My True Identity

Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

The following morning, Troy sat beneath the large tree in front of his house, staring at the documents spread across his lap. He had promised himself that he would be patient. Dr. Chinny’s husband had agreed to make the necessary calls and help him uncover information about his past. Troy knew that such things took time. But patience had never been his strength when it came to the question that had followed him for most of his life.

“Who were his biological parents?”

He picked up one of the documents and read it again. His phone suddenly rang. Troy looked at the screen. “Vanessa.” A small smile appeared on his face before he answered.

“Hello, Vanessa.”

“Good morning, Troy. How are you?”

“I’m fine.”

“You don’t sound fine.”

Troy chuckled softly.

“You know me too well.”

“I know when you’re pretending. Are you still thinking about your investigation?”

Troy looked down at the documents.

“Every minute.”

“Don’t let it consume you.”

“I’ll try.”

“You will find the answers you’re looking for.”

“I hope so.”

“You just have to take care of yourself.”

Troy smiled.

“Thank you, Vanessa.”

“That’s what I’m here for.”

They spoke for a few more minutes before ending the call. Troy lowered his phone and stared at the documents again. Vanessa had always been supportive. She never pressured him or demanded that he forget about his past. But Troy couldn’t forget. Not when someone had deliberately hidden the truth about his birth. His phone rang again. Troy frowned. The number on the screen was familiar. ”Unknown Number.” He answered.

“Hello?”

There was silence. Troy sat up.

“Who is this?”

A man’s voice finally came through.

“I warned you before.”

Troy’s expression changed.

“About what?”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

Troy stood up slowly.

“If you have something to say, say it.”

“Stop investigating Dr. Chinny.”

Troy’s eyes narrowed.

“Why?”

Another silence followed. Then the voice became colder.

“Some questions are better left unanswered.”

Troy looked around the compound.

“Who are you?”

“You don’t need to know.”

“Then why are you calling me?”

“To give you a final warning.”

Troy tightened his grip on the phone.

“And if I don’t stop?”

The caller said nothing, and the line went dead. Troy stared at the screen. For a few seconds, he didn’t move. This was not the first strange call he had received. Troy looked at the documents in his hand. Instead of frightening him, the call strengthened his determination. Whoever was behind the calls clearly did not want him to discover the truth. And that made Troy even more determined to find it. He placed the documents inside a folder, picked up his car keys and walked toward his vehicle. If someone wanted him to stop searching, they had chosen the wrong person to threaten. Later that morning, Troy was driving through town when something caught his attention. Beside the road stood a young girl at a small stall covered with bananas and other fruits. She looked tired, but whenever a customer approached, she immediately straightened herself and greeted them politely. Troy slowed down. Something about her hardworking attitude caught his attention. He parked beside the mall close by.

“Good morning.”

The girl looked up.

“Good morning, sir.”

“How much is a bunch?”

She told him the price. Troy bought several bunches. As she handed them to him, he noticed how carefully she had arranged the bananas.

“What is your name?”

“Dabel, sir.”

“Dabel?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Do you come here every morning?”

“Yes.”

Troy thought for a moment.

“I would like you to supply bananas to my house every morning.”

The girl looked surprised.

“Every morning, sir?”

“Yes.”

“I can do that.”

“Good. Bring them before you come to your stall.”

Dabel smiled.

“I will.”

Troy gave her his address and took her contact information.

“Make sure they’re fresh.”

“They will be, sir.”

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Troy got into his car and drove away. Dabel watched the car disappear down the road. For her, a regular customer meant regular income. She smiled and returned to her stall. Neither of them knew that their brief meeting would soon change both their lives. The next morning, Dabel arrived at Troy’s house with the bananas. She entered the compound and immediately noticed something strange. It was unusually quiet.

“Sir?”

There was no answer. She called again.

“Troy?”

Still nothing. Dabel became worried. She followed the sound of movement until she found Troy lying weakly in the corridor. The bananas slipped from her hands.

“Sir!”

Troy slowly opened his eyes.

“Dabel?”

“Yes. What happened to you?”

“I’m fine.”

Dabel frowned.

“You don’t look fine.”

Troy tried to sit up, but Dabel immediately helped him.

“You need to see a doctor.”

“I’ll be alright.”

“You said that, but you’re still lying here.”

Troy managed a weak smile.

“I’m stubborn.”

“Yes, you are.”

Dabel looked around the house. There was nobody else there. Yet he looked like someone who was beaten up by some thugs.

“You can’t stay here alone.”

“I’ll be fine.”

Dabel wasn’t convinced. She helped him into a more comfortable position and prepared something for him to eat. Afterward, she went to a nearby pharmacy to ask for advice. The pharmacist listened carefully.

“Has he seen a doctor?”

“No.”

“You should encourage him to get proper medical attention.”

“I’ve tried, but he refuses.”

“Then keep encouraging him. Don’t give him medicine without knowing what is wrong with him.”

Dabel nodded.

“I understand.”

She returned home and continued looking after Troy. By evening, he was able to sit up, although he still looked weak.

“Thank God you’re sitting now,” Dabel said.

“I told you I would be fine.”

“You should still see a doctor.”

“I don’t like hospitals.”

“That isn’t a good reason.”

Troy smiled.

“You’re very stubborn.”

“And you are more stubborn than me.”

For the first time that day, Troy laughed.

“Thank you, Dabel.”

“You’re welcome.”

That night, Dabel stayed nearby because she was worried about leaving him alone. The following morning, Troy looked much better. Dabel prepared breakfast before telling him she needed to return to her normal business.

“I’ll be alright,” Troy assured her.

“I hope so.”

“I promise.”

She nodded.

“Then take care of yourself.”

“I will.”

Troy did not forget what Dabel had done for him. Later that day, he visited her family. Her parents welcomed him politely.

“I came to thank you,”

Troy said. Dabel’s father looked confused.

“For what?”

“Your daughter helped me when I was sick.”

Dabel’s mother smiled.

“She told us you weren’t feeling well.”

“She went beyond what I expected.”

Troy looked at Dabel.

“She is responsible and hardworking.”

Dabel lowered her head shyly. Troy continued.

“I would like to employ her to work in my house.”

Her parents looked at their daughter. Dabel nodded.

“I would like that.”

Her father smiled.

“If she is willing, we have no problem.”

“Thank you.”

From that day, Dabel began working as Troy’s housekeeper and cook. She was respectful, hardworking and dependable. But after spending more time around her, Troy noticed something else. Dabel was intelligent. Although she had completed secondary school and had been unable to continue to university, she remained eager to learn. One evening, Troy found her reading an old notebook while preparing dinner.

“What are you reading?”

Dabel quickly closed it.

“Nothing, sir.”

Troy smiled.

“You don’t have to hide it.”

She hesitated.

“I like reading.”

“What would you have studied if you had gone to university?”

Dabel’s face brightened.

“I would have studied nursing.”

“Why?”

“Because I like helping people.”

Troy looked at her thoughtfully. He remembered how she had found him sick and refused to leave him alone.

“Perhaps your circumstances stopped your education,” he said, “but that doesn’t mean your education has to stop completely.”

Dabel smiled.

“Thank you, sir.”

Troy nodded

“You’re welcome.”

A few days passed. Dabel became comfortable working in Troy’s house. One afternoon, Troy returned earlier than expected. As he entered the house, he heard Dabel speaking on the phone.

“I don’t know anything about that hospital, Mama.”

Troy stopped walking. Dabel continued

“No, I have never heard of Dr. Chinny.”

Troy froze. His heart began beating faster. The same name the unknown caller had warned him about. Dabel ended the call and turned around. She immediately noticed Troy standing behind her.

“Sir.”

Troy stared at her.

“Who were you talking to?”

“My mother.”

“What did she say about Dr. Chinny?”

Dabel’s expression changed.

“Dr. Chinny?”

“Yes.”

“Why are you asking?”

Troy stepped closer.

“Because I’ve been searching for information about her.”

Dabel remained silent. Troy studied her face.

“Does your mother know her?”

“I don’t know.”

“You just mentioned her name.”

Dabel looked away.

“My mother only asked me a question.”

“What question?”

Dabel hesitated.

“I can’t remember exactly.”

Troy knew she was hiding something.

“Dabel.”

She looked at him.

“Yes, sir?”

“Are you sure you don’t know anything about Dr. Chinny?”

Dabel swallowed.

“I don’t know anything about her.”

Troy said nothing. Dabel turned away, but Troy noticed the nervousness in her movements. His phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out. Another message from unknown Number. Troy opened it. There were only six words.

“I told you to stop searching.”

His eyes moved slowly from the message to Dabel. Then back to the message. Someone knew he had just heard the name Dr. Chinny. Someone was still watching him. Troy locked his phone. For the first time, he wondered whether meeting Dabel had been a coincidence at all. Perhaps the girl by the roadside was connected to his past. And perhaps the people warning him knew something about her that even Dabel herself did not know. Troy looked at her again.

«Who was Dabel? And why had her mother suddenly mentioned the one name Troy had been warned never to investigate?» he thought.