The ride to school felt endlessly long and tiresome. The driver tried to talk to her to get her to ignore Jake, saying he would come around later, but Maya just stared out the window, imagining what life would be like at school now.At school, she waited at their usual spot during breaks. And that was under the old oak tree near the playground, where Jake always came to check on her between classes. But he never showed up.In class, she glanced outside the window, hoping to see his familiar face pass by and make a face for her to giggle. But that didn't happen either. At lunch, she searched for him in the cafeteria, but that too was futile. She began to hear Whispers among other students."Did they have a serious fight?" one asked."Maybe it's a prank," another suggested."No, oh no , I don't think so, I mean look at Maya, she looks like she's about to cry," someone else whispered.The truth was, no one knew what was happening between the Anderson siblings, not even the teachers, not their friends, not even Maya herself knew what was going on in the mansion.But one thing was painfully clear. Whatever had transpired to break the bond between them was hurting Maya far more than it was hurting Jake.By the time the day ended, her smile was gone entirely, and her eyes got heavy with confusion. She decided that after school, she would go straight to Agnes and ask her what was going on. And if anyone could tell her what was happening and be honest with her, it would be Agnes.But for now, though, all she could do was sit in silence, cling to her lunchbox, and wonder when and how her brother's love had turned into distance.Back at home, Jake kept the Same attitude he had in school, ignoring Maya. That night, Maya decided to ask Agnes why Jake was ignoring her. Agnes told her she didn't know why Jake was ignoring her, and perhaps she should try asking Jake why. During their family meeting, Maya asked Jake why he was avoiding her. "I don't talk to non-Andersons like you," Jake said. "Behave well, young man, " his dad shouted at him. Jake got angry and left the table, stormed into his room, and banged the door as usual. Maya was confused; she asked her parents why Jake said that and what was happening in the house. Why was everyone acting cold towards her? Mrs. Anderson just told her it's all in her head; she's only feeling that way because of how Jake is behaving. She ignores what is going on and finishes her food. She later went to find Agnes to ask her if she knew anything about what was going on in the house again. Agnes denied knowing anything and told her to brush it off. Maya was sad; is Agnes too? On their side? Is she going to sit there and watch her suffer? Maya asked herself as she shed tears in her room. She decided to be observant and see if anyone would leak any valuable information to her. The following morning, theme. And Mrs. Anderson sat together in silence, the weight of their decision heavy between them. After a long night of restless thoughts and tearful whispers and decisions, they had come to a painful resolution: they needed to find their real son or daughter.At first, they had wanted to ignore it, to keep Maya as their own and never look back. She was the child they had raised, the little girl who had called them "Mom" and "Dad" for ten beautiful years. But deep down in their heart, they both knew the truth ticking like a clock. So, for Maya's sake, for her peace of mind and her own future, they had to find the woman who had brought her into this world and give her back what belongs to her. By noon, their car pulled up right in front of the hospital where Maya had been born. The sight of the building brought back a rush of memories; it reminded them of the day Helen held her first baby girl, the tears, the joy, the celebration. But all of it is suddenly tainted by doubt.Inside the hospital, the staff looked uneasy when Mr. Anderson spoke. "We need to see the delivery records from ten years ago," he said firmly without breaking his stare at the Doctor's face. "Specifically, the day our daughter was born."A nurse exchanged glances with the others around. "Sir, I'm afraid that won't be easy or even possible. It's been a decade, and many of those files are now archived, incomplete, or have been discarded. It will take ages and a lot of time to track everything."Mr. Anderson's tone suddenly hardened. "I don't care how much time it takes or how much it'll cost. Just find them, because it's important ."The staff hesitated for a moment. Then, realizing he meant every word he had just said, out of fear, they began their search. Folders were pulled all around the hospital, files dusted off, and computer records were opened. The humming of the old archive room filled the air as papers shuffled and printers clicked rapidly.After what felt like days, a nurse returned holding a stack of papers. "I found them," she said. "It said here that there were ten births recorded on the day Maya was delivered."Helen leaned backwards, her voice trembling. "Ten?"The nurse nodded in affirmation. "Yes. Ten children, some of whom have parents from different nationalities. It means your search won't be easy. You'll have to contact families across borders, and there is also a possibility that they won't be willing to talk to you or conduct the DNA tests you wish for."Silence covered the room.Then another nurse walked out of nowhere and muttered, "Wait, but what if, what if the other child, your real son or daughter, isn't alive anymore? What will you do ?"Helen stood there frozen. The color drained from her face as she turned to look at her husband. His jaw tightened really quickly, and his eyes then got clouded with something between fear and determination.Without saying a word, he took her hand, turned to the nurse, and said quietly, "Then we'll still find the truth. No matter what it takes and no matter how far we go ."He guided Helen toward the door; his voice was low but resolute. "Let's go. We need to start searching now."As they stepped outside, the hospital doors closed behind them, shutting in the ghosts and shadows of a past they no longer understood, and opening the door to a painful, uncertain journey ahead with little hope of victory.Mr. and Mrs. Anderson sat in the study that night, the desk covered in scattered papers with a list of ten mothers, each with a name, a hospital ID, and a contact number. The faint light of the lamp cast long shadows across the room as he picked up the phone and began to call them, one by one.Most of the calls didn't go well at all. Some women hung up as soon as he mentioned the words hospital and DNA test. Others refused to talk, fearing scams or the reopening of old wounds. A few demanded proof before saying anything to them at all. Mrs. Anderson, sitting beside Mr. Anderson, pleaded through the phone, her voice breaking with tears each time. "Please, we're just looking for the truth and nothing else. We are searching for our child. If you know anything about this, even a little detail, don't hesitate to please help us, I beg you ."Slowly, a few began to give in, but they demanded payment beforehand and assurances for damages, just in case. Some shared their addresses, being hesitant but sympathetic. One lived in Japan, while the other lived in the United States. The rest were scattered across Europe nearby. The search stretched across continents, but for the Andersons, distance meant nothing. Money could take them anywhere and at any time.As Mr. Anderson scribbled notes, the door creaked open. Jake stood there, half hidden in the shadows."So, you're finally going to bring my real sibling home?" he asked bluntly with a happy voice.Mr. Anderson looked up, startled. "Jake, this isn't the right time for this.""We don't know yet, son," Mrs. Anderson interrupted softly. "We're still trying to find answers, and we will let you know when we do ."Jake crossed his arms sharply. "Well, you'd better hurry and get rid of the fake one living here; she's beginning to get on my nerves ."His words hit the room like a slap."Jake!" his mother snapped at him, standing abruptly. "Don't you ever say that again, you hear me! Don't you dare mock or look down on anyone; you never know what tomorrow brings. The fact that you were born into a wealthy home doesn't mean you should look down on others."But Jake just gave a small, bitter laugh. "Tomorrow? Tomorrow won't change the fact that she's not one of us, Mom, and it's high time you accepted that ."Before either parent could speak again, he turned around and walked out, his footsteps echoing down the marble hallway until his door slammed shut again.Later that night, Agnes quietly knocked on his door again. She entered, carrying his folded pajamas as she always did. But the moment she stepped inside, Jake's expression changed. He wasn't happy to see her like he had been."Stay away from Maya," he said coldly without thinking twice.Agnes blinked in shock. "What did you just say, Jake ?""You heard me, right ?" he snapped. "If you keep going near her, you'll have to choose between her and me. And remember, she won't be here much longer anyway. She'll be going back to her real family soon. So choose wisely and smartly ."Agnes stood there frozen, the words stinging like an icy rain. She didn't argue with him on this. She put the clothes down, and whispered, "Goodnight, Jake," and quietly left the room.Downstairs, she found Mrs. Anderson in the living room, lost in thought. "Madam," Agnes said softly, "we need to talk right now ."Mrs. Anderson looked up wearily. "What is it?" "It's Jake," Agnes said. "He's changing, and not for the better. You need to talk to him before he says something to Maya. The girl is already sensing that there's something wrong. If she hears the truth from anyone else, it will destroy her."Mrs. Anderson sighed deeply, pressing her fingers to her temples. "Agnes, we can't tell her anything yet. Not until we find our real daughter. Once we do, we'll tell Maya everything gently and carefully. Until then, no one must say a word to her about it. Not even you and I know I can trust you on this one," Agnes nodded slowly. "I understand, ma'am. But please, speak to Jake like I said. He's angry, and anger can make people careless and heartless sometimes ."Mrs. Anderson shook her head. "Jake won't say anything. He's hurt, yes I know, but he's not cruel. He'll keep his distance for the time being. He won't talk to her, that's all." Agnes didn't argue, though she wasn't convinced by what Mrs. Anderson said. She bowed her head and left the room.Upstairs, behind the closed doors, Jake lay awake staring at the ceiling, his mother's warning echoing firmly in his mind.And somewhere down the hall, Maya slept peacefully, still dreaming of the brother who had once promised never to leave her side.The next morning, the Andersons set off in search do their child. They hoped they find him or her soon before things got out of hand. They asked Jake to behave well and not cause trouble. They told Maya to watch herself and not worry so much about Jake. When their parents left, Jake went straight into their room, making sure no one had seen him. He carefully opened the drawers, scattering papers across the floor of the room, determined to uncover the truth behind the sudden departure of his parents. All he saw were Contracts, letters, and bank statements with nothing explaining why they were leaving. The more he searched the room, the more frustrated he became. He found nothing, so he gave up and went to his room. From the day Maya came home, the warmth Jake once had for her turned cold. His words grew sharper, his looks heavier with resentment. At home, he ignored her at all costs. And at school, he mocked her together with her bullies. Maya, confused and heartbroken, replayed every memory in her mind, still asking herself what she had done wrong. What had really happened the day she was in the hospital, or before that day?Only Maid Agnes seemed to offer some form of kindness towards Maya, whispering hints and half-truths in careful, coded phrases. But even that thread of comfort began to fray when Maya realized Agnes was holding something back. With quiet determination, Maya stopped listening, stopped trusting.She finally understood that no one was coming to save her. Whatever storm was brewing around her family, she would face it alone. And this time, she would not break.One hot afternoon after school, Maya went into her room and found some documents on her table. She took them and read them. She was shocked at the information in them, which is why everyone was being cold to her. She's not the daughter of Mr and Mrs. Anderson. Does this mean she is adopted? Did her own mother abandon her? . When Maya saw the documents, she started crying at the age of 10. This was too much for her to handle. She watched as her life went from sweet to bitter, how everyone who once loved her no longer even looked at her twice. She sat down with her arms wrapped around her legs, thinking and asking herself numerous questions. What happens now?Agnes ran into Maya's room to see what was making her cry. When she got there, she saw Maya holding the papers. She took a look at them and got angry. In her mind, she knew it was Jake who had placed them there. She didn't know why Jake would do that, but it was something she was expecting from him. She held Maya and tried to console her. Jake saw them and just passed by Maya's room with a smirk on his face.After a while, Maya asked Agnes if she knew anything about the papers. Agnes denied and told Maya to stay calm and that everything was going to be fine. Maya asked Agnes why her parents didn't say anything about it to her. Why did they all act cold towards her? No one seemed to care about how she felt or how this would affect her. Is this how the Andersons treated people who weren't Andersons, too? Agnes listened to Maya's pain and said nothing. She assured Maya that everything would be fine. The next day at school, everyone around Maya kept whispering and giving her weird looks. Those who bullied her intensified their bullying because the new Jake wasn't going to save her. On her way to the cafeteria, someone tripped her and she almost fell to the floor. They laughed and called her names. They told her that soon, she would be stripped of the Anderson name and treated like one of them. A commoner. Maya just ignored them and continued eating her food after school. When she got home, she went straight to her room, lay on her bed, and fell asleep. Trying to forget the pain and humiliation she was going through at school. Meanwhile, her parents were still on their trip to find their child. The first place they got to, they had to try to convince the parents to get a DNA test to prove that their child was theirs after complaining and dragging issues. The families agreed to run the test, but it was negative. They then proceeded to the next family and the next, and the next. All bring negative. Now it was left with one woman, but she lived in New York City. The Andersons booked an air ticket and flew straight to New York City. When they arrived, they traced the location, which led them to a sewage system. When they arrived, they were shocked. They asked those around if they knew anyone with the name Tris; they nodded in affirmation and gave them directions to her house. When they got there, they found the woman arguing with her 18-year-old son. The boy then budged out of the house. Out came a little girl in worn-out clothes. They looked at her, and she looked exactly like Jake. They were excited and ran to hug her. Tris saw this and got angry. She asked them why they came to her house, and the next thing was to try to get her only daughter on their side. They spoke to Tris, and she requested some money before allowing them to run the DNA test on Maria. When they got to the hospital, the test came out positive. The Andersons were overjoyed; they wanted to take Maria with them. But Tris said no. She asked where her daughter was. The Andersons looked at each other's faces. They looked at the atmosphere with disgust and asked if it was fair to bring Maya here. Tris got angry and told them not to look down on her just because she was poor. If they don't bring their daughter, who is currently with them, then she won't release their daughter, who is also with her. The Andersons agreed and told her that they would bring Maya to her very soon. They just wanted to leave with Maria. But Tris still said no. So, the Andersons left with a promise to come back.
