Chapter 10 - ETHAN’S REAL MOTHER
Ethan stared at Victoria.
“My what?”
No one breathed.
Victoria shook her head.
“No.”
Richard looked ready to collapse.
“Victoria…”
Maya turned toward him.
“You knew?”
Richard covered his face with one hand.
Ethan stepped backward.
“Dad.”
Richard didn’t answer.
“Dad!”
“Yes.”
The word landed like a bomb.
Ethan’s voice disappeared.
“What does ‘real mother’ mean?”
Richard looked at Victoria.
She said nothing.
So he did.
“Victoria didn’t give birth to you.”
Ethan laughed.
It wasn’t humor.
It was shock.
“That’s not funny.”
“I know.”
“Dad.”
“Your biological mother’s name was Rebecca Hale.”
Ethan stared at him.
“No.”
Maya moved closer, but Ethan raised one hand.
He needed space.
Richard continued.
“I dated Rebecca before I met Victoria. We separated before we knew she was pregnant.”
Victoria snapped, “Richard, stop.”
He ignored her.
“Rebecca contacted me when you were six months old. She was sick. She needed help.”
“What kind of sick?”
“Cancer.”
Ethan’s face crumpled.
Maya’s eyes filled.
Richard struggled to keep speaking.
“She asked me to take you if she didn’t survive.”
“And she didn’t?”
“No.”
Ethan looked at Victoria.
“You told me I was born early.”
Victoria’s eyes filled with tears.
“You were my son.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
“I raised you.”
“That’s not what I asked!”
Richard said, “Rebecca died when you were eleven months old.”
Ethan sank onto an old wooden chair.
His hands covered his face.
Maya crouched beside him.
This time, he let her touch his arm.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” he whispered.
Richard looked ashamed.
“I wanted to.”
Victoria laughed bitterly.
“No, you didn’t.”
“I did.”
“You liked the story too.”
“What story?”
“That we were perfect.”
Richard looked at her with disgust.
“You threatened to leave with Ethan.”
“I was his legal mother by then.”
“You made me choose.”
“And you chose.”
Ethan looked up.
“You both lied to me for thirty-one years.”
Neither parent answered.
Daniel’s recording was still playing.
His voice asked, “Why would Maya know anything about Ethan’s mother?”
Victoria replied:
“Her father worked at Pine Ridge. Rebecca was treated there before she died. Thomas saw records he wasn’t supposed to see.”
Thomas shook his head.
“That part is wrong.”
Everyone looked at him.
Victoria frowned.
Thomas continued.
“I didn’t see Rebecca’s medical records.”
“Then what did you see?” Maya asked.
Thomas stared at Victoria.
“I saw Victoria in Rebecca Hale’s room.”
Richard’s face changed.
“You never told me that.”
“I didn’t know who Rebecca was until years later.”
Ethan stood slowly.
“What was she doing there?”
Thomas swallowed.
“I don’t know.”
Victoria whispered, “Don’t.”
Thomas looked at Ethan.
“But Rebecca was crying.”
Ethan’s jaw clenched.
“And Victoria was holding adoption papers.”
Silence.
May you like
Then Thomas added:
“Rebecca kept saying she didn’t want to sign.”
