Chapter 8: The Child They Erased
Marcus read the message three times.
*Ask Vanessa where your first child was taken.*
Rain hammered the metal roof above them.
Nobody spoke.
Marcus slowly lowered the phone.
“Vanessa.””
She looked at him.
“What?””
He held up the screen.
“Where was our first child taken?””
Vanessa's face collapsed.
Nia stared at her mother.
“First child?””
Marcus stepped closer.
“You told me you were pregnant with Nia.””
“I was.””
“That wasn't my first pregnancy?””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“No.””
Marcus felt the answer in his chest before he fully understood it.
“You were pregnant before Nia.””
“Yes.””
“Was it mine?””
Vanessa's lips trembled.
“Yes.””
The world seemed to become unbearably quiet.
Marcus looked away.
He remembered.
He remembered Vanessa once mentioning a miscarriage.
She had told him it happened early.
She'd been devastated.
He had held her through the night.
He had believed there was no baby.
Just a pregnancy that ended naturally.
Marcus looked back at her.
“You told me we lost the baby.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“That was the lie.””
Daniel swore under his breath.
Nia stood frozen beside the wall.
Ava and Caleb exchanged frightened looks.
Marcus stepped toward Vanessa.
“What happened?””
Vanessa rubbed both hands over her face.
“Your father took the baby.””
Marcus couldn't process the words.
“No.””
“He did.””
“You're saying my father took our child?””
Vanessa nodded.
“After you left for the hospital that night?””
“Yes.””
Marcus's breathing quickened.
“What hospital?””
“St. Mary's.””
“The same hospital where Nia was born.””
“Yes.””
Marcus stared at her.
“How did I not know?””
“Because Robert made sure you didn't.””
Daniel moved closer.
“He had people inside the hospital.””
Marcus turned.
“Then why did you let him?””
Vanessa's eyes filled.
“I fought him.””
“But not hard enough.””
“I was twenty-three, Marcus. I was terrified.””
“You could have told me.””
“He threatened to kill you.””
Marcus froze.
“What?””
Vanessa's voice dropped.
“He said if I contacted you, you would disappear.””
The words hung between them.
Marcus looked at Daniel.
“Is that true?””
Daniel nodded.
“Robert threatened several people.””
Marcus turned back to Vanessa.
“What happened to the baby?””
Vanessa couldn't answer.
“Say it.””
“He was alive.””
Marcus stared at her.
“A boy?””
She nodded.
Marcus covered his mouth.
Nia began crying.
“Mom, why didn't you tell us?””
Vanessa looked at her daughter.
“Because I thought telling you would put you in danger.””
“Danger from who?””
Vanessa looked toward the rain-streaked windows.
“From the person who took him.””
Marcus's heart pounded.
“Who?””
She shook her head.
“I never saw his face.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“I did.””
Marcus turned.
“What?””
Daniel's face was grim.
“Your father gave the baby to someone.””
“Who?””
Daniel took out the old photograph they had found.
He held it beneath the flashlight.
The image showed Vanessa holding a newborn.
Ethan stood beside her.
Marcus looked more carefully this time.
Behind them, reflected in the hospital room window, stood another man.
Marcus moved closer.
“Wait.””
He took the photograph.
“Zoom in.””
Daniel had no answer, but Marcus used his phone to photograph it and enlarge the image.
The man's face became clearer.
Marcus stopped breathing.
Michael Voss.
The same attorney who had just been outside his house.
The same man whose voice had come through the underground room.
Marcus stared.
“He took the baby.””
Vanessa nodded.
“He told me Robert had arranged everything.””
“Where did he take him?””
“I don't know.””
“You must know something.””
“I know one name.””
Marcus looked up.
“What name?””
“Elias.””
Nia wiped her tears.
“Elias who?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“That was the name they used.””
Marcus felt dizzy.
A baby named Elias.
His son.
A child he had spent twenty-seven years believing he had lost.
But the math stopped him.
He frowned.
“Twenty-seven years?””
Vanessa looked confused.
Marcus checked the photograph.
The date.
Then another detail.
“Vanessa.””
“Yes?””
“This picture is fourteen years old.””
She nodded.
“That was after the first pregnancy.””
Marcus stared.
“Then how old was the baby?””
“Fourteen months.””
Marcus slowly looked at her.
“You didn't lose one child.””
Vanessa's face went pale.
“You're right.””
“You had two.””
“Yes.””
“One disappeared fourteen years ago.””
“Yes.””
“And then Nia was born eleven years ago.””
“Yes.””
Marcus stepped back.
His mind raced.
“But why?””
Vanessa looked at Daniel.
Daniel answered.
“Because Nia wasn't supposed to replace him.””
Marcus turned.
“What do you mean?””
Daniel's voice lowered.
“She was supposed to lead them to him.””
The statement made no sense.
“Why would they need Nia to find a child they already took?””
“Because the first child's identity was protected.””
Marcus stared.
“Protected how?””
Daniel pointed toward the insulated case.
“Same system.””
Marcus looked down.
“The DNA.””
Daniel nodded.
“Robert created a bloodline lock.””
Marcus frowned.
“Explain.””
“The family trust wasn't merely money. It was connected to encrypted records and shell companies. The person who could unlock them had to match a specific genetic profile.””
“And that profile belonged to…”
“Your first son.””
Marcus looked at Vanessa.
She whispered, “Ethan's child.””
Marcus's face tightened.
“Wait.””
He looked again at the photograph.
Ethan was standing beside Vanessa.
He looked alive.
But this time Marcus noticed something strange.
Ethan wasn't looking at the baby.
He was looking at the person behind the camera.
Marcus zoomed in.
There was fear in Ethan's expression.
Not happiness.
Fear.
Marcus handed the phone to Daniel.
“Look.””
Daniel did.
His face changed.
“That's Robert.””
Marcus stared.
His father had taken the photograph.
He had documented the child himself.
Vanessa whispered, “He wanted proof.””
“Proof of what?””
“That Ethan wasn't the father.””
Marcus looked sharply at her.
“What?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“I didn't understand it then.””
“Tell me.””
“Robert said the baby belonged to another branch of the family.””
Marcus frowned.
“What branch?””
Vanessa swallowed.
“The Reed family.””
Daniel went rigid.
“My family?””
Vanessa nodded.
“Robert said the baby was part of an old arrangement.””
Daniel took a step back.
“That isn't possible.””
“Why?””
“Because my brother's wife couldn't have children.””
Marcus stared.
“What brother?””
Daniel looked at him.
“My older brother.””
“What was his name?””
Daniel swallowed.
“Richard.””
Marcus glanced at the photograph.
“Richard Reed.””
Daniel nodded.
“Robert had business with him.””
“What kind?””
“Mining. Land. Private security.””
Marcus shook his head.
“This is insane.””
“No,” Daniel said.
“It's organized.””
A vibration came from Marcus's phone.
Another message.
Unknown number.
This time there was an attachment.
Marcus opened it.
A scanned document appeared.
At the top:
*PRIVATE ADOPTION TRANSFER*
Child:
*Elias Reed Cole*
Date of birth:
Fourteen years earlier.
Biological mother:
Vanessa Cole.
Biological father:
Marcus Cole.
Marcus stared at the names.
Then he looked at the next line.
*Transfer guardian: Richard Reed.*
Daniel's face drained of color.
“No.””
Marcus looked at him.
“You know him.””
“I know the name.””
“Where is he?””
Daniel didn't answer.
“Daniel.””
“He died.””
Marcus's chest tightened.
“When?””
“Three years ago.””
“And his family?””
Daniel looked at the document.
“His wife died before him.””
Marcus whispered, “Then where is Elias?””
Neither man answered.
Another message arrived.
This time there was no text.
Just a photograph.
A teenage boy stood in front of a school building.
Dark hair.
Hazel eyes.
A small scar above his eyebrow.
Marcus stared.
The scar.
He had one exactly like it.
Nia came beside him.
“Dad?””
Marcus couldn't speak.
She looked at the screen.
“Who is that?””
Marcus's voice broke.
“Your brother.””
Nia covered her mouth.
Vanessa began sobbing.
Daniel stared at the boy.
“I know that school.””
Marcus turned.
“Where?””
Daniel pointed at the photograph.
“London.””
Marcus looked at the message details.
One location appeared beneath the image.
*St. Andrew's Academy, London.*
Then another message appeared.
*He knows who you are.*
Marcus stared.
A final line followed.
*But he doesn't know what your father did to him.*
He looked at Vanessa.
“You're coming with me.””
She shook her head.
“Marcus…”
“No.””
“I can't.””
“You will.””
“Why?””
“Because you are the only person alive who knows what happened that night.””
Vanessa wiped her tears.
“You don't understand.””
“I understand enough.””
She looked at Nia.
“I was trying to protect both of you.””
Marcus's eyes hardened.
“Then tell me everything.””
Vanessa looked down at the photograph of Elias.
“I can.””
“Here?””
“No.””
She glanced toward the road.
“They'll be listening.””
Marcus froze.
“Who?””
“The people working for your father.””
“He's dead.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“His money isn't.””
Another car appeared through the rain.
Vanessa stared at it.
Then she whispered,
“And Marcus…”
“What?””
“The boy in that photograph isn't Elias anymore.””
Marcus frowned.
“What are you talking about?””
Vanessa's voice broke.
“He was renamed.””
Marcus looked at the image again.
“What name?””
Vanessa hesitated.
Then she said the words that made Daniel step backward.
“They call him Ethan Reed.””
Marcus stared.
The car outside stopped.
May you like
Its headlights washed across the windows.
And from inside that vehicle, a teenage boy stepped into the rain.
