Chapter 6: The Secret Buried Before Their Birth
For three seconds, nobody moved.
Not me.
Not Marcus.
Not Ethan.
The only sound was the faint hum of the refrigerator behind me.
Then I heard my son’s breathing.
Fast.
Uneven.
Terrified.
I turned around slowly.
"Ethan.""
His face had lost all color.
He looked at Marcus like he was looking at a ghost.
"Dad...""
His voice cracked.
"I think he knows.""
I walked toward him immediately.
"No one is going to hurt you.""
But Ethan didn't look at me.
He looked at Marcus.
"Why did you say that?""
Marcus rubbed his forehead.
For the first time since I opened the door, he didn't look confident.
He looked guilty.
"Because the truth is coming out anyway.""
I stepped between him and my son.
"You don't get to talk about my children like they're a business deal.""
Marcus stared at me.
"You still don't understand what happened.""
"Then explain.""
He looked around my house.
The place where he had once attended dinners.
The place where he had laughed with my wife.
The place where he had secretly planned my destruction.
"Not here.""
I laughed bitterly.
"You came to my house.""
"Because I wanted to warn you.""
"Warn me?""
My voice rose.
"You helped my wife destroy someone innocent.""
Marcus looked down.
"I know.""
The admission surprised me.
"Then why?""
He didn't answer.
That was when I heard another voice.
"Daniel?""
Vivian stood at the top of the stairs.
She was wearing a silk robe.
Her expression was calm.
Too calm.
She looked at Marcus.
Then at Ethan.
And for a brief second, fear crossed her face.
Only a brief second.
But I saw it.
"What is he doing here?"" she asked.
I stared at her.
"Funny question.""
She walked down slowly.
"Daniel, don't listen to him.""
Marcus looked at her.
"Still pretending?""
Her jaw tightened.
"Leave.""
"No.""
His voice was sharper now.
"Not until he knows.""
My heart pounded.
"Knows what?""
Vivian stepped forward.
"Marcus is trying to destroy us because he's angry.""
I looked at him.
"Is that true?""
Marcus laughed quietly.
"That's what she told you?""
Vivian's eyes narrowed.
"Daniel, this man has spent years trying to hurt me.""
"And you spent months working with him.""
Silence.
Her face changed.
Just enough.
I knew.
She knew I had proof.
She knew the game was ending.
Marcus looked at Ethan.
"Your son heard things he shouldn't have heard.""
Vivian immediately interrupted.
"Don't involve him.""
That sentence froze me.
Not because she cared.
Because she sounded desperate.
"You were worried about him hearing?""
Vivian looked at me.
"Daniel...""
"No.""
I shook my head.
"Answer me.""
She said nothing.
Marcus took a deep breath.
"Before you and Vivian got married, she was already hiding something.""
My stomach tightened.
"What?""
He looked directly at me.
"She had a child.""
The room went silent.
I felt like the air had been punched from my lungs.
"No.""
Vivian's face hardened.
"Marcus, stop.""
But I barely heard her.
"What did you say?""
Marcus looked at me.
"Before you met Vivian, she gave birth to a baby boy.""
My hands went numb.
I looked toward the stairs.
Toward the bedrooms.
Toward the room where my sons slept.
"No.""
The word came out as a whisper.
Marcus continued.
"She told everyone the baby died.""
I stared at Vivian.
She didn't deny it.
That was the worst part.
She didn't deny it.
"Vivian?""
Her eyes filled with anger.
"Daniel, this is complicated.""
"Complicated?""
I almost couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"You lied about having a child?""
She looked away.
"It happened before you.""
"That's not the point.""
My voice broke.
"The point is you built our entire marriage on a lie.""
Marcus interrupted.
"The child didn't die.""
Everything stopped.
"What?""
Marcus looked at me.
"He was alive.""
My heart started racing.
"Where is he?""
Nobody answered.
Then I heard footsteps.
Caleb appeared at the top of the stairs.
"Dad?""
I turned immediately.
"What are you doing awake?""
He looked confused.
"Who is that man?""
I walked toward him.
"Go back to bed, buddy.""
But Marcus looked at him.
And his face changed.
Not shock.
Recognition.
"Oh my God.""
I froze.
"What?""
Marcus whispered:
"She never told you.""
I felt a terrible fear forming in my chest.
"Tell me what?""
Marcus looked between the twins.
Then at Vivian.
"Daniel...""
His voice was quiet.
"One of those boys isn't your biological son.""
The world tilted.
I couldn't breathe.
Vivian closed her eyes.
May you like
And that was when I knew.
Marcus wasn't lying.
