Chapter 3 - The Secret Behind My Father's Silence
The black SUV door opened, and I saw Dominic step out holding a folder.
He didn't come back to apologize.
He came back prepared.
My father looked at the vehicle and immediately stood between me and the entrance.
"Stay behind me, Emma."
I had never heard him say those words before.
Not like that.
Not with that tone.
For my entire life, my father had been the calmest person I knew.
He was the man who never raised his voice.
The man who told me that strength wasn't about intimidation.
It was about control.
But now, watching him look at Dominic, I saw something I had never seen before.
Recognition.
Not fear.
Not surprise.
Recognition.
Like he already knew something I didn't.
Dominic walked toward us with confidence.
That confidence bothered me.
Because he wasn't acting like a husband who had abandoned his wife outside a hospital.
He was acting like someone who believed he was still in control.
Behind him walked Linda.
She had changed.
The nervous expression from earlier was gone.
Now she looked composed.
Almost satisfied.
"Emma," Dominic said.
My name sounded strange coming from him.
Like he was speaking to someone he was trying to negotiate with.
Not someone he loved.
"I think you misunderstood what happened."
I stared at him.
I couldn't believe those were his first words.
Not "Are you okay?"
Not "I'm sorry."
Not "How is Leo?"
"You left me outside the hospital," I said.
My voice was quiet.
But everyone heard it.
Dominic glanced around.
"Lower your voice."
That sentence almost made me laugh.
Not because it was funny.
Because it was unbelievable.
He was still worried about appearances.
Even now.
Even after everything.
"My wife is standing here five days after surgery with our newborn son," my father said.
Dominic looked at him.
And that was when I saw it.
The moment Dominic realized something was different.
He had expected an old man.
A quiet father.
Someone easy to dismiss.
Instead, he was standing in front of a man who made experienced people become careful with their words.
But Dominic recovered quickly.
"Mr. Brooks, this is a private family matter."
My father didn't answer.
He simply looked at him.
That was enough.
Dominic shifted slightly.
"Emma is emotional because of the birth."
Linda stepped forward.
"Exactly."
She smiled.
"Postpartum emotions can make women irrational."
My hands tightened around Leo's blanket.
I couldn't believe she said that.
Not after what happened.
Not after watching her son leave me.
"Rational?" I asked.
My voice shook.
"Is it rational to leave your wife and newborn child without transportation?"
Linda sighed.
"You are making this bigger than it needs to be."
My father finally spoke.
"No."
Everyone became silent.
He looked directly at Linda.
"She is describing exactly what happened."
There was something about his voice.
Something that ended arguments before they started.
Dominic noticed too.
"You don't understand the situation."
My father looked at him.
"Then explain it."
Dominic opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Because there was no explanation that sounded acceptable.
Not even to himself.
A few seconds passed.
Then Dominic lifted the folder in his hand.
"I came here because I want to fix this."
I looked at the folder.
"What is that?"
He hesitated.
Just for a moment.
But I noticed.
"It's paperwork."
My stomach tightened.
"What kind of paperwork?"
Linda answered before he could.
"Things that need to be handled."
My father reached out his hand.
"Give it to me."
Dominic laughed softly.
"No offense, but this has nothing to do with you."
My father's expression remained unchanged.
"Everything involving my daughter and grandson has something to do with me."
Dominic looked annoyed.
For years, he had gotten used to people agreeing with him.
Especially when Linda was beside him.
But today was different.
Today he was facing someone who didn't need his approval.
My phone suddenly vibrated.
Again.
I looked down.
A message from an unknown number.
My heart sank.
I opened it.
There was only one sentence.
"Ask your husband why he never told you about the hospital records."
I froze.
Hospital records?
I looked at Dominic.
He noticed my expression.
And for the first time...
He looked afraid.
Not angry.
Afraid.
"What was that?" my father asked.
I handed him the phone.
He read the message.
Then looked at Dominic.
"What hospital records?"
Dominic immediately stepped forward.
"That's nothing."
My father held up his hand.
"Don't."
One word.
But Dominic stopped.
My father turned to me.
"Emma, did you know about any records?"
I shook my head.
"No."
Dominic looked at me.
"Emma, listen to me."
But I couldn't.
Because suddenly memories started connecting.
The strange appointments.
The conversations Dominic avoided.
The way he always seemed uncomfortable when doctors asked questions.
I thought it was stress.
I thought it was fear of becoming a father.
But maybe it was something else.
"What did you hide from me?" I whispered.
Dominic's face changed.
"Nothing."
The answer came too quickly.
My father noticed too.
"You answered before thinking."
Dominic looked at him.
"You don't know me."
My father stepped closer.
"No."
A pause.
"But I know my daughter."
That sentence hit harder than anything else.
Because Dominic didn't.
Not anymore.
He didn't know how much pain I had hidden.
How many times I defended him.
How many times I made excuses for him.
How many times I told myself the man I loved was still there.
Linda suddenly spoke.
"Dominic, we need to leave."
I looked at her.
Why was she suddenly nervous?
A few minutes ago she was confident.
Now she wanted to leave.
My father noticed.
So did I.
"No one is leaving," he said.
Dominic laughed.
"You can't stop me."
My father looked at him.
"I don't need to."
Then he turned toward one of the men standing nearby.
"Bring the file."
The man immediately reached into his vehicle.
Dominic's face changed.
"What file?"
My father didn't answer.
The man returned carrying a thin black folder.
He handed it to my father.
My heart started beating faster.
Because I recognized the folder.
It was old.
Worn.
The edges were damaged.
My father looked at me.
"Emma, there is something I never told you."
I stared at him.
"What?"
He opened the folder.
Inside were documents.
Photographs.
Reports.
And one name.
Dominic's name.
My entire body went cold.
"Dad..."
He looked at me.
"I wanted to protect you."
The world seemed to stop.
"What does Dominic have to do with this?"
My father slowly turned the first page toward me.
And the moment I saw the date written at the top, I realized my husband had been hiding something long before Leo was born.
The date was from seven years earlier.
Before I ever met him.
My father opened his mouth to say the truth.
But before he could speak, Dominic's phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
May you like
His face turned completely pale.
Then he whispered one name...
