Chapter 10: The Name Written in Blood
The message on my phone stayed on the screen for what felt like an eternity.
*Ask your mother why she buried the truth about your real father.*
Five seconds.
Ten seconds.
A minute.
Nobody spoke.
The entire room was waiting for me to break.
And the worst part was…
I almost did.
I looked at the document in my hand again.
The name.
The impossible name.
The person who was supposed to be my biological father.
A man I had never heard about.
A man my mother had apparently spent years hiding.
“Mom,” I whispered.
She looked at me.
Her face was already telling me the answer.
“You know.””
She closed her eyes.
“I know.””
The words hurt more than any lie.
My grip tightened around the paper.
“Who is he?””
Nobody moved.
My father looked away.
Thomas looked down.
Grandma Pearl looked like she had been carrying this secret for decades.
Only Victoria looked satisfied.
Because this was what she wanted.
Not the house.
Not the money.
Not even revenge against my mother.
She wanted this moment.
She wanted to watch us all fall apart.
“Tell her,” Victoria said.
My mother looked at her.
“You don’t get to enjoy this.””
Victoria smiled.
“Oh, I absolutely do.””
My mother took a deep breath.
Then she looked at me.
“His name was Adrian.””
I waited.
Nothing happened.
The name meant nothing.
“Who was Adrian?””
My mother’s eyes filled with tears.
“He was someone I knew before Daniel.””
My stomach tightened.
Another secret.
Another person.
Another piece of a life I thought I understood.
“Before Dad?””
She nodded.
“Yes.””
My father flinched.
My mother noticed.
“I’m sorry.””
He gave a bitter laugh.
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
The pain in his voice was worse than anger.
My mother looked down.
“I should have told you.””
“Yes.””
He looked at her.
“You should have.””
Silence.
Then I asked the question that had been burning inside me.
“Why did you hide him from me?””
My mother sat down.
She looked exhausted.
“Because Adrian was dangerous.””
Victoria laughed.
“There it is.””
My mother turned toward her.
“Not because he was evil.””
“Then why?””
My mother looked back at me.
“Because he was powerful.””
That made no sense.
“What does that mean?””
Grandma Pearl answered.
“It means Adrian had enemies.””
I looked at her.
“Enemies?””
She nodded.
“Your mother discovered things about him that she was never supposed to know.””
My head spun.
“So I’m not just the daughter of a secret affair.””
My voice cracked.
“I’m the daughter of some kind of mystery?””
My mother reached toward me.
I stepped back.
Not because I hated her.
Because I didn’t know who she was anymore.
She lowered her hand.
“I was trying to give you a normal life.””
I laughed sadly.
“Normal?””
I looked around.
“At this point, normal would be finding out my biggest problem was a broken Christmas ornament.””
Nobody smiled.
Because nobody could.
My father walked toward the window.
“I need to understand something.””
Everyone looked at him.
“When Elena disappeared…”
He looked at my mother.
“Was Adrian involved?””
My mother became very still.
“No.””
The answer came immediately.
Too immediately.
My father noticed.
“You hesitated.””
She looked away.
“I hesitated because I remembered.””
“Remembered what?””
My mother’s voice became quiet.
“The night everything changed.””
The room became silent.
Six years ago.
Christmas Eve.
The night my mother disappeared.
I sat down.
“Tell me.””
My mother looked at me.
“You were six years old.””
I nodded.
“I remember.””
She smiled sadly.
“I know you do.””
She took a breath.
“That night, Adrian came to the house.””
My father’s face changed.
“He came here?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
My mother looked at the floor.
“Because he wanted to meet you.””
My heart stopped.
“He knew about me?””
She nodded.
“He always knew.””
The pain was sharp.
“Then why didn’t he?””
My mother looked away.
“Because I told him not to.””
“Why?””
“Because I was afraid.””
“Of him?””
She shook her head.
“Of what knowing him would do to your life.””
I looked at the paper.
The name.
The truth.
Everything I had wanted and feared.
“What happened that night?””
My mother closed her eyes.
“Adrian came here to tell me something.””
“What?””
“He knew Victoria was investigating him.””
Victoria’s expression changed slightly.
My mother noticed.
“You knew.””
Victoria crossed her arms.
“I knew enough.””
“What did you want from him?””
Victoria smiled.
“Information.””
Grandma Pearl’s voice became cold.
“You destroyed lives for information?””
Victoria shrugged.
“Information is power.””
My mother stood.
“And Adrian had something you wanted.””
“What?””
Victoria looked at me.
“Proof.””
Nobody spoke.
“Proof of what?””
Victoria smiled.
“That your perfect family was never perfect.””
My mother’s face hardened.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.””
“Oh, I do.””
Victoria stepped closer.
“Adrian knew Daniel’s company was hiding illegal financial activity.””
My father froze.
“What?””
Everyone looked at him.
“What company?””
My mother looked at him.
“You didn’t know?””
His face changed.
“No.””
Victoria smiled.
“Interesting.””
My father looked at her.
“You knew?””
“I knew everything.””
Grandma Pearl shook her head.
“You built your entire life on secrets.””
Victoria looked at her.
“No.””
She pointed at me.
“She did.””
My mother looked exhausted.
“This isn’t about me.””
Victoria laughed.
“It’s always about you.””
Then she turned toward me.
“Lily, you want the truth?””
I stared at her.
“Yes.””
She smiled.
“Your mother didn’t lose you because of me.””
My mother whispered:
“Victoria.””
“She lost you because she chose a stranger over her family.””
My chest tightened.
“Is that true?””
My mother looked at me.
“No.””
The answer was immediate.
“I made mistakes.””
She swallowed.
“But I never chose anyone over you.””
Then something unexpected happened.
My father stepped forward.
“She’s telling the truth.””
Everyone looked at him.
He stared at the floor.
“I spent years blaming Elena.””
His voice shook.
“But I know her.””
He looked at my mother.
“I know she would have come back for Lily.””
My mother started crying.
Victoria looked annoyed.
Because the room was turning.
The blame was moving away from where she wanted it.
Then her phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
And smiled.
That smile returned.
The dangerous one.
“What?””
She listened.
Then her eyes moved to me.
“Good.””
My stomach dropped.
“Who was that?””
Victoria put the phone away.
“Someone who just found Adrian.””
My mother went pale.
“What?””
May you like
Victoria smiled.
“And he has something to tell Lily.””
