THE CARELESS MOTHER

CHAPTER 10

THE CARELESS MOTHER

By ABDULGAFAR HORRY OLAIYA

Chapter Ten: The Truth Finally Speaks

Nobody moved.

The voice outside the door came again.

"James, open the door."

Horry stood beside his father, staring at the entrance.

Ada was trembling.

Michael quietly moved toward the window and looked outside.

Samuel stood beneath the porch light.

Three men stood behind him.

One of them held a weapon.

Samuel raised the memory card between two fingers.

"I know you want this."

James stepped toward the door.

Horry grabbed his arm.

"Father, don't."

James looked at him.

"If I don't face him, he may hurt all of us."

Michael shook his head.

"We need to think."

Samuel laughed from outside.

"You have thirty seconds."

James finally opened the door.

Samuel entered slowly.

He looked older than Horry expected, with tired eyes and a scar across his cheek.

He stared at Ada.

"You never told him."

Ada lowered her head.

"I was trying to protect him."

Samuel laughed bitterly.

"After eighteen years?"

Horry stepped forward.

"Stop talking about me like I'm not here."

Samuel looked at him.

For several seconds, he simply stared.

"You look exactly like your father."

Horry's heart raced.

"Which father?"

Samuel smiled.

"That's the question, isn't it?"

James moved between them.

"Leave Horry out of this."

Samuel pointed at him.

"You've already been lying to him for eighteen years."

Horry turned toward James.

"Tell me the truth."

James remained silent.

Horry's voice became stronger.

"Please, Father. No more secrets."

Samuel placed the memory card on the table.

"Everything you want to know is here."

Michael immediately moved toward it.

Samuel stopped him.

"Not so fast."

"What do you want?" Michael asked.

Samuel looked at James.

"The notebook."

James froze.

"What notebook?"

"The black notebook you took from the clinic."

James stared at him.

"You knew about it?"

Samuel laughed.

"I knew about everything."

Horry looked between them.

"What is in the notebook?"

Samuel answered.

"The names of the people who arranged your birth."

The room fell silent.

Horry's breathing became heavy.

"My birth was arranged?"

Ada began crying.

Samuel continued.

"Your birth wasn't an accident."

Horry looked at his mother.

"Mother?"

Ada couldn't meet his eyes.

James finally spoke.

"Horry, there are things about your birth that I never wanted you to know."

"Tell me."

James took a deep breath.

"You were born during a period when several powerful people were involved in a financial conspiracy."

Michael interrupted.

"James, don't."

"No."

James shook his head.

"The boy deserves the truth."

He turned toward Horry.

"Your biological father was not the man you thought."

Horry's eyes widened.

"Then who was he?"

James looked at Michael.

Michael closed his eyes.

James said,

"Michael is your biological father."

Horry stared at him.

"But he just said he might not be."

Michael stepped forward.

"I was confused because the records had been altered."

"What do you mean?"

Michael explained.

"Victor changed several documents to hide your real identity."

Horry looked at Samuel.

"And you know the truth?"

Samuel nodded.

"I do."

"Then tell me."

Samuel hesitated.

"Your mother was told that if she gave birth to you, you would become a target."

Ada finally spoke.

"I was afraid."

Horry looked at her.

"Did you love me?"

Ada cried.

"More than you know."

"Then why did you leave me?"

"Because I believed leaving you was the only way to keep you alive."

Horry looked down.

For the first time, he understood that what he had considered neglect might have been fear.

But he still had another question.

"What happened to my father?"

Michael stepped forward.

"I am your father."

Horry looked at him.

"Then why did you abandon me?"

Michael's face broke.

"I didn't."

"What?"

"I was forced to disappear."

"By Victor?"

Michael nodded.

"Victor threatened to kill you and your mother if I stayed."

Horry was silent.

Samuel suddenly laughed.

"You're still telling half the story."

Michael turned angrily.

"What do you mean?"

Samuel looked at Horry.

"Your father didn't disappear only because of Victor."

Michael's expression changed.

Samuel continued.

"Michael also made a deal."

Horry frowned.

"What deal?"

Michael lowered his head.

"I gave Victor information."

James stared at him.

"You never told me that."

"I had no choice."

"You always have a choice," James replied.

Michael's eyes filled with regret.

"I thought I could save everyone."

Samuel shook his head.

"And that decision caused everything that followed."

Suddenly, a loud noise came from outside.

The men guarding the house turned.

A vehicle had stopped near the compound.

Then another.

Samuel looked toward the window.

"Who are they?"

Michael's face became pale.

"Police."

James looked relieved.

But Samuel laughed.

"You think they're here to save you?"

The front door suddenly burst open.

Several armed officers entered.

"Everyone, get down!"

Chaos erupted.

Samuel grabbed Horry and pulled him backward.

James shouted,

"Leave my son!"

Samuel held Horry tightly.

"Nobody move!"

An officer pointed his weapon.

"Release the boy!"

Samuel stepped toward the back door.

Horry struggled.

"Let me go!"

Then someone shouted from outside.

"Samuel!"

Samuel froze.

The voice belonged to Victor.

Everyone turned toward the window.

Victor was standing outside.

He had escaped custody.

He looked directly at Horry.

"You still don't know the truth."

Horry stared at him.

Victor smiled.

"Ask James why he really took you from that clinic."

James's face turned pale.

Horry looked at his father.

"Father?"

James couldn't speak.

Victor laughed.

"Because Horry wasn't supposed to be James's son."

He pointed at Horry.

"He was supposed to be mine."

The room fell completely silent.

Horry's entire world seemed to stop.

End of Chapter Ten.