Chapter 7: The Signature That Destroyed My Marriage
I didn't leave Ella's room immediately.
I couldn't.
She had fallen asleep against my chest, one hand wrapped around the sleeve of my jacket. Every few minutes, she shifted and whispered something in her sleep.
Once, she said, "Don't let Grandma take me.""
I held her a little tighter.
Dr. Bennett waited outside.
When I finally stepped into the hallway, she handed me the document again.
"There's a reason I kept this.""
I looked at the signature.
"Why?""
"Because I questioned it.""
"Did you report it?""
"I tried. Your father produced a legal authorization, medical assessments, and a statement from Vanessa confirming that you had agreed to the arrangement.""
I stared at her.
"Why would you accept that?""
"I didn't. I kept asking questions.""
She lowered her voice.
"Then one evening, Vanessa came to see me without your father.""
I looked up.
"What did she say?""
"She told me the document was forged. She said you had no idea Ella was alive.""
My jaw tightened.
"Why didn't you call me?""
"I asked her for your number. She refused.""
"Why?""
"She said your father was monitoring your communications. She believed he would move Ella if he discovered she had spoken to me.""
I rubbed my face.
"Then why didn't she come here with me?""
Dr. Bennett looked away.
"Because she had something to lose.""
"What?""
"Her other daughter.""
I looked through the glass window at Ella.
My little girl was sleeping with her rabbit.
Four years.
Four years of birthdays.
First words.
First steps.
And I had missed all of them.
"Can I take her home?""
Dr. Bennett hesitated.
"Not tonight. We need to verify the legal situation and make sure your father cannot interfere.""
I nodded.
Then I asked the question that had been burning inside me.
"Who signed the forged document?""
She pointed to the witness line.
"Your wife.""
My mother and I drove home separately from the facility.
I couldn't look at her.
She had known too much.
Everyone had known too much.
When I entered the house, Lily and Emily were sitting on the living room carpet.
Vanessa was beside them.
She stood as soon as she saw me.
"Did you see her?""
I walked past her.
"Yes.""
"Is she okay?""
"She's alive.""
Vanessa covered her mouth.
I turned.
"Why did you sign my name?""
Her face went pale.
"What?""
"The transfer document. The one that said I approved Ella's placement.""
She looked toward my mother.
My mother lowered her eyes.
Vanessa sat down slowly.
"Ryan, I didn't sign your name.""
"You witnessed it.""
She closed her eyes.
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because your father told me it was the only way to keep her safe.""
"Safe?""
I pointed toward the hallway.
"She was raised believing I abandoned her!""
Vanessa began crying.
"He said you would hate her.""
"Why would I hate my own daughter?""
"Because he told me she wasn't yours.""
I stopped.
"What?""
Vanessa stood again.
"He told me the twins had different fathers.""
I stared at her.
"That doesn't even make sense.""
"He said one of the babies had been conceived before we were together. He said Ella wasn't biologically yours.""
I laughed bitterly.
"And you believed that?""
"No. But I was afraid.""
I walked toward the kitchen.
Vanessa followed.
"Ryan, there's something I haven't told you.""
I turned.
"Of course there is.""
She took a shaky breath.
"The night Ella was born, your father told me that Lily was the only child I would be allowed to raise.""
"Why?""
"He said the family had a responsibility to protect one of the girls.""
"Protect her from what?""
Vanessa looked toward the living room.
"From the other children.""
I stared.
"Which children?""
She hesitated.
"Emily wasn't the first.""
A chill moved through me.
"What?""
Vanessa sat at the kitchen table.
"Your father had been keeping records of children for years. Some were related to him. Some were adopted. Some were taken from families who couldn't fight back.""
I gripped the counter.
"How many?""
"I don't know.""
"Guess.""
She shook her head.
"At least seven.""
My mother appeared in the doorway.
"Eight.""
Vanessa looked up.
My mother held a folder.
"I found this in the study.""
She placed it on the table.
Inside were eight photographs.
Eight children.
Different ages.
Different faces.
Each had the same crescent-shaped mark beneath the left ear.
I stared at them.
"Who are they?""
My mother sat down.
"Children your father believed belonged to his bloodline.""
Vanessa pointed to one photograph.
"That boy is Daniel. He disappeared when he was five.""
Another.
"That girl is Sophie. Her parents were told she died during surgery.""
I felt sick.
"Why the birthmark?""
My mother turned a page.
"Your father believed it was an inherited genetic marker. He became obsessed with tracing it.""
I looked at the photographs again.
Then I noticed something.
A ninth photograph was tucked behind the others.
It showed a little boy sitting on a hospital bed.
He looked about eight.
His hair was blond.
His eyes were blue.
But beneath his left ear was the familiar crescent.
I turned the photograph over.
There was a name.
*JAMES MORGAN.*
My mother gasped.
"Where did you find that?""
"In the folder.""
She shook her head.
"That's impossible.""
"Who is he?""
She looked at me.
"Your brother.""
I stared.
"My brother?""
"I thought he died before you were born.""
Vanessa looked at the photograph.
Then she whispered something that made my mother drop the folder.
"I know that boy.""
I turned.
"How?""
Vanessa's eyes filled.
"He was at the facility.""
I stepped toward her.
"When?""
"Two years ago. Your father introduced him as a patient.""
"Was he alive?""
She nodded.
"Yes.""
My mother covered her mouth.
"James was your father's first child with another woman. He was supposed to have died when he was eight.""
I looked at the photograph.
"Then why is he still there?""
Vanessa shook her head.
"I don't know.""
My phone rang.
Dr. Bennett.
I answered immediately.
"What's wrong?""
Her voice was hurried.
"Mr. Morgan, you need to return to the facility.""
"Why?""
"Someone has entered Ella's room.""
My blood went cold.
"Who?""
She paused.
Then I heard a child crying in the background.
"Your wife's mother.""
I looked at Vanessa.
Her face drained of color.
Dr. Bennett continued.
"She has presented a court order. She's claiming Ella was unlawfully removed from her custody.""
I gripped the phone.
"Don't let her take my daughter.""
"We're trying.""
Then came a loud crash.
Dr. Bennett shouted something to someone.
The call disconnected.
I grabbed my keys.
Vanessa caught my arm.
"Ryan, wait.""
I turned.
She was crying.
"Your father didn't send my mother to get Ella.""
"Then who did?""
Vanessa looked directly into my eyes.
"I did.""
I couldn't move.
May you like
She whispered:
"Because she knows where the other children are.""
