The Heiress They Hated

Chapter 8: The Real Father Extended

The air was cold. Dust everywhere.

Selena walked in with coffee and 3 laptops.

Anything.

Nothing I said. Victoria deleted everything.

Birth records. Payment logs. Everything from May 2021 is gone.

Selena hesitated. Bit her lip.

There is one person who might know.

Who I asked.

The old nurse. Mrs Reyes. She retired 3 years ago.

She was on duty the night Adam was born.

She was the only one Victoria trusted back then.

Rayhan was already grabbing his keys.

Where does she live.

2 hours later. A small house. Outside the city.

Garden full of roses. Quiet.

Mrs Reyes. 70 years old. Eyes full of tears when she saw us.

She looked like she had not slept in years.

I have been waiting for you she said before we even spoke.

Do you know who Adam's father is I asked. My voice broke.

She nodded. Slowly. Pulled out an old leather journal.

I was not supposed to keep records. Hospital policy.

But Victoria. She made me do things. Terrible things.

She said if I did not, she would hurt my grandchildren.

She flipped to a page. Her hands were shaking.

May 12, 2021. 3 17am. Male baby. Mother. Layla Amari.

Father. Declined to state. Paid in cash. 5,000,000 dollars.

5 million dollars. Rayhan whispered. Who pays that kind of money.

Mrs Reyes looked at me. Eyes full of pity.

The man did not give a name. He wore a mask. And gloves.

But he left something. Said to give it to the mother if she ever asked.

Said it was for the boy. When he turned 18.

She handed me a small velvet box.

Inside. A gold chain. And a note folded 4 times.

For my son. Tell him his father loved him.

H

Just the letter H.

My hands shook so bad I almost dropped it.

H. Who. I looked at Rayhan.

My phone buzzed.

A text from an unknown number.

Found the note yet. The father is closer than you think.

Check your husband's family tree. You will be sick.

V

Victoria.

Rayhan's phone rang at the same time.

He answered. Listened. Went completely pale.

What. Where. How did he.

He hung up. Stared at me.

Layla. Daniel Kazan escaped from prison transport.

30 minutes ago. On the highway to the airport.

The box fell from my hands.

The chain. The letter H.

H.

Hassan.

Daniel's first name.

No I whispered. It can not be. It can not be him.

Rayhan looked at me. His face was stone.

Layla. Daniel Kazan. His full name is Daniel Hassan Kazan.

The room spun.

Daniel. The man who tried to kill us.

The man who kidn*pped Selena.

The man who wanted the company.

The real father.

My son's uncle.

I dropped to my knees.

This is sick. This is wrong. This can not be real.

Rayhan knelt with me. Held my face.

Listen to me. Breathe. We do not know for sure.

H could be anyone. Hassan. Henry. Howard.

Mrs Reyes shook her head.

No. The man. He had a scar. On his left hand.

Between the thumb and finger. Like a burn.

Rayhan froze.

Daniel has that scar. From when he was 16.

He told me he got it saving me from a fire.

I stood up. Rage replacing the shock.

He did this. He paid 5 million to hide it.

He has been playing us for 4 years.

Selena grabbed my arm.

Layla. What are we going to do.

We find him I said. My voice was ice.

Before he finds Adam.

Rayhan was already on the phone.

Get me every camera on the highway. Every flight out of the country.

And get 20 men to the house. Now.

We drove back in silence.

Adam was at the penthouse with 10 guards.

When we got there, Emma was crying.

Ms Alami. A man came. 20 minutes ago.

He said he was from the FBI. He took Adam.

The world stopped.

What I whispered.

He showed a badge. He said it was for your protection.

Adam went willingly. He called him Uncle Dan.

Uncle Dan.

Rayhan punched the wall. Blood on his knuckles.

He has Adam. He has my son.

My son I screamed. He is MY son.

I ran to Adam's room. His toys were still there.

His little car bed. His drawing on the wall.

It was us. Me, Rayhan, and Adam. With the words BEST FAMILY.

My phone rang.

Unknown number.

I answered. Crying.

Hello.

Layla. Daniel's voice. Smooth. Evil.

You look beautiful in your wedding dress. Even on the security cameras.

Where is my son.

Safe. For now. He sighed like he was tired.

I just wanted to meet my boy. Is that so wrong.

You are not his father I screamed.

Am I not. He laughed. 5 million dollars says I am.

The hospital says I am. Your face says I am.

Look at him Layla. Look at his eyes. They are mine.

I collapsed.

Here is the deal. He continued.

I want 51 percent of Alami Corp. Signed over to me by midnight.

I want you to announce to the press that Adam is a Kazan.

And I want you to come alone. To the old vineyard.

And if I do not.

Then I tell the world. I show them the real DNA test.

I show them how the CEO of Alami Corp had a baby with her uncle.

How scandalous. How illegal in 12 states.

You are disgusting.

I am honest. Midnight. Come alone.

Or you will never see him again.

He hung up.

Rayhan pulled me into his arms.

We are not doing what he says.

We have to I whispered. He has Adam.

Then we go together I said. And we end this.

Tonight. For good.

Rayhan looked at me. Pride and fear in his eyes.

You are not the girl I met 3 years ago.

No I said, wiping my tears. Loading a gun.

I am the woman who is going to take her son back.

Outside, the sun was setting.

Midnight was in 6 hours.

And for the first time in my life.

I was not afraid.

I was furious.

To Be Continued.