Chapter 7: The Price of Abandonment
Olivia read the document three times.
Then she looked at Richard.
“What's this?””
Richard sat across from her, his hands folded on the table.
“It's an agreement your mother kept after Marcus left.””
Olivia looked down again.
The document was dated fifteen years earlier.
Her biological father's signature appeared at the bottom.
Beside it was another signature.
Denise Reed.
The title read:
*VOLUNTARY TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS AND FINANCIAL SETTLEMENT.*
Olivia's mouth went dry.
“What does this mean?””
Richard took a breath.
“It means Marcus agreed to surrender his parental rights.””
“Why?””
“Because he didn't want the responsibility of raising you.””
Olivia shook her head.
“No. He told me he was young. He told me he was scared.””
“He was young. And he was scared. But there was more to it.””
Richard turned the document toward her.
Olivia read the first paragraph.
Marcus had agreed to relinquish his legal parental rights in exchange for a financial settlement intended to cover Denise's medical expenses and Olivia's care.
The amount was $25,000.
She stared at the number.
“He was paid?””
Richard nodded.
“Your mother was sick. She needed money for treatment, and Marcus had offered to help if she agreed to the arrangement.””
“Did he actually give her the money?””
Richard looked down.
“Some of it.””
“How much?””
“Five thousand dollars.””
Olivia stared at him.
“Only five?””
“That's what your mother told me.””
She pushed the document away.
“Then why did she sign?””
Richard's voice softened.
“Because she was dying, Olivia. She wanted you to have a stable home. She wanted someone who would stay.””
Olivia covered her mouth.
Richard continued.
“Your mother didn't want you growing up waiting for a man who had already shown her he wasn't willing to be your father.””
Olivia's eyes filled.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because your mother asked me not to use that document against him. She said that if he ever came back, you should be allowed to decide whether you wanted a relationship with him.””
Olivia looked at the signature again.
“Even after this?””
Richard nodded.
“She believed people could change.””
Olivia gave a broken laugh.
“Apparently, she believed that more than I did.””
Richard reached for her hand.
“Your mother loved you. She didn't want this to become another reason for you to feel unwanted.””
Olivia pulled her hand back and stood.
She walked toward the window.
Outside, the garden was bright with afternoon sunlight.
The same garden where Richard had taught her to ride a bicycle.
The same garden where he had chased her around with a birthday cake when she was eight.
The same garden where he had promised that no matter what happened, she would always have a home.
She turned.
“Did Marcus know you had this?””
“Yes.””
“Did he know Mom kept it?””
“I believe so.””
“Then why did he come back?””
Richard didn't answer.
Olivia looked at the document again.
For the first time, she understood that the man she had spent weeks defending had not returned because he suddenly remembered how to be a father.
He had returned because he wanted something.
And now she needed to know exactly what.
The following morning, Olivia met Susan Miller, the attorney Richard had recommended.
Daniel came with her.
Susan examined the document carefully.
She checked the signatures, dates, and accompanying notarization records.
“This is significant,” she said.
Olivia leaned forward.
“Does it mean Marcus has no rights?””
“Based on this document, he voluntarily relinquished his parental rights. However, I need to verify the final court order and determine whether the agreement was properly incorporated into the legal proceedings.””
“Can he still claim to be my father?””
“He can describe himself as your biological father. That's a fact. But biological connection doesn't automatically give him legal authority over your finances or your wedding.””
Daniel looked at Olivia.
“That's what we were worried about.””
Susan continued.
“There's something else. The agreement references a separate payment schedule. I'd like to see the original financial records.””
Richard placed another envelope on the desk.
“I kept copies of everything Denise gave me.””
Susan opened it.
Inside were bank records, medical invoices, and correspondence between Denise and Marcus.
She read silently for several minutes.
Then she stopped.
“Mr. Bennett, where did you get these?””
“Denise gave them to me before she passed.””
Susan removed one particular letter.
It was dated three weeks after the parental-rights agreement.
Marcus had written to Denise.
I understand that the arrangement is final. I won't be involved in Olivia's upbringing. Please don't contact me again about financial support.
Olivia felt her stomach turn.
“He wrote that?””
Susan nodded.
Daniel reached for her hand.
Olivia stared at the page.
The man who had told her he spent twenty years regretting his absence had once specifically asked not to be contacted about his daughter.
Susan placed the letter back inside the folder.
“I'm going to request certified copies of the court records. In the meantime, do not sign anything Marcus sends you.””
Olivia nodded.
“I won't.””
“And don't transfer any money.””
“I won't.””
Susan looked at Richard.
“Have you ever received any contact from Marcus since the adoption?””
Richard shook his head.
“Not until recently.””
Susan made a note.
“Then we need to understand what triggered his return.””
That afternoon, Olivia received a call from Marcus.
She stared at the screen.
Daniel was sitting beside her.
“Do you want me to answer?”” he asked.
She shook her head.
“I need to do this myself.””
She accepted the call.
“Hello.””
Marcus sounded cheerful.
“There's my girl. I've been trying to reach you.””
“What do you want?””
He paused.
“That's no way to talk to your father.””
“Did you sign an agreement giving up your parental rights?””
Silence.
Then Marcus laughed.
“Who showed you that?””
“My mother.””
“Your mother was angry with me. You know how complicated things were.””
“Did you take money in exchange for leaving?””
“I didn't take money. I received a settlement.””
“You were supposed to receive twenty-five thousand dollars.””
“That was an arrangement between adults.””
“She gave you five thousand.””
Marcus sighed.
“Olivia, you don't understand what happened back then.””
“Then explain it.””
“I was struggling. I couldn't provide the kind of life you deserved.””
“So you left.””
“I made a difficult decision.””
“You wrote that you never wanted to be contacted about me again.””
His voice sharpened.
“Your mother had no right to keep those letters.””
Olivia closed her eyes.
“Did you ever regret it?””
“Of course I regretted it.””
“Then why didn't you come back sooner?””
Marcus was quiet.
Finally, he said, “I had to get my life together.””
“Did you?””
Another silence.
“I'm trying, Olivia.””
She looked at Daniel.
Then she asked the question that had been sitting inside her since she found the document.
“Did you come back because you love me, or because you needed money?””
Marcus's response was immediate.
“How can you even ask me that?””
“Answer me.””
“You're being cruel.””
Olivia felt tears running down her cheeks.
“Goodbye, Marcus.””
She ended the call.
Her hands shook.
Daniel wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
She leaned against him.
“I wanted him to love me,” she whispered.
Daniel kissed her forehead.
“I know.””
“I wanted him to come back and tell me he had been looking for me.””
Daniel said nothing.
Because there was nothing he could say that would make the truth hurt less.
Two days later, Susan received the certified court records.
The agreement had been properly filed.
Marcus had voluntarily relinquished his parental rights.
But the records revealed something even more important.
A second financial document had been attached to the original agreement.
It showed that Marcus had received a final payment of $5,000.
The remaining $20,000 had been scheduled in installments.
Only one installment had ever been made.
The rest had never been paid.
Olivia stared at the records.
“So he didn't even fulfill the agreement?””
Susan shook her head.
“No.””
Richard sat beside her.
“Your mother never pursued him. She was too ill.””
Olivia's eyes filled.
“Did she know he wouldn't pay?””
Richard nodded.
“I think she did.””
Olivia looked at him.
“Then why did she keep believing he could change?””
Richard took her hand.
“Because she was your mother. She wanted to believe the best about the man who gave you half your DNA.””
Olivia wiped her cheeks.
“I'm going to confront him.””
Susan looked concerned.
“Do you think that's wise?””
“I don't want another conversation where he tells me I'm confused.””
Richard nodded slowly.
“Then make sure someone goes with you.””
Olivia looked at Daniel.
He nodded.
“I'll be there.””
Marcus was waiting at his apartment when Olivia arrived.
He looked irritated.
“I hope you've come to your senses.””
Olivia placed the certified documents on his coffee table.
“I know everything.””
Marcus glanced at the papers.
Then he laughed.
“Your mother really kept those?””
“Yes.””
He picked up the agreement.
“This is ancient history.””
“You signed away your rights.””
“I signed an agreement during a difficult period.””
“You accepted money.””
“I didn't get what I was promised.””
“You got five thousand dollars.””
Marcus threw the paper onto the table.
“Do you know what your mother put me through?””
Olivia stared at him.
“She was dying.””
“And I was struggling!””
Daniel stepped forward.
“Watch your mouth.””
Marcus pointed at him.
“This doesn't concern you.””
“It concerns my fiancée.””
Marcus laughed.
“Your fiancée? You think you're going to marry into that family and get a piece of the money?””
Daniel's expression hardened.
“I'm not interested in your money.””
Marcus looked at Olivia.
“You see? This is what I've been telling you. Everybody wants something from you.””
Olivia shook her head.
“No, Marcus. You're the one who keeps asking for things.””
Marcus stood.
“I came back because I wanted to know my daughter.””
“Then why did you ask for access to my inheritance?””
“I was going to invest it!””
“Why did you try to take the wedding money?””
“I was going to repay it!””
“Why did you use my signature?””
Marcus stopped.
For the first time, he had no immediate answer.
Olivia stepped closer.
“You told me Richard couldn't be my real father because he wasn't related to me by blood.””
Marcus looked away.
“But he never once asked me for anything. Not money. Not gratitude. Not even the right to be called Dad.””
Her voice broke.
“You came back and asked for fifty-two thousand dollars.””
Marcus's face turned red.
“You have no idea what I've been through.””
Olivia picked up her purse.
“No. But now I know what you did to me.””
She walked toward the door.
Marcus called after her.
“Olivia!””
She stopped but didn't turn.
“You'll regret turning your back on your real father!””
She looked over her shoulder.
“I already regret giving you the chance to pretend.””
Then she left.
That evening, Olivia returned home to find Richard in the backyard.
He was repairing a loose wooden bench.
She stood at the patio door for several seconds.
“Dad?””
Richard looked up.
“Hey, sweetheart.””
She walked toward him.
“Can I ask you something?””
“Anything.””
“Would you still have raised me if you knew I would grow up and hurt you like this?””
Richard put down his screwdriver.
He looked at her for a long moment.
Then he smiled sadly.
“Olivia, I didn't adopt you because I knew what kind of person you'd become.””
He paused.
“I adopted you because you were a little girl who needed someone.””
Her eyes filled.
Richard continued.
“Loving you was never a business decision.””
She wrapped her arms around him.
This time, she didn't let go quickly.
“I want you to walk me down the aisle.””
Richard closed his eyes.
He held her as the evening breeze moved through the garden.
“Are you sure?””
Olivia nodded against his shoulder.
“I've never been more sure of anything.””
Richard's voice cracked.
“Then it would be my greatest honor.””
But the wedding was only four days away.
And Marcus Reed had not finished causing trouble.
Because the following morning, Susan received a call from a man claiming to represent Marcus.
He said Marcus was preparing to take legal action.
And he had one piece of evidence that could turn the entire family against Richard.
May you like
A recording.
A recording allegedly made fifteen years earlier.
