“Mom,” Emma whispered.
Natalie turned her head with effort. Her eyes slowly scanned the room before stopping on Rachel.
“Don’t… don’t let her go,” she said weakly.
A chill ran through Rachel.
“What do you mean?”
Natalie coughed weakly.
Emma squeezed her mother’s hand.
“Mom, tell them. Tell them I don’t want to go back with him.”
Rachel frowned.
“Him?”
Natalie struggled to speak.
“Marcus… isn’t her father.”
The air in the room suddenly felt heavy.
“What do you mean?”
“He… took her from me.”
Dr. Andrew immediately looked at Rachel.
“I’m calling the police.”
Emma turned quickly.
“What’s going to happen?”
Rachel knelt beside her.
“I’m going to find out the truth, okay? You don’t have to go with him if you don’t want to.”
Emma pressed her lips together.
“But he told me my mom died.”
Natalie squeezed her daughter’s hand as tightly as she could.
“Never… believe him.”
Emma’s eyes filled with tears.
“Can we go home?”
Natalie swallowed painfully.
“Soon, my love.”
Rachel stepped out of the room, her mind racing.
If Marcus wasn’t Emma’s father, then everything he said had been a lie.
And that meant something much darker could be happening.
“This doesn’t make sense,” Rachel murmured.
Dr. Andrew walked beside her.
“If Natalie is telling the truth, Marcus has been lying from the beginning.”
“I need to check everything,” Rachel said.
Marcus was still waiting in the hallway, clearly angry.
Rachel had no intention of letting him take Emma until she knew the truth.
When she returned to the reception area, Marcus stood there with his arms crossed.
“I understand your concerns,” he said calmly, “but Emma needs to come with me.”
Rachel’s expression didn’t change.
“Her mother is awake. And she says you’re not her father.”
Marcus sighed dramatically but forced a smile.
“She’s very sick. She’s confused. I’ve been taking care of Emma for years.”
Rachel pulled out her phone and began writing notes.
“Then you won’t mind showing us the legal documents proving that.”
Marcus clicked his tongue.
“I don’t need to prove anything. She’s lived with me for years. She’s my daughter.”
“She’s lived with you for years?” Rachel repeated.
Marcus frowned.
“Yes. Since her mother disappeared.”
Rachel felt a chill.
“Her mother didn’t disappear. She’s in this hospital.”
Marcus closed his eyes briefly, trying to hide his anger.
“I’m done arguing. Bring me my daughter.”
“Not until we get answers.”
Just then, two police officers entered the lobby.