Chapter 6: The Lie With My Name On It
I stared at the signature.
My signature.
My name.
My handwriting.
Except I had never written it.
“No.””
The word came out before I even realized I had spoken.
The man looked at me.
“Maya, you need to understand—”
“No.””
I grabbed the paper.
My hands shook.
“That isn’t mine.””
He remained calm.
“Are you sure?””
“Yes.””
I looked at every curve of the letters.
Every line.
Every detail.
Someone had copied me.
Someone had stolen my identity.
My father took the document from my hands.
“You expect us to believe she signed this?””
The man shrugged.
“I’m not asking you to believe anything.””
“Then why are you here?””
“To prevent this from becoming a bigger problem.””
Daniel laughed.
“A bigger problem? Someone forged an eighteen-year-old girl’s signature.””
The man looked at him.
“Careful.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“Or what?””
The man smiled.
“Or you’ll discover that your own past isn’t as clean as you think.””
The room froze.
Daniel’s expression changed.
My father noticed.
“What does that mean?””
Daniel didn’t answer.
I looked between them.
“What aren’t you telling me?””
Daniel looked away.
That hurt.
Because even after everything, there were still secrets.
“Daniel?””
He sighed.
“There’s something I should have told you.””
I felt exhausted.
“How many more things are there?””
Nobody answered.
The man in the coat placed another folder on the table.
“Your family has been hiding things for years.””
My father looked at him.
“Who are you?””
“Marcus Vale.””
“Why should we trust you?””
“You shouldn’t.””
That answer surprised me.
Marcus continued.
“But you should listen.””
My father crossed his arms.
“Talk.””
Marcus opened the folder.
“Nicole contacted me three weeks ago.””
My mother’s face changed.
“That’s not true.””
Marcus looked at her.
“Do you want me to show them the messages?””
She went silent.
My father looked at her.
“You contacted him?””
Nicole whispered:
“I needed help.””
“With what?””
She looked at me.
And I knew.
The trust fund.
“The money.””
My father closed his eyes.
“Unbelievable.””
“I wasn’t trying to steal from her.””
“Then what were you trying to do?””
Nicole started crying.
“I was drowning.””
The words came out quietly.
“I had debts.””
Nobody spoke.
“I thought I could borrow from the account.””
I stared.
“Borrow?””
She looked at me.
“I would have paid it back.””
“When?””
She didn’t answer.
That was the answer.
My father looked disgusted.
“You were willing to risk your daughter’s future.””
“I was desperate.””
“You were selfish.””
The words hurt because they were true.
Marcus closed the folder.
“There’s more.””
I almost laughed.
Of course there was.
“What?””
He looked at me.
“The signature wasn’t the only thing forged.””
My father looked at him.
“What else?””
Marcus pulled out a photograph.
He placed it on the table.
It was old.
A hospital room.
A baby.
And three adults.
My mother.
Daniel.
And another woman I didn’t recognize.
I picked up the photo.
“Who is she?””
Nobody spoke.
Then Daniel whispered:
“That’s my sister.””
I looked at him.
“Why was she there when I was born?””
His face went pale.
Because he knew the answer.
My father looked at Nicole.
“What happened the day Maya was born?””
Nicole started shaking.
“I made a mistake.””
“A mistake?””
She covered her face.
“I was afraid.””
My father stepped closer.
“Afraid of what?””
She looked at me.
And the pain in her eyes was almost worse than anger.
“Afraid that you would leave me.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Daniel stared at the photo.
Then quietly said:
“Because your father wasn’t the only person who found out about the DNA test.””
I felt my heartbeat change.
“What?””
Daniel looked at me.
“Someone else knew.””
“Who?””
He hesitated.
Then said:
“Your grandfather.””
My breath stopped.
“My grandfather?””
He nodded.
“He knew Richard wasn’t your biological father.””
My father went completely still.
“And he never told me?””
Daniel looked down.
“No.””
The room became unbearable.
My entire life had been built on a secret.
And suddenly I realized something worse.
Everyone knew.
Except me.
Then Marcus’s phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
His expression changed.
“What?””
A pause.
Then he looked directly at me.
“Maya.””
I stood.
“What?””
He slowly lowered the phone.
“The person who forged your signature just confessed.””
My heart raced.
“Who?””
Marcus looked at Nicole.
“No.””
My mother whispered.
“Please.””
Marcus said the name.
May you like
And my entire world collapsed.
“It was your father.””
