Chapter 14: The Man Behind the Lie
I didn’t believe Curtis.
I wanted to say that.
I wanted to tell myself that he was just manipulating me again.
That he was using another piece of my life as a weapon.
But the worst part was my mother’s reaction.
She didn’t look angry.
She looked terrified.
And that was enough.
“Mom.””
She closed her eyes.
“Jada…”
“No.””
I stepped away.
“Not another secret.””
Curtis watched silently.
Almost proudly.
Like he was enjoying the damage.
“You see?””
He looked at my mother.
“This is what happens when people hide the truth.””
I turned toward him.
“You don’t get to pretend you care about honesty.””
His smile faded.
“You don’t know anything about me.””
“I know enough.””
I held up the USB drive.
“You stole from my father.””
“You think that’s the whole story?””
“Yes.””
“Then you’re still blind.””
My mother stepped forward.
“Leave.””
Curtis looked at her.
“You’re choosing her?””
She stared back.
“I’m choosing the truth.””
For the first time, Curtis looked hurt.
Then angry.
“After everything I did for you?””
My mother laughed quietly.
A sad laugh.
“You didn’t do anything for me.””
The words surprised him.
“You made me afraid.””
She pointed at him.
“You made me think I owed you.””
His face hardened.
“You needed me.””
“No.””
She shook her head.
“I needed help. You needed control.””
The silence afterward was powerful.
Because my mother finally said what she should have said years ago.
Curtis stared at both of us.
Then walked away.
But before leaving, he turned back.
“This isn’t over.””
I watched him disappear.
And for the first time, I believed him.
Not because he was powerful.
Because desperate people do dangerous things.
We went straight to Thomas’s office.
He reviewed the USB drive.
The files loaded.
Financial records.
Emails.
Contracts.
Videos.
Everything my father had collected.
Thomas sat back.
“Daniel was thorough.””
My mother covered her mouth.
“Can this stop him?””
Thomas nodded.
“Yes.””
“How?””
“Because this proves fraud.””
I felt relief.
Small.
Temporary.
Then Thomas opened another file.
A video.
My father.
Alive.
Older.
Sitting behind his desk.
I froze.
“Dad.””
The room went silent.
Thomas looked at me.
“He recorded this three days before his surgery.””
My hands covered my mouth.
The video began.
Daniel looked directly into the camera.
“If you’re seeing this, then something happened.””
His voice.
His actual voice.
Not a memory.
Not something I imagined.
My knees almost gave out.
“Jada.””
I cried immediately.
He smiled.
“If you’re watching this, I need you to know something.””
The screen blurred through my tears.
“You were never a question to me.””
I held my breath.
“Not once.””
My mother started crying.
Daniel continued.
“Curtis may try to tell you things about your birth. He may try to make you doubt yourself.””
He paused.
“But the truth is simple.””
He smiled.
“I chose you.””
I broke.
The tears came harder.
Because those three words answered every fear I had.
Daniel chose me.
The video continued.
“I found Marcus.””
My mother looked at me.
Daniel continued.
“I found him because I wanted Jada to know her story someday.””
My heart raced.
“Marcus was not ready to be her father. But he was not a bad person.””
I frowned.
What?
Daniel continued.
“He left because he believed he was protecting her.””
I looked confused.
Thomas leaned forward.
“Keep watching.””
Daniel’s expression became serious.
“But Curtis contacted him years later.””
The room changed.
Daniel continued.
“He tried to use Marcus to create doubt.””
My heart pounded.
“For one reason.””
He looked directly into the camera.
“Because Marcus is not Jada’s biological father either.””
The room went silent.
I stopped breathing.
My mother whispered:
“What?””
Daniel continued.
“The man listed on the first birth record was not her father.””
My entire world shifted again.
“Then who?””
Daniel looked down.
Then back up.
“Jada’s biological father is someone Curtis never expected me to find.””
The video froze.
A loading circle appeared.
Thomas checked the file.
“What happened?””
“Corrupted.””
My heart sank.
“Can you fix it?””
“I’ll try.””
I stared at the screen.
Another truth hidden.
Another missing piece.
My phone buzzed.
A message.
Unknown number.
But this time, it wasn’t Curtis.
It was a name.
Marcus.
The message said:
*“I know Daniel finally told you.””*
My hands shook.
Another message appeared.
*“I’m sorry you had to find out this way.””*
Then:
*“But there’s something Daniel didn’t know.””*
I stared.
May you like
A final message arrived.
*“Curtis wasn’t the only person who lied to you.””*