Chapter 6: The Truth Their Father Buried
Nobody spoke.
Even the wedding guests seemed afraid to breathe.
Amara stared at Marcus.
“From you?””
Marcus rubbed his palms against his trousers.
“That's not how I meant it.””
“Then explain what you meant.””
Denise stepped forward.
“Marcus, you need to stop.””
He looked at her.
“You wanted the truth. Here it is.””
Olivia shook her head.
“I don't understand. What does Amara have to do with you?””
Marcus looked at his younger daughter.
“Everything.””
Amara folded her arms.
“I'm listening.””
Marcus glanced at the guests.
“This isn't a conversation for an audience.””
Vanessa laughed.
“You didn't seem to mind when you made the entire family part of your secret.””
Daniel stepped toward him.
“You don't get to decide when we hear the truth anymore.””
The pastor quietly approached.
“Perhaps we should move this discussion into a private room.””
Olivia looked at Amara.
“Would you be comfortable with that?””
Amara nodded.
“Yes. But I want everybody who knows the truth in that room.””
She pointed toward Marcus.
“And nobody leaves until I get answers.””
Marcus looked defeated.
The pastor led them into a small room beside the church office. It had a wooden conference table, six chairs, a large window overlooking the parking lot, and a framed photograph of the church's original building.
Daniel helped Olivia sit down.
He removed his jacket and placed it around her shoulders.
“Are you cold?””
She shook her head.
“I'm just tired.””
“I know.””
He kissed her forehead.
“You don't have to pretend you're okay.””
Olivia looked at him.
“I'm afraid that when we finally learn everything, there won't be anything left of the family I thought I had.””
Daniel held her hand.
“Then we'll build something honest.””
Across the room, Amara stood near the window.
She hadn't sat down.
Vanessa placed her handbag on the table.
Margaret sat quietly, staring at her hands.
Marcus remained standing.
Denise finally broke the silence.
“Tell them about the letters.””
Marcus closed his eyes.
“Denise.””
“No. I'm done carrying this.””
She turned toward her daughters.
“Before the fire, your mother and I received letters from someone claiming that Amara's birth records were wrong.””
Amara frowned.
“Wrong how?””
Denise took a tissue from her handbag.
“She said Amara's biological father wasn't the man listed on her birth certificate.””
Olivia looked confused.
“But Daddy is listed as her father.””
Denise nodded.
“He was listed as her legal father.””
Marcus gripped the back of a chair.
“Denise, that's enough.””
Amara turned toward him.
“Was he my biological father?””
Nobody answered.
She looked at Denise.
“Mom?””
Denise began crying.
“No, sweetheart.””
Amara went completely still.
“Then who was?””
Denise looked toward Margaret.
Margaret's eyes filled.
Marcus suddenly sat down.
For the first time, he looked genuinely frightened.
Denise spoke quietly.
“Your biological father was Margaret's husband.””
Daniel's head snapped up.
“What?””
Margaret covered her mouth.
Olivia looked at Amara.
Amara didn't move.
She simply stared at the woman who had raised her.
“Your husband?”” she whispered.
Margaret nodded.
“Yes.””
Amara stepped backward.
“No.””
Margaret began crying.
“I am so sorry.””
“You knew?””
“Yes.””
“And you still adopted me?””
Margaret nodded again.
Amara shook her head.
“You knew who I was the whole time.””
Margaret tried to approach her.
“Please let me explain.””
Amara raised her hand.
“Don't touch me.””
Margaret stopped.
Daniel stared at his mother.
“Dad was Amara's biological father?””
Margaret nodded.
“Yes.””
Daniel stood up.
“Mom, you told me you and Dad never had children.””
Margaret looked at him.
“We didn't.””
“But Amara…”
“She was his daughter from before our marriage.””
Daniel's face hardened.
“Before your marriage?””
Margaret nodded.
“He had a relationship with Denise. It ended before I married him. When Amara was born, Marcus agreed to raise her as his own.””
Amara looked at Marcus.
“You knew?””
He nodded.
“I did.””
“Then why did you raise me?””
Marcus's voice broke.
“Because I loved you.””
“Then why did you send me away?””
He couldn't answer.
Denise stepped forward.
“Your father and I had agreed to keep the truth from you. We thought it would protect everybody.””
Amara laughed through her tears.
“Everybody except me.””
Olivia rose from her chair.
“Amara…”
Her sister turned.
“Did you know?””
Olivia shook her head.
“I swear I didn't.””
“Did Mom ever tell you?””
“No.””
Amara looked at Denise.
“Did you tell Olivia?””
Denise shook her head.
“No, sweetheart.””
“Then why did Olivia lose everything while everybody else got to keep their secrets?””
Nobody answered.
Vanessa leaned against the wall.
“I think there's still something missing.””
Margaret looked up.
“What?””
Vanessa opened her handbag and removed a small envelope.
“I found this in the documents your husband left behind.””
She placed it on the table.
Daniel looked at the handwriting.
It was familiar.
His father's handwriting.
Margaret reached for it.
Vanessa pulled it away.
“Not yet.””
“Vanessa, give me that.””
“No. We've spent enough time letting people decide what Amara deserves to know.””
She turned to Amara.
“This letter was written shortly before the fire.””
Amara stared at it.
“What does it say?””
Vanessa opened the envelope.
Inside was a single sheet of paper.
She began reading.
To Denise and Margaret,
If anything happens to me, I want Amara to know that I never stopped loving her. I know I made mistakes. I know I hurt people. But there is one thing I cannot allow Marcus to do.
Vanessa stopped.
Marcus's face had gone white.
“Keep reading,” he whispered.
Vanessa looked at him.
“You know what's coming?””
Marcus didn't answer.
She continued.
The documents in the bedroom prove who Amara's biological father is. They also prove that the money Marcus has been taking from the family trust was never legally his.
Daniel frowned.
“What money?””
Margaret looked at Marcus.
“That's impossible.””
Vanessa continued.
I discovered that Marcus had been transferring money from the children's trust into an account under another name. If he finds out I have the evidence, he may try to destroy it.
The room went silent.
Olivia looked at her father.
“Daddy, what children's trust?””
Marcus stood abruptly.
“That's enough!””
Amara didn't flinch.
“Sit down.””
“Amara, you don't understand.””
“I understand that you sent me away, lied about my father, and let me grow up believing I was unwanted.””
Marcus stared at her.
“You were never unwanted.””
“Then why did you do all of this?””
Marcus slammed his palm against the table.
“Because I was trying to keep this family together!””
Daniel stepped forward.
“By stealing from your own children?””
Marcus turned toward him.
“You have no idea what I sacrificed.””
“Then explain it.””
Marcus looked at the envelope.
His expression shifted.
For a moment, he seemed to consider telling them everything.
Then he looked at Olivia.
“You want the truth about the fire?””
Olivia nodded.
“Yes.””
Marcus lowered his voice.
“Your mother didn't start it.””
Denise covered her mouth.
“Marcus…”
He continued.
“But she knows who did.””
Olivia turned toward her mother.
“Mama?””
Denise shook her head.
“No. I didn't.””
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“You were the last person in that house before the fire started.””
Denise began crying.
“I went back for the documents!””
“What documents?”” Daniel asked.
“The original birth records,” Denise whispered.
Amara stared at her.
“Why?””
Denise looked directly at her youngest daughter.
“Because I had discovered something about your adoption.””
“What?””
Denise took a shaky breath.
“The papers Margaret signed weren't just guardianship papers.””
Margaret looked up sharply.
“Denise, what are you saying?””
Denise continued.
“They were adoption papers.””
Margaret stood.
“Yes. I adopted her.””
“No,” Denise whispered.
“You didn't.””
Margaret froze.
Denise looked at Amara.
“The adoption was never legally completed.””
The silence was immediate and absolute.
Amara looked at Margaret.
“What?””
Margaret slowly sat down.
Denise wiped her tears.
“Your name was changed. You were raised as a Brooks. But the final court order was never filed.””
Daniel looked at his mother.
“Is that true?””
Margaret couldn't answer.
Amara's voice trembled.
“So I'm not legally your daughter?””
Margaret finally spoke.
“You were always my daughter in every way that mattered.””
Amara shook her head.
“That's not what I asked.””
Margaret lowered her eyes.
“No.””
Amara stepped away from the table.
Olivia rose and moved toward her, but stopped before touching her.
“I'm here.””
Amara looked at her sister.
Then she turned toward Marcus.
“Who has the original papers?””
Marcus remained silent.
Denise answered.
“I hid them.””
“Where?””
Denise looked toward Olivia.
“In a place your father never thought to search.””
Olivia frowned.
“Where?””
Her mother took a deep breath.
“Inside your old wedding jewelry box. The one you brought with you today.””
Olivia stared.
She remembered the small ivory box her mother had given her that morning.
It was sitting inside her bridal bag in the church office.
Daniel looked toward the door.
“Then we need to get it.””
But before anyone could stand, Olivia's phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
A message appeared.
*Don't open that box. Your mother isn't telling you the whole truth.*
A second message arrived immediately afterward.
*The person who started the fire is still in this room.*
Olivia slowly lifted her eyes.
Everyone was watching her.
And then she noticed something.
Vanessa wasn't looking at the phone.
She was looking at the envelope.
More specifically, at the handwriting on the back.
Her face had turned completely white.
“That's impossible,” Vanessa whispered.
Daniel looked at her.
“What is?””
Vanessa pointed at the envelope.
“The person who wrote that letter…”
May you like
She swallowed.
“Was supposed to have died in the fire.””
