THE CARELESS MOTHER

CHAPTER 9

THE CARELESS MOTHER

By ABDULGAFAR HORRY OLAIYA

Chapter Nine: The Hidden Memory

The night after Victor's arrest, Horry returned home with James.

For the first time in many years, the house felt strangely peaceful.

Ada was sitting alone in the sitting room.

When she saw James and Horry enter, she immediately stood.

"James!"

She rushed toward them.

"Are you all right?"

James nodded.

"I'm fine."

Ada then looked at Horry.

Her eyes filled with tears.

"You came back."

Horry nodded.

"Yes, Mother."

Ada reached for him, but stopped.

She wasn't sure whether he would accept her embrace.

Horry noticed the hesitation.

After everything he had learned, he still couldn't forget the woman who had given birth to him.

He stepped forward and hugged her.

Ada began crying.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Horry closed his eyes.

"I know."

But forgiveness did not erase the questions in his heart.

Later that evening, everyone gathered around the table.

Michael explained what had happened at the railway station.

"The memory card is still missing."

Ada suddenly became nervous.

"What was on it?"

Michael looked at her.

"Everything."

Ada's hands began trembling.

James noticed.

"Ada?"

She looked away.

"There is something I never told you."

Horry immediately became alert.

"What?"

Ada took a deep breath.

"Victor did not act alone."

The room became silent.

Michael leaned forward.

"Who helped him?"

Ada shook her head.

"I don't know his real name."

"Then what do you know?" James asked.

Ada looked at Horry.

"He called himself The Guardian."

Horry frowned.

"The Guardian?"

"He was the man who contacted me eighteen years ago. He offered me money to disappear with you."

Michael's expression hardened.

"Why?"

"Because he wanted something from your father."

She looked at James.

"Something James had."

James suddenly became confused.

"What are you talking about?"

Ada stood.

"You don't remember?"

James shook his head.

Ada's voice trembled.

"The night you found Horry, you took a small black notebook from the clinic."

James's face changed.

The memory returned.

He stood immediately.

"The notebook..."

Michael looked at him.

"What notebook?"

James rushed toward his room.

Horry followed.

James opened an old wooden trunk.

He searched beneath several pieces of clothing.

Nothing.

"It's gone."

"What was inside?" Horry asked.

James stared at the empty trunk.

"Names."

Michael's eyes widened.

"Names of everyone involved?"

James nodded.

"And financial records."

Daniel suddenly entered the room.

"I think I know who took the memory card."

Everyone turned.

Daniel held up his phone.

"There was a security camera near the station."

He showed them a photograph.

A person could be seen leaving the warehouse during the confusion.

The face was partly hidden.

But the clothing was recognizable.

Ada stared at the image.

"No..."

Horry looked at her.

"Who is it?"

Ada whispered,

"My brother."

The room went silent.

"Your uncle?" Horry asked.

Ada nodded.

"His name is Samuel."

James looked shocked.

"Samuel disappeared years ago."

"He didn't disappear," Ada replied. "He ran away."

Michael stood.

"Why?"

Ada looked toward the window.

"Because he was working with The Guardian."

Horry felt a cold sensation run through him.

"So my own uncle is involved?"

"Yes."

James sat down heavily.

"This is becoming more dangerous than I imagined."

Suddenly, Horry's phone rang.

Unknown number.

Everyone stared at it.

Horry answered.

"Hello?"

A man's voice spoke.

"Hello, nephew."

Horry froze.

"Samuel?"

The voice laughed.

"You learn quickly."

"Where are you?"

"Somewhere you cannot reach."

"What do you want?"

"I want what your father has."

Horry looked at James.

"My father doesn't have anything."

Samuel laughed.

"That's where you're wrong."

He paused.

"Your father has something worth more than money."

"What?"

"Your identity."

The call ended.

Horry stared at the phone.

Michael immediately asked,

"What did he say?"

Horry repeated the conversation.

James looked terrified.

"I know what he means."

Everyone turned toward him.

James walked slowly to the old cupboard.

He removed a small metal box.

Inside was an old document.

He placed it on the table.

"This was given to me the night I found you."

Horry opened it.

It contained a faded hospital record.

At the bottom was a handwritten note.

"The child must never know the truth about his bloodline."

Horry stared at the sentence.

"Why?"

James shook his head.

"I don't know."

Michael took the document.

His face suddenly became pale.

"What?"

He pointed at a name written underneath the note.

Horry leaned closer.

The name was:

Michael James Adeyemi.

Horry looked at Michael.

"That's your full name."

Michael nodded slowly.

"Yes."

"Then why is your name on my birth record?"

Michael looked at Ada.

She began crying.

James whispered,

"Because the truth is not what we thought."

Horry's heart raced.

Michael stared at the document.

Then he said something that left everyone speechless.

"Horry..."

He swallowed hard.

"...I may not be your biological father after all."

Horry stepped backward.

"Then who is?"

Before anyone could answer, a loud knock came from the front door.

Three knocks.

Slow.

Deliberate.

Everyone became silent.

James whispered,

"Nobody move."

Another three knocks followed.

Then a voice came from outside.

"Open the door."

Horry recognized the voice.

It was Samuel.

But he wasn't alone.

Behind him stood several men.

And in his hand was the missing memory card.

End of Chapter Nine.