wasn't yours?””
Denise looked at me.
“Because I hated what you represented.””
“What does that mean?””
She sat down.
“I was pregnant twelve years ago.””
Dad's expression changed.
“You never told me.””
“You weren't the father.””
The room became silent.
Elena covered her mouth.
Dad stared at Denise.
“Who was?””
Denise looked away.
“I don't know.””
“What?””
“I knew his first name.””
“Who?””
“Daniel.””
Dad's face hardened.
“Daniel who?””
“I never knew his last name.””
Victor stepped closer.
“Denise, that's not the story you told me.””
She looked at him.
“What did I tell you?””
“You said the father was your husband's business associate.””
Dad went completely still.
“What business associate?””
Denise didn't answer.
Dad looked at Victor.
“You knew?””
Victor nodded slowly.
“I knew there was a man.””
“Who?””
“I never met him.””
Dad's voice became dangerous.
“Find out.””
Victor looked at Denise.
She whispered—
“His name was Daniel Cross.””
Dad's face changed.
I saw recognition.
“You know him.””
Dad nodded.
“He was one of my contractors.””
My stomach tightened.
“Where is he?””
Dad shook his head.
“Dead.””
Denise began crying.
“He died before you were born.””
Elena stared at her.
“Then why was Maya given to me?””
Denise shook her head.
“She wasn't.””
Victor corrected her.
“The hospital switched the babies.””
Denise looked at him.
“You said you fixed it.””
“I thought I did.””
“What does that mean?”” I demanded.
Victor took a breath.
“Two babies were born within minutes of each other.””
He pointed toward Elena.
“Her daughter.””
Then toward Denise.
“Your daughter.””
I felt sick.
“Then how did Elena's baby die?””
“She didn't.””
Elena started crying.
Victor continued.
“The hospital mistakenly recorded the wrong infant as deceased.””
Dad stared.
“So Elena's daughter survived.””
“Yes.””
“And Denise's daughter?””
Victor's eyes dropped.
“She died.””
Denise whispered, “I knew.””
Dad looked at her.
“You knew?””
“I was told.””
“And you still kept Maya.””
Denise nodded.
“I couldn't give her up.””
Elena stepped toward her.
“You stole my child.””
“I didn't know she was yours!””
“You knew she belonged to someone.””
“I knew she was mine.””
“You abandoned your own child.””
Denise's face crumpled.
“I didn't abandon her.””
“You starved her.””
“I fed her.””
“You denied her medical care.””
“I was afraid.””
“You spent thousands on your other children.””
“I was angry.””
“You made her feel unwanted.””
Denise couldn't answer.
I looked at her.
“Why?””
She finally met my eyes.
“Because every time I looked at you, I remembered that your father wasn't your father.””
I felt something break inside me.
“You blamed me for that?””
“Yes.””
Her voice was barely audible.
“I blamed you for everything.””
Dad stepped toward her.
“You were an adult.””
“I know.””
“She was a child.””
“I know.””
“You chose to hurt her.””
“I know.””
Dad's voice cracked.
“And you nearly killed her.””
Denise looked down.
“I didn't mean to.””
The room went silent.
I stared at her.
“What did you put in my drink?””
She began shaking.
“The medication wasn't supposed to hurt you.””
“What was it?””
“A sedative.””
“Why?””
“To make you sleep.””
“Why?””
Denise didn't answer.
I stepped closer.
“Why?””
She whispered—
“Because I needed your blood.””
My heart stopped.
Dad stared.
“Your blood?””
Denise nodded.
“The tests.””
“What tests?””
She looked at Victor.
“He told me the only way to prove who you belonged to was through genetic testing.””
Victor's eyes narrowed.
“That isn't what I told you.””
“You said I needed proof.””
“Not this.””
Denise looked at me.
“I took samples while you slept.””
I felt nauseous.
“You took my blood?””
“Yes.””
“For what?””
She looked at the DNA report.
“To find your father.””
Dad's face tightened.
“And why?””
Denise whispered—
“Because I needed to know whether you were really mine.””
I stared at her.
“But you already knew.””
“I thought I did.””
“Then why test me?””
“Because Daniel had told me something before he died.””
“What?””
Denise's eyes filled.
“He said if I ever had a daughter, she wouldn't belong to me.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Denise shook her head.
“I didn't understand.””
Dad asked, “What exactly did he say?””
She looked at him.
“He said there was another woman.””
Elena stiffened.
“Who?””
Denise whispered—
“Someone at the hospital.””
Elena's face changed.
“I was there.””
“Yes.””
“You knew me?””
“I saw you.””
Elena's eyes widened.
“You knew my baby existed.””
Denise nodded.
“But you didn't know which baby was yours.””
“No.””
Victor suddenly stepped forward.
“Wait.””
Everyone turned.
He stared at the DNA report.
“There is something wrong.””
Dad frowned.
“What?””
Victor pointed to one section.
“The report says Maya is genetically related to Denise.””
“Yes.””
“But it also says she's genetically related to Elena.””
“Yes.””
Victor shook his head.
“That is impossible unless…”
He stopped.
“Unless what?”” I asked.
He looked at me.
“Unless the two of you are genetically related.””
Elena stared at him.
“I'm not her mother?””
Victor shook his head.
“No.””
“You said she was my daughter.””
“I said the hospital believed she was your daughter.””
Elena looked at me.
Then at Denise.
Dad whispered—
“Then what are they?””
Victor took a slow breath.
“Sisters.””
Nobody spoke.
I looked at Elena.
She looked at me.
The same eyes.
The same narrow nose.
The same small scar above the left eyebrow.
I touched mine.
My scar.
The one I'd always assumed came from falling off my bicycle as a child.
Elena touched hers.
“I got this when I was ten.””
I stared.
“So did I.””
Dad looked between us.
Victor's voice dropped.
“Identical twins.””
Elena started crying.
“But I only had one baby.””
Denise whispered—
“So did I.””
Dad's face hardened.
“Then where did the second baby come from?””
Victor looked toward the old photograph.
“The hospital records were falsified.””
“By whom?””
Victor hesitated.
Then his eyes moved to the front door.
Someone had been listening.
A man's voice came from the hallway.
“By me.””
We all turned.
A tall man stepped into the room.
He had gray hair.
A navy coat.
And a familiar face.
Dad stared.
“Daniel?””
The man smiled.
“No.””
Victor's face drained of color.
“That's not possible.””
The stranger looked at me.
“I've been waiting twelve years for this moment.””
Dad stepped in front of me.
“Who are you?””
The man looked at Denise.
“Tell him.””
Denise began trembling.
The stranger removed his glasses.
And suddenly I understood why the DNA results had been so confusing.
He looked exactly like me.
Same eyes.
Same mouth.
Same expression.
Then he said—
“My name is Daniel Cross.””
May you like
Denise whispered—
“My brother.””
