Chapter 7 - Marcus at the Door
Marcus entered without knocking.
That alone told Daniel everything.
He wore a navy suit, no tie, and the irritated expression of a man inconvenienced by a problem he believed he could control.
“Vanessa called me,” he said.
Daniel stood between him and the living room.
“You came fast.”
Marcus glanced at Rosa, then Noah. “This is not something to discuss in front of staff.”
Rosa stiffened.
Daniel smiled once. “Funny. Everyone keeps saying that when they don’t like the facts.”
Marcus lowered his voice. “Daniel, you’re emotional.”
“My son was locked in a closet.”
Marcus looked at Vanessa.
Just a glance.
But Daniel saw it.
“You knew?”
“No.”
“You hesitated.”
“I’m trying to understand what she told you.”
“She showed me.”
Marcus’s jaw tightened.
Daniel stepped closer. “And then I saw you coming out of a hotel room with my wife.”
Vanessa snapped, “We were talking.”
Rosa actually laughed. It was a shocked, bitter sound.
Marcus ignored her. “Daniel, the video can be misleading.”
“The door was locked from the outside.”
Marcus said nothing.
Noah began to whimper.
Rosa knelt with him near the sofa.
Marcus looked at the boy, and something uneasy passed across his face.
Daniel noticed that too.
“Why are you looking at him like that?”
Marcus’s attention snapped back. “Like what?”
“Like you’re afraid of him.”
“That’s absurd.”
Daniel pulled out his phone. “Rachel is coming. We are going through every record tied to the surrogacy.”
Marcus moved quickly.
“You can’t.”
Daniel went still.
“Can’t?”
Marcus corrected himself. “You shouldn’t. Those files contain protected medical information.”
“It’s my child.”
“There are confidentiality clauses.”
Daniel stepped closer until they were almost chest to chest.
“Did you falsify those contracts?”
Marcus’s face hardened. “Careful.”
“Or what?”
Vanessa moved between them. “Enough.”
Then Noah pointed toward Marcus.
Everyone looked at him.
The boy’s face had gone white.
“Bad man.”
Marcus frowned.
Daniel crouched. “Noah, what did he do?”
The boy shook his head and backed into Rosa.
“Bad man came at night.”
Vanessa said, “He’s confused.”
Noah began crying.
“He took my picture.”
May you like
Daniel slowly stood.
Marcus was already reaching for the front door.
