Chapter 6 - The Name in the PurseMaya stared at Tara.
“My real father?”
The words barely left her mouth.
Marcus looked as though someone had struck him.
Victor remained calm.
Ethan looked away.
And Tara—
Tara looked terrified.
Maya took one step toward her.
“What did he mean?”
Tara shook her head.
“He’s trying to destroy this family.”
“Answer me.”
“Maya—”
“Answer me!”
Her voice cracked through the room.
Tara flinched.
Marcus turned to his wife.
“Open the purse.”
Tara hugged it against her chest.
“No.”
Marcus stepped closer.
“Now.”
“You don’t understand.”
“I understand enough.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Then explain.”
Tara looked at Victor.
He gave her a small, knowing smile.
That seemed to break something inside her.
She slowly placed the purse on the dresser.
Maya stood beside Marcus.
“Open it.”
Tara’s fingers trembled as she unfastened the clasp.
She removed the wallet.
A lipstick.
Keys.
Receipts.
A small bottle of perfume.
Then she stopped.
Her fingers disappeared into the deepest compartment.
She pulled out another envelope.
This one was white.
No name.
No date.
Just a single black mark across the front.
Maya stared at it.
“That?”
Tara didn't answer.
Marcus reached for it.
Tara pulled it back.
“Please.”
Marcus looked at her.
“You’ve lied to me for fifteen years.”
His voice was quiet.
“Don’t ask me for another favor.”
Tara slowly handed over the envelope.
Marcus opened it.
Inside was a birth certificate.
Maya leaned closer.
Marcus read the first line.
Then the second.
Then he closed his eyes.
Maya’s hands went cold.
“What does it say?”
Marcus did not answer.
She reached for it.
“Dad.”
He let her take it.
Maya looked down.
Her name was there.
Maya Elena Carter.
Mother: Elena Carter.
Father—
Her eyes stopped.
The room blurred.
“No.”
She looked again.
The name was still there.
Ethan Carter.
Maya looked up.
Her gaze found Ethan.
He was standing completely still.
Marcus's voice broke.
“Ethan…”
Ethan closed his eyes.
Maya couldn't breathe.
“You’re my father?”
Ethan opened his eyes.
“Yes.”
The word seemed to echo through the room.
Maya stumbled backward.
“No.”
Ethan moved toward her.
“Maya—”
“Don’t.”
She raised a hand.
He stopped.
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“Since before you were born.”
Maya turned toward Marcus.
“And you?”
Marcus shook his head.
“I didn’t know.”
She looked at Tara.
“You knew.”
Tara nodded through tears.
“Yes.”
“Did Mom know?”
“She knew.”
Maya pressed a hand against her mouth.
Her entire childhood suddenly felt like a collection of carefully arranged lies.
Every birthday.
Every school play.
Every Christmas morning.
Every time she asked about her mother.
All of it.
“You let me believe Marcus was my father.”
Tara whispered, “I thought it was safer.”
“For who?”
“For you.”
Maya laughed.
It came out broken.
“You don’t get to say that anymore.”
Tara lowered her eyes.
Ethan took a step forward.
“I wanted to tell you.”
“When?”
“I tried.”
“When?”
“When you were sixteen.”
Maya stared at him.
“You were there?”
He nodded.
“Outside your school.”
“You saw me?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you come inside?”
“Because Victor was watching.”
Victor smiled.
“You should be thanking me.”
Maya turned on him.
“You don't get to speak.”
Victor ignored her.
“I kept your father alive.”
“By making him disappear?”
“By making sure nobody found him.”
Ethan glared at him.
“You abducted me.”
“I protected you.”
“You imprisoned me.”
“I prevented your death.”
Marcus stepped between them.
“Enough.”
He looked at Ethan.
“Start from the beginning.”
Ethan nodded.
“Your mother and I met before you were born.”
Maya stared.
“We were in love.”
Tara looked away.
Ethan noticed.
“I know what Tara told you.”
Marcus frowned.
“What did Tara tell her?”
Ethan's jaw tightened.
“She told Maya your marriage began after Elena abandoned you.”
Maya looked at Tara.
“Is that what happened?”
Tara shook her head.
“No.”
Ethan continued.
“Elena never abandoned Marcus.”
Marcus looked stunned.
“We were never divorced.”
Maya frowned.
“Then why did everyone say she left?”
“Because Victor needed people to believe she was gone.”
Victor’s face remained expressionless.
Ethan continued.
“Your grandfather had discovered that Elena and I were together. He hated me.”
Marcus stared.
“My father knew?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because he had plans for Elena.”
Maya’s voice was small.
“What plans?”
Ethan looked at her.
“He wanted custody of you.”
“Why?”
“Because you were the heir.”
Marcus frowned.
“Of what?”
“Your grandfather had moved assets into Elena’s name. If she died, they would pass to you.”
Maya looked at the birth certificate.
“So he wanted me?”
Ethan nodded.
“Not you.”
“The money.”
“Yes.”
Tara whispered, “That’s why Elena ran.”
Maya turned.
“And you helped her?”
Tara wiped her cheeks.
“Yes.”
“Then why did you marry Dad?”
Tara closed her eyes.
“That wasn’t the plan.”
Marcus stared at her.
“What wasn't?”
“Your father died suddenly. The company was collapsing. Everything was falling apart.”
“You could have left.”
“I tried.”
“Then why didn't you?”
Tara looked at Maya.
“Because Elena asked me to stay.”
Maya's expression changed.
“Why?”
“To protect you.”
“But you treated me like I was a burden.”
Tara's eyes filled again.
“I was afraid that if I got too close to you, they would notice.”
“So you pushed me away.”
“Yes.”
“You accused me of things.”
“I needed everyone to think I hated you.”
Maya stared at her.
“That doesn't make sense.”
“It does if you know what Victor does to people he thinks are loyal.”
Victor said nothing.
Tara continued.
“I had to make it look like I wanted you gone.”
Maya's voice shook.
“You told Dad to throw me out tonight.”
Tara nodded.
“Because I needed you out of the house.”
“Why?”
Tara looked at the purse.
“Because they were coming.”
Marcus turned.
“Who?”
Tara didn’t answer.
A sharp sound came from downstairs.
A window breaking.
Everyone froze.
Victor immediately reached for the back of a chair.
Ethan grabbed Maya.
“Stay behind me.”
Marcus moved toward the hall.
“Tara.”
She whispered one word.
“They found us.”
Another window shattered.
Maya heard footsteps outside.
Then another.
Then another.
Victor's calm expression vanished.
“Get down.”
They dropped just as something struck the wall near the staircase.
Marcus shouted.
“Who are they?”
Victor looked toward the broken window.
“My people.”
Maya stared at him.
“Your people?”
Victor nodded.
“They were supposed to arrive tomorrow.”
Ethan glared.
“You brought them here?”
“No.”
“Then who did?”
Victor looked at Tara.
Tara’s face went pale.
Marcus noticed.
“You called them?”
“No.”
“Then how did they know?”
Tara looked toward the purse.
“The tracker.”
Maya's stomach dropped.
“You put a tracker in my purse?”
“No.”
Tara stared at the purse.
“Not yours.”
She pointed to the black leather bag.
“Mine.”
Marcus understood.
“You were being tracked.”
Tara nodded.
“By Victor.”
Victor’s expression hardened.
“I told you to destroy that.”
“I couldn't.”
“Why?”
“Because it was the only thing I had left.”
Ethan grabbed the purse.
“What thing?”
Tara said nothing.
He opened the inner compartment.
A tiny electronic device blinked red.
Ethan ripped it free and threw it onto the floor.
Victor stared at it.
“They’re already here.”
Maya looked through the broken window.
Two black cars had stopped outside.
Men were getting out.
Marcus locked the bedroom door.
“We need another way out.”
Ethan pointed toward the closet.
“There’s an attic hatch.”
Maya looked at him.
“How do you know?”
“I built this house.”
Marcus stared.
“My father did.”
“Your father designed it. I built parts of it.”
Ethan pulled aside a shelf.
A narrow wooden panel shifted.
Behind it was a dark opening.
Maya looked at Tara.
“You knew this was here too?”
Tara nodded.
“My mother showed me.”
Maya froze.
“My mother?”
Tara looked at her.
“Elena came back here once.”
“When?”
“Six months after everyone thought she was gone.”
Maya's breath caught.
“She's alive?”
Nobody answered.
Maya stared at Tara.
“She's alive?”
Ethan looked at the floor.
Victor said nothing.
Marcus whispered, “Tara…”
Tara finally spoke.
“She was alive when I last saw her.”
Maya gripped the edge of the dresser.
“When was that?”
“Fourteen years ago.”
Maya's eyes filled with tears.
“You said she was dead.”
“I know.”
“Where is she?”
Tara looked at Ethan.
Ethan said quietly, “That's what we've been trying to find out.”
A heavy bang shook the bedroom door.
Everyone jumped.
A man's voice came from the hallway.
“Open the door!”
Another bang.
The lock groaned.
Victor looked at the attic opening.
“We have seconds.”
Maya climbed through first.
Ethan followed.
Marcus came next.
Tara hesitated.
She looked at Victor.
He stood alone in the bedroom.
“Come on,” Marcus said.
Tara moved toward the hatch.
Then Victor spoke.
“Tara.”
She stopped.
He looked directly at her.
“You know what happens if you leave with them.”
Tara’s face went pale.
Maya waited in the darkness above.
“Come on!”
Tara climbed through.
Ethan pulled the panel closed just as the bedroom door burst open.
Maya covered her mouth to keep from screaming.
Below them, men stormed the room.
Victor stood in the middle.
One of them asked, “Where are they?”
Victor looked toward the attic.
Then slowly smiled.
“They’re gone.”
Maya looked at Ethan.
He motioned for silence.
They crawled through the narrow attic passage.
Dust filled the air.
After several yards, Maya stopped.
There was something carved into one of the wooden beams.
A name.
She wiped away the dust.
Her heart stopped.
It wasn't Ethan's name.
It wasn't Marcus's.
It was her mother's.
ELENA.
May you like
Underneath it were four words.
I CAME BACK FOR YOU.