Chapter 6: The Father Nobody Was Allowed to Know
The woman’s name was Dr. Laura Bennett.
And for the first five minutes after she revealed it, nobody spoke.
Not Dominic.
Not Clare.
Not Vincent.
Even the forest seemed to hold its breath.
Rain dripped from the trees around them.
The woman stood in the middle of the muddy path, exhausted, frightened, and somehow relieved.
Like she had spent four years running toward this exact moment.
Clare was the first to move.
“You.””
Her voice was barely a whisper.
Dr. Bennett looked at her.
“I’m sorry.””
“No.””
Clare shook her head.
“No, you don’t get to say that.””
Tears filled her eyes.
“You disappeared.””
The doctor looked down.
“I had to.””
“You left me alone.””
“I was trying to protect you.””
“You let me believe everyone was lying.””
Dr. Bennett swallowed.
“I was trying to keep Ellie alive.””
The name changed everything.
Because every conversation came back to the same person.
A little girl who had no idea that powerful adults were fighting over secrets connected to her birth.
Dominic stepped forward.
“Start explaining.””
Dr. Bennett looked at him.
“You’re Dominic Vale.””
“Yes.””
She gave a sad smile.
“I never thought I’d meet you.””
“Why?””
“Because Ethan always said if you ever learned the truth, it meant something had gone very wrong.””
Dominic’s expression hardened.
“Ethan trusted me?””
“He did.””
“Then why didn’t he tell me?””
“Because he knew you would try to fix it.””
Dominic frowned.
“And?””
“He knew Adrian would use that against you.””
The name hung between them.
Adrian.
Again.
Always Adrian.
Dominic looked at Vincent.
“Bring her to the cabin.””
Inside the cabin, Dr. Bennett sat near the fireplace.
She held a cup of water but barely touched it.
Clare sat across from her.
Dominic remained standing.
Waiting.
He had spent his entire life learning how to make people talk.
But this time, he didn’t need pressure.
The woman looked like someone who had been carrying a confession too heavy for one person.
“I delivered Ellie.””
Clare looked away.
“You were there.””
“Yes.””
“Then tell him.””
Dr. Bennett nodded.
She looked at Dominic.
“Four years ago, I worked in the maternity department at Vale Medical Center.””
Dominic listened carefully.
“At the time, I noticed irregularities.””
“Meaning?””
“Records disappearing.””
“Like Ellie’s?””
“Yes.””
“How many?””
Dr. Bennett hesitated.
“Six.””
The room went silent.
“Six children?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“I don’t know.””
Dominic’s eyes narrowed.
“You expect me to believe someone altered six birth records and nobody knew why?””
“No.””
Her answer surprised him.
“I believe someone knew exactly why.””
“Who?””
Dr. Bennett looked at him.
“Adrian Vale.””
Clare closed her eyes.
Dominic remained still.
“What was he doing?””
“He was creating new identities.””
“For children?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“I don’t know.””
Dominic slammed his hand onto the table.
The sudden movement made everyone jump.
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
His voice was controlled.
Too controlled.
“I don’t know.””
He looked at Dr. Bennett.
“You were the doctor.””
“I was.””
“You saw the files.””
“Yes.””
“You saw Adrian’s involvement.””
“Yes.””
“Then why don’t you know?””
The doctor looked down.
“Because I wasn’t supposed to see anything.””
The answer stopped him.
“What does that mean?””
She took a deep breath.
“It means I was only supposed to deliver babies.””
She looked at Clare.
“I wasn’t supposed to ask questions.””
“But you did.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Dr. Bennett looked toward the window.
“Because one night, I delivered a baby who wasn’t supposed to exist.””
Dominic’s expression changed.
“Ellie?””
“No.””
The answer surprised him.
“Then who?””
The doctor’s voice became quiet.
“A baby boy.””
Nobody spoke.
“He was listed as deceased within thirty minutes of birth.””
Clare frowned.
“But he was alive.””
“Yes.””
“Who changed the record?””
Dr. Bennett looked at Dominic.
“Adrian.””
Dominic felt a cold sensation.
“What happened to the baby?””
“I don’t know.””
Again.
That phrase.
But this time, Dominic heard something different.
A person who knew enough to be afraid.
“Why were the records changed?””
Dr. Bennett looked at Clare.
“Because Adrian wasn’t trying to erase children.””
She paused.
“He was trying to erase bloodlines.””
The room went quiet.
Dominic stared.
“What does that mean?””
“It means he was changing who people belonged to.””
Clare looked confused.
“Why?””
Dr. Bennett’s eyes moved to Dominic.
“Because in families like yours, names are power.””
Dominic understood.
A Vale name could open doors.
Close doors.
Create enemies.
Create alliances.
But a child with the right name…
Could change everything.
“Who is Ellie’s father?””
The doctor looked at Clare.
Then back at Dominic.
“That depends on which record you believe.””
Dominic’s patience disappeared.
“No.””
His voice was low.
“You came here. You found us. You followed us into the woods.””
He stepped closer.
“You don’t get to speak in riddles.””
Dr. Bennett nodded slowly.
“You’re right.””
She reached into her bag.
And removed a small envelope.
“I kept this because I knew someday someone would need proof.””
She handed it to Dominic.
Inside was a DNA report.
The paper was old.
Folded many times.
Dominic scanned the first page.
Then stopped.
His eyes moved again.
Then again.
Because the result was impossible.
Clare noticed his expression.
“What?””
Dominic didn’t answer.
She stood.
“What does it say?””
He looked at her.
The words felt heavier than they should.
“Ethan Cross was not Ellie’s biological father.””
Clare froze.
The room went silent.
“No.””
Her voice cracked.
“No, that’s impossible.””
Dr. Bennett looked at her with sympathy.
“I’m sorry.””
Clare shook her head.
“You’re wrong.””
“I wish I was.””
Dominic looked back at the document.
The result was clear.
Ethan was not the father.
“Then who is?””
Nobody answered.
The silence was unbearable.
Finally, Dr. Bennett whispered:
“Dominic.””
He looked up.
“Yes?””
She looked terrified.
“Ellie’s biological father is a Vale.””
The drive back to Chicago was silent.
Clare sat in the passenger seat.
Dominic drove.
Neither spoke.
The city lights appeared in the distance.
But the closer they got, the heavier the silence became.
Finally, Clare whispered:
“Do you think Ethan knew?””
Dominic kept his eyes on the road.
“Yes.””
“How?””
“Because he wrote the letter.””
She looked down.
“He knew.””
“Yes.””
“And he still raised her.””
Dominic didn’t answer.
Because that was the part he couldn’t understand.
Ethan had known.
And stayed.
He had protected a child who wasn’t his.
Loved a child who wasn’t biologically his.
Risked everything.
That told Dominic more about Ethan than any document ever could.
“He was a better man than I realized.””
Clare looked out the window.
“He always was.””
When they returned to Vale Manor, they found the front doors open.
Dominic immediately stopped.
Security never left doors open.
Not here.
Not ever.
Vincent stepped out.
His face was serious.
“Someone was inside.””
Dominic’s hand tightened.
“Who?””
“We don’t know.””
“Damage?””
“None.””
“Missing?””
Vincent hesitated.
“Yes.””
Dominic looked at him.
“What?””
“One thing.””
“What?””
Vincent handed him a small box.
Inside was an old hospital bracelet.
A child’s bracelet.
Dominic picked it up.
The name was faded.
But still visible.
*Eliana Rowan.*
His expression changed.
“Where was this?””
“Your office.””
Clare covered her mouth.
“They took the records.””
Dominic looked at the bracelet.
“No.””
“What?””
“They didn’t take the records.””
He turned it over.
A message was written underneath.
Three words.
*You were close.*
Dominic’s eyes hardened.
Someone had entered his home.
Someone had found the files.
Someone had left a message.
They weren’t hiding anymore.
They wanted him to know they were watching.
Then Vincent’s phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed.
“Sir.””
“What?””
“There’s been another breach.””
“Where?””
Vincent looked toward the second floor.
“The children’s wing.””
Dominic froze.
Vale Manor had no children’s wing.
Not anymore.
He walked upstairs slowly.
Every step heavier than the last.
At the end of the hallway was a locked door.
A door that had not been opened in years.
His father’s old private archive.
Dominic had never entered it.
Not since his father died.
The lock had been broken.
Inside, everything had been disturbed.
Old documents.
Family records.
Photographs.
And on the center table…
A single file.
Dominic opened it.
The first page contained one name.
Not Ellie’s.
Not Ethan’s.
Not Adrian’s.
His own.
*Dominic Vale.*
Underneath:
*Subject: First Heir Evaluation*
Dominic stared.
“What is this?””
Vincent looked over his shoulder.
Then slowly stepped back.
Because the next line explained everything.
*Biological testing conducted after Dominic Vale’s birth.*
Dominic’s face went cold.
His father had tested him.
Before he even knew what family meant.
Before he knew power.
Before he knew betrayal.
He turned the page.
And saw the final sentence.
A sentence written twenty-nine years earlier.
*Dominic Vale is not the biological son of Richard Vale.*
The room stopped moving.
Because suddenly the question was no longer:
Who is Ellie’s father?
May you like
The question was:
Who is Dominic Vale?
