Chapter 7: The Father I Never Knew I Was
For a moment, I couldn’t understand what Noah meant.
The words echoed inside my head.
“You’re not the first man she called that.””
I looked at Claire.
She looked away.
That hurt more than anything.
Because after everything I had discovered, after every hidden room and every impossible secret, some part of me was still hoping she would look me in the eyes and tell me there was an explanation.
A misunderstanding.
A reason.
Anything.
But she didn’t.
“Claire,” I said quietly.
She closed her eyes.
“Ethan…”
“No.””
My voice shook.
“I need the truth now.””
The basement was silent.
Three children were watching us.
Three children who had been forced to carry secrets that belonged to adults.
Noah slowly stepped out of the hidden room.
He looked exactly like the photograph.
The same eyes.
The same birthmark.
The same expression I had seen when I looked at myself in old family pictures.
It was impossible.
And yet, there he was.
I looked at him.
“Who was the first man?””
Noah looked down.
“His name was Michael.””
Claire’s face changed.
I saw pain.
Real pain.
Not fear.
Not guilt.
Pain.
Daniel, who had been standing silently near the basement stairs, suddenly spoke.
“Now you understand.””
I turned toward him.
“You knew.””
Daniel shrugged.
“I knew enough.””
“Enough to keep children locked away?””
His expression hardened.
“You have no idea what happened.””
“No.””
I stepped toward him.
“But I know what I see.””
Claire moved between us.
“Ethan, please.””
I looked at her.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
She started crying.
“Because I was afraid you would leave.””
I laughed once.
A painful, empty sound.
“You thought the truth would make me leave?””
She looked at the children.
“I thought the truth would destroy everything.””
I looked at Noah.
“What happened to Michael?””
Nobody answered.
Then Daniel spoke.
“He died.””
Claire looked at him.
“Don’t.””
I turned.
“What?””
Daniel looked at me.
“Michael died years ago.””
The room became colder.
“How?””
Daniel didn’t answer.
Claire whispered:
“An accident.””
But something about the way she said it made me uncomfortable.
“What kind of accident?””
She looked down.
“I don’t know.””
“You don’t know?””
“I wasn’t there.””
Daniel smiled slightly.
“That’s not exactly true.””
Claire’s eyes filled with anger.
“Stop.””
I looked between them.
“You both know more than you’re saying.””
Nobody denied it.
That was becoming a pattern.
I crouched beside Noah.
“Can I ask you something?””
He nodded.
“Who took care of you?””
He looked toward Daniel.
Then Claire.
Finally, he whispered:
“Different people.””
My chest tightened.
“What does that mean?””
Noah rubbed his arm.
“Sometimes Mommy came.””
Claire covered her mouth.
“Sometimes Mr. Cole came.””
Daniel looked away.
“And sometimes…”
Noah stopped.
I waited.
“Sometimes nobody came.””
The words broke something inside me.
A child.
Alone.
Hidden.
Forgotten.
I looked at Claire.
“How could you let this happen?””
She collapsed onto the basement floor.
“I didn’t.””
“Then explain.””
She looked at me.
“I tried to take them.””
“Who stopped you?””
Her eyes moved toward Daniel.
The answer was obvious.
Daniel stepped forward.
“Careful.””
I stood.
“You threatened her.””
He smiled.
“You don’t know what happened.””
“Then tell me.””
He looked at Claire.
“She doesn’t want you to know.””
Claire whispered:
“Because it was my fault.””
I froze.
“What?””
She looked at me.
“I made a deal.””
The basement went silent.
“With who?””
Her voice became barely audible.
“With Daniel.””
My stomach dropped.
“Why?””
She looked at Ava.
Then Noah.
“Because he had them.””
The words hit me.
“He had your children?””
She nodded.
“And he said he would let them go if I disappeared.””
Daniel’s expression changed.
“That’s not what happened.””
Claire ignored him.
“I thought if I stayed away, they would be safe.””
Noah looked confused.
“But you came back.””
Claire looked at him.
“I’m sorry.””
Ava walked closer to her mother.
“Why did you hide us?””
Claire broke down.
“Because I failed you.””
The room became quiet.
Then Noah reached into his pocket.
He pulled out a small object.
A necklace.
Old.
Worn.
He handed it to me.
“This belonged to Michael.””
I stared at it.
A small silver pendant.
I recognized it instantly.
Because I had one exactly like it.
I touched my own necklace.
The same design.
The same symbol.
My heart began racing.
“Where did you get this?””
Noah looked at me.
“He said it was for my father.””
I looked at Claire.
“What does this mean?””
She didn’t answer.
Daniel did.
“It means Michael wasn’t the only person Claire lied to.””
I turned toward him.
“What are you talking about?””
Daniel smiled.
“Ask her who your father is.””
My blood went cold.
“What?””
Claire’s face turned completely pale.
I looked at her.
“Claire.””
She whispered:
“Ethan…”
“Who is my father?””
She opened her mouth.
But before she could speak…
A loud crash came from upstairs.
Everyone froze.
Then we heard footsteps.
Someone else was in the house.
Daniel looked toward the ceiling.
And for the first time all night…
He looked afraid.
“No.””
I noticed.
“You know who that is?””
Daniel didn’t answer.
The footsteps stopped above us.
Then a voice called down.
A voice I had never heard before.
But Claire recognized it instantly.
May you like
Because she whispered one name.
“Michael.””
