The Hospital Secret

Chapter 12

Daniel stared at the photograph on his phone, his jaw tightening.

His grandfather stood beside a man he recognised immediately.

Maya’s uncle.

The picture appeared to have been taken outside a hospital, but what unsettled Daniel most was the date written beneath it.

Six years ago.

The same year Maya disappeared from his life.

“Adrian!” Daniel called.

His assistant entered almost immediately.

“Find out everything about this photograph. Which hospital, the date it was taken, and why my grandfather was meeting Maya’s uncle.”

Adrian studied the picture.

“Do you think it has something to do with what happened between you and Maya?”

“I don’t think anymore, Adrian. I know there’s something everyone has been hiding from me.”

Daniel picked up his car keys.

“And I’m tired of being the last person to know.”

Maya sat quietly in the living room, watching Lia draw pictures on the carpet.

She wanted to be happy. She wanted to believe that Daniel’s determination to uncover the truth meant they could finally have a fresh start.

But every new discovery seemed to open another wound.

Her phone vibrated.

An unknown number.

You should stop asking questions about your father. Some truths destroy families.

Maya’s fingers tightened around the phone.

She looked around the room before reading the message again.

Whoever was behind the threats knew what she was investigating.

“Mummy?”

Lia’s little voice brought her back to reality.

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“Are you sad?”

Maya forced a smile.

“No, baby. I’m just thinking.”

Lia climbed onto the sofa and rested her head against Maya’s arm.

“Can we go outside with Daddy tomorrow?”

Maya swallowed.

“I’ll see what I can do.”

She didn’t have the heart to tell her daughter that she wasn’t sure what tomorrow would bring.

At the hospital, Daniel stood in front of an elderly receptionist who had worked there for years.

Adrian had managed to identify the location from the photograph.

“Please, I’m looking for records from six years ago,” Daniel explained. “My grandfather visited this hospital with another man. I need to know why.”

The woman adjusted her glasses.

“Do you have their names?”

Daniel gave her his grandfather’s name and then mentioned Maya’s uncle.

The receptionist paused.

Something changed in her expression.

“That name,” she whispered.

Daniel leaned forward.

“You know him?”

She glanced towards the hallway before speaking.

“I remember that day. There was a young woman admitted here. She had just given birth.”

Daniel felt his heartbeat quicken.

“A woman?”

“Yes. But the family requested that certain information remain private.”

“Who was the woman?”

The receptionist hesitated.

“I’m sorry. I cannot disclose patient information.”

Daniel placed the photograph on the counter.

“Please. This is important. I have spent six years believing someone I loved abandoned me. Now I discover that the people around us were meeting behind our backs.”

The woman studied the photograph again.

“Your grandfather was not there alone,” she finally said. “There was also a woman with him.”

Daniel frowned.

“Who?”

Before she could answer, a nurse approached and called her name.

The receptionist quickly slipped a small piece of paper into Daniel’s hand.

“Take this. It is the name of the doctor who handled the case. He may be able to tell you more.”

Daniel unfolded it.

Dr. Samuel Mensah.

Meanwhile, Victoria sat in her bedroom, staring at an incoming call.

She answered reluctantly.

“What do you want?”

“You promised me something, Victoria.”

Her expression hardened.

“I told you I would handle it.”

“You have been saying that for six years. Now Daniel is asking questions, and Maya is receiving messages. Do you think I am going to keep quiet forever?”

Victoria stood up.

“Lower your voice.”

The man laughed bitterly.

“You should be more worried about your own voice being heard. I still have the original documents.”

Victoria froze.

“What documents?”

“The ones proving that the hospital arrangement was not what you told Daniel’s grandfather.”

Her hand trembled.

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“Try me.”

The call ended.

Victoria slowly lowered her phone.

For the first time in years, she felt genuinely afraid.

Daniel returned home later that evening with the doctor’s name.

He found Maya standing near the staircase.

“Where have you been?” she asked.

“Trying to find answers.”

“Did you find any?”

Daniel looked at her.

“Maybe. But there’s something I need to ask you.”

Maya folded her arms.

“Go ahead.”

“Did your father ever tell you anything about a woman giving birth at the hospital six years ago?”

Maya’s face changed.

“No. Why?”

Daniel showed her the photograph.

She stared at it, then pointed towards the man standing beside his grandfather.

“That’s my uncle.”

“I know.”

“But why would he be at a hospital with your grandfather?”

Daniel shook his head.

“That’s what I’m trying to find out.”

Maya stepped closer, studying the photograph.

Then she noticed something in the background.

A hospital room number.

Room 214.

“Daniel,” she whispered.

“What?”

“My mother was admitted to this same hospital around that time.”

Daniel looked at her sharply.

“Your mother?”

Maya nodded slowly.

“She died shortly after I started university. But I remember my father telling me that there were things about her last days he never wanted to discuss.”

Daniel felt a chill run down his spine.

Could their families have been hiding something even bigger than the lies that separated them?

Before either could speak, Daniel’s phone rang.

It was Adrian.

“Sir, I’ve found the doctor.”

Daniel stepped away to answer.

“Where is he?”

Adrian’s voice dropped.

“That’s the problem. Dr. Mensah disappeared six years ago. But I managed to contact someone who worked closely with him.”

“Who?”

There was a brief silence.

Then Adrian answered.

“Your mother, sir.”

Daniel slowly lowered the phone.

Across the room, Maya watched his expression change.

“What is it?” she asked.

Daniel looked at her, unable to hide his shock.

“My mother knows what happened at that hospital.”

And somewhere across the city, Victoria received another message.

He has found the doctor. You have one last chance to tell him the truth.