Chapter 6: The Boy Who Was Never Supposed to Remember
The doctors moved quickly.
The sound of hurried footsteps filled the hallway.
"Move back!"
"Give him space!"
"Check his oxygen!"
The world around Ethan became a blur.
Nurses rushed into Room 307.
Machines flashed.
Voices overlapped.
But Ethan heard only one sentence.
"He stole you."
Those three words had buried themselves inside his mind.
His father.
The man who taught him how to ride a bicycle.
The man who attended his school ceremonies.
The man who told him he was his greatest achievement.
A thief?
A liar?
A man who had taken him from his real family?
Ethan stood against the wall, unable to move.
For twenty-six years, he had carried a name.
Carter.
But suddenly, that name felt like a costume someone had forced him to wear.
Daniel stepped beside him.
"Are you okay?"
Ethan laughed quietly.
It wasn't happiness.
It was disbelief.
"Am I okay?"
He looked at Daniel.
"My entire life might be fake."
Daniel didn't answer.
Because he knew there was no comforting sentence that could fix that.
Across the hallway, Margaret sat on a chair.
Her hands were wrapped around her cane.
She looked older than before.
Not because of age.
Because secrets were heavy.
And she had carried hers for too long.
Ethan walked toward her.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Margaret looked up.
"I wanted to."
"When?"
She lowered her eyes.
"Many times."
"Then why didn't you?"
Her voice became quiet.
"Because every time I tried, someone stopped me."
Ethan froze.
"Who?"
Margaret didn't answer.
She didn't need to.
He already knew.
Richard.
His father.
A few minutes later, the doctors finally stepped out.
Everyone stood.
"How is he?"
Daniel asked immediately.
The doctor removed his glasses.
"He is stable."
Everyone exhaled.
"But..."
The word changed the atmosphere.
"But what?"
The doctor looked at them.
"He is extremely weak. Whatever he was trying to say before losing consciousness caused a lot of stress."
Daniel nodded.
"Can we see him?"
"One person at a time."
The doctor walked away.
Ethan remained still.
Then Michael's voice echoed in his head.
"I remember you."
A question burned inside him.
How?
How could someone remember something from when Ethan was a newborn?
Unless...
There was something else.
Something everyone had hidden.
"I want to see him."
Daniel looked surprised.
"You?"
Ethan nodded.
"I need answers."
After a moment, Daniel opened the door.
Ethan entered.
The room was quiet.
Michael looked exhausted.
His eyes opened slightly.
When he saw Ethan, his expression changed.
Not fear.
Not surprise.
Recognition.
"You really don't remember."
Ethan slowly walked closer.
"Remember what?"
Michael looked at the ceiling.
"Your mother."
The name hurt.
"My mother?"
Michael nodded.
"Anna."
Ethan pulled a chair closer.
"Tell me everything."
Michael closed his eyes.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he whispered:
"Your mother wasn't weak."
Ethan listened.
"Everyone thinks she was a woman who abandoned her child."
His voice became emotional.
"But they don't know what she sacrificed."
The rain outside became louder.
"Anna discovered Richard was hiding something."
"What?"
Michael looked at him.
"Richard wasn't just involved in illegal business."
He paused.
"He was covering up a crime."
Ethan's heartbeat increased.
"What crime?"
Michael struggled to breathe.
"I don't know everything."
"Then what do you know?"
Michael looked directly at him.
"Your mother found documents."
"What documents?"
"Names."
Ethan frowned.
"Whose names?"
"People Richard paid."
The room went silent.
"Politicians. Officials. Business partners."
Michael swallowed.
"People who helped him erase problems."
Ethan felt cold.
"So my mother found proof."
"Yes."
"And she threatened him?"
Michael shook his head.
"No."
His eyes became sad.
"That was what made Anna different."
"What do you mean?"
"She didn't want revenge."
Michael looked at Ethan.
"She wanted the truth to come out."
Ethan looked down.
For the first time, he imagined the woman he had never met.
Not as someone who left.
But as someone who fought.
"Then why did she disappear?"
Michael hesitated.
"Because Richard discovered she had copied the documents."
Ethan felt his stomach tighten.
"Where are they now?"
Michael looked at the door.
As if checking whether someone was listening.
Then he whispered:
"Hidden."
"Where?"
Michael looked at him.
"In the one place Richard would never search."
Ethan leaned closer.
"Where?"
Michael's lips moved.
But before he could answer...
The door suddenly opened.
Daniel rushed inside.
His face was pale.
"Ethan, we have to leave."
Ethan stood.
"What happened?"
Daniel looked behind him.
"Your father."
A strange feeling entered Ethan's chest.
"What about him?"
Daniel locked the door.
"He didn't come here to talk."
Ethan frowned.
"Then why did he come?"
Daniel looked at him.
"Because he came to take you."
Silence.
Ethan stared.
"Take me where?"
Daniel's expression darkened.
"Somewhere you won't be able to ask questions."
Suddenly, the hospital lights went out.
The hallway outside became dark.
Emergency alarms started ringing.
Michael looked terrified.
"No..."
Ethan turned toward him.
"What?"
Michael's voice shook.
"He's doing it again."
"Who?"
Michael looked at the door.
"Richard."
A shadow appeared behind the glass window.
Someone was standing outside.
Waiting.
Then the door handle slowly moved.
Once.
Twice.
Ethan stepped backward.
Daniel positioned himself in front of him.
And then a familiar voice came from the darkness.
"Ethan."
Richard Carter.
Calm.
Cold.
Controlled.
"Come with me."
Ethan stared at the door.
For the first time in his life...
He didn't see his father.
He saw a stranger wearing his father's face.
Richard continued:
"You want the truth?"
A pause.
"Fine."
The door opened.
"But if you find out everything..."
His eyes locked onto Ethan.
"You will hate the person who started this."
Ethan swallowed.
"Who?"
Richard smiled slightly.
"Your mother."
The door closed behind him.
And Ethan realized something terrifying.
May you like
The war over the truth had begun.
But he still didn't know which side was lying.
