Chapter 5: The Secret From Before Kayla Was Born
Darius placed the notebook on the hallway table.
He had stopped caring about the wedding.
He had stopped thinking about the guests outside.
He wanted one answer.
“What happened before Kayla was born?””
Brittany rubbed her forehead.
“This is ridiculous.””
“Then explain it.””
“I don't owe you an explanation about something that happened years ago.””
“You brought yourself into my life. You agreed to marry me. You moved into my home. You told my daughter you were going to be her mother.””
Darius pointed toward the notebook.
“And now I find out my wife warned me about you before she died.””
Brittany's voice sharpened.
“Renee was obsessed with controlling everything.””
“Don't.””
“She never wanted anyone else near her family.””
“Stop talking about her like that.””
Brittany looked at the envelope.
Then she sighed.
“Fine. You want the truth? Renee and I were close once.””
“How close?””
“Very close.””
“Explain.””
Brittany folded her arms.
“We met through a women's charity organization. We were both volunteering at a family support center. Renee was generous, charming, and incredibly good at making people feel special.””
Darius stared at her.
“And?””
“And I admired her.””
“That's not what the letter says.””
Brittany looked away.
“Things changed when she became pregnant.””
Darius's expression softened slightly.
“Why?””
Brittany laughed.
“Because she stopped being the person I knew. Everything became about the baby. Every conversation.
Every plan. Every decision.””
Darius said nothing.
Brittany continued.
“I was going through a difficult period. I had lost my job, my apartment, and almost everything I owned. Renee promised she would help me.””
“What kind of help?””
“She said I could stay with her temporarily.””
Darius looked confused.
“Stay with her?””
“Yes.””
“When?””
“Before you two got married.””
He looked down at the photograph.
“You lived with Renee?””
“For a few months.””
Evelyn quietly entered the conversation.
“I never knew that.””
Brittany glared at her.
“Because you weren't there.””
Darius opened the notebook again.
“Then why did Renee write that you believed you had a right to Kayla?””
Brittany's jaw tightened.
“Because I helped her.””
“How?””
“She needed me.””
“With what?””
Brittany looked directly at him.
“She was terrified of becoming a mother.””
Darius frowned.
“Renee loved being a mother.””
“Later, perhaps. But before Kayla was born, she was scared. She had complications. She spent weeks worrying that something would happen to the baby.””
Darius remembered those months.
Renee had been frightened, but she had never questioned whether she wanted their child.
Brittany continued.
“I was the person who stayed with her when she couldn't sleep. I went to appointments. I helped prepare the nursery.””
Darius shook his head.
“I was there too.””
“You were working constantly.””
“I was building a future for my family.””
“And I was helping Renee survive the pregnancy!””
Her voice cracked.
For a moment, she seemed to be telling the truth.
Then she added something that made Darius's expression harden again.
“After everything I did, I thought I deserved to be part of Kayla's life.””
“You don't earn ownership of a child by helping her mother.””
Brittany looked away.
“I never said ownership.””
“Then why did you try to become her guardian?””
“I was an emergency contact!””
“That isn't what the document says.””
She didn't answer.
Evelyn was standing beside the staircase when she noticed something sticking out from the back of the notebook.
A small folded photograph.
She gently removed it.
“Mr. Mitchell?””
Darius turned.
“What is it?””
She handed him the photograph.
It showed Renee sitting in a hospital room.
Brittany was beside her.
Renee looked exhausted.
Her eyes were red, and one hand rested on her stomach.
On the back, someone had written:
I will not let you take her.
Darius looked at the photograph for a long time.
“Who wrote this?””
Brittany stared at it.
“Renee.””
“Why?””
“Because she misunderstood something.””
“What?””
Brittany took a breath.
Then she finally told him.
“After Kayla was born, Renee asked me to help with the baby while she recovered.””
Darius nodded slowly.
He remembered Renee having difficulty walking for several days after the delivery.
Brittany continued.
“I spent a lot of time with Kayla. I fed her. I held her. I helped Renee sleep.””
Darius looked at the photograph.
“And?””
“And one night, Renee woke up and found me holding the baby.””
“What was wrong with that?””
“Nothing.””
“Then why did she write that you wanted to take her?””
Brittany's eyes narrowed.
“Because she saw me talking to a social worker.””
Darius stared.
“A social worker?””
Brittany nodded.
“Renee had been struggling emotionally. I was worried about her.””
Darius felt a chill.
“What did you tell the social worker?””
“That she was overwhelmed.””
“Was she?””
“She was exhausted. She cried constantly. She worried about everything.””
Darius looked at the legal document.
“Were you trying to have her declared unfit?””
Brittany didn't answer.
The silence was enough.
Darius walked to the window.
Outside, guests were gathering around the decorated patio.
He could see the photographer unloading equipment.
A woman in a blue dress was laughing with one of his cousins.
The party looked perfect.
But inside the house, his understanding of the last two years was collapsing.
He turned back.
“Did you tell anyone Renee couldn't care for Kayla?””
Brittany looked defensive.
“I told the social worker what I observed.””
“Did you exaggerate?””
“No.””
“Did you lie?””
“No!””
“Then why did Renee write that you wanted to take her baby?””
Brittany's face reddened.
“Because she was jealous!””
Darius stared.
“Jealous of what?””
“Of me!””
Evelyn shook her head.
“That doesn't make sense.””
Brittany turned toward her.
“You have no idea what happened between us.””
“Then tell us.””
Brittany laughed.
“You think you're some kind of loyal family servant, Evelyn? You have no idea how much Renee depended on me.””
Evelyn's eyes filled.
“I was there when she was sick. I watched her hold Kayla and cry because she was afraid she wouldn't see her grow up.””
Brittany looked away.
“And I was there too.””
“Then why would you hurt her?””
Brittany's expression hardened.
“Because she turned everyone against me.””
Darius stepped forward.
“What did you do?””
She looked at him.
“Nothing that concerns you.””
“It concerns my daughter.””
“Everything concerns your daughter!””
Her voice suddenly rose.
“That's the problem! Nobody in this house can talk about anything without bringing Kayla into it!””
Darius looked at her in disbelief.
“You're standing here defending yourself after shaving her head, and you're still blaming her?””
Brittany didn't respond.
Then the front door opened.
A familiar voice called from the entrance.
“Darius?””
His attorney, Marcus Reed, walked into the hallway carrying a leather briefcase.
He stopped when he saw the atmosphere.
“What happened?””
Darius pointed toward the table.
“I need you to look at something.””
Marcus glanced at the envelope and notebook.
He removed his glasses.
“Where did these come from?””
“Brittany's dressing room.””
Marcus looked at Brittany.
She folded her arms.
“Don't bother. This is private.””
Marcus opened the envelope.
He read the first letter carefully.
Then he examined the guardianship document.
His expression became increasingly serious.
“Darius, we need to discuss this.””
“Tell me.””
Marcus glanced at Evelyn.
“Can you give us a moment?””
Evelyn hesitated.
Darius shook his head.
“She stays.””
Marcus nodded.
“All right.””
He placed the document on the table.
“This appears to be an old proposed guardianship arrangement. It isn't proof of a finalized transfer of custody, but it raises questions about what happened when Renee was hospitalized.””
Darius leaned forward.
“What questions?””
Marcus tapped the paper.
“Who prepared it? Who requested it? And why was Brittany named as the proposed guardian?””
Brittany immediately interrupted.
“Renee agreed to it.””
Marcus looked at her.
“Do you have a signed final version?””
“No.””
“Then we cannot assume it ever became legally effective.””
Brittany looked at Darius.
“You see? Nothing happened.””
Marcus continued.
“But there's something else.””
He pointed toward the bottom of the document.
A signature appeared beside the witness section.
Darius leaned closer.
He recognized the name.
It belonged to a woman named Linda Parker.
Linda had been Renee's closest friend after Brittany disappeared from her life.
Darius frowned.
“Why would Linda sign this?””
Marcus examined the date.
“That's what I would like to know.””
Brittany began pacing.
“This is turning into a circus.””
Darius ignored her.
“Marcus, can you contact Linda?””
“I can try.””
“Now.””
Marcus took out his phone.
Brittany stepped forward.
“Don't involve her.””
Darius turned.
“Why not?””
“Because she's been waiting for a chance to destroy me.””
“Why would she want to destroy you?””
Brittany looked toward the front door.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then she said quietly:
“Because she knows what happened to Renee's first medical report.””
Darius froze.
“What medical report?””
Brittany looked at him.
“The one that disappeared from the hospital records.””
Marcus lowered his phone.
“What are you talking about?””
Brittany swallowed.
“Renee had a medical report that changed everything. It explained why she was so frightened during the final months of her life.””
Darius felt his stomach tighten.
“Why haven't I heard about it?””
“Because it was never given to you.””
“Who took it?””
Brittany looked directly at Evelyn.
Then she pointed toward the staircase.
“Ask the person who had access to Renee's bedroom after she died.””
Evelyn went pale.
Darius turned slowly.
“Evelyn?””
She shook her head.
“No, sir.””
Brittany gave a small, triumphant smile.
“You really don't know anything about the people living under your roof.””
Darius stared at Evelyn.
“Did you take a medical report?””
Evelyn's eyes filled.
“No.””
“Then why is she saying this?””
Evelyn looked down at her hands.
And when she finally spoke, her voice was barely audible.
“Because I found one.””
Darius felt his heart stop.
“Where?””
May you like
Evelyn looked toward Kayla's bedroom.
“Inside Mrs. Renee's old jewelry box.””
