Chapter 10: The Voice from the Grave
I dropped the phone.
It hit the wooden floor, bounced once, and landed beside my shoes.
Nobody moved.
My mother's voice had come through that speaker.
My mother, who had been buried four years earlier in a small cemetery outside Hartford.
My mother, whose funeral I had attended with Daniel holding my hand.
My mother, whose death certificate I had signed.
And she had just told me my husband was alive.
Arthur reached for the phone.
I snatched it away.
"Don't touch it.""
"Nia, that could be a recording.""
"It was a live call.""
"Someone can manipulate a voice.""
I stared at him.
"Do you recognize it?""
He said nothing.
I called the number back.
Three rings.
Then a familiar voice answered.
"Nia?""
My legs nearly gave way.
"Mom?""
A long silence followed.
Then she whispered, "Oh, sweetheart.""
I covered my mouth.
Tears streamed down my face.
"You're alive?""
"Yes.""
"Where are you?""
"I can't tell you yet.""
I laughed through my tears.
"Four years. You let me believe you were dead for four years.""
"I know.""
"You let me bury an empty coffin?""
My mother began crying.
"I didn't have a choice.""
"You always had a choice!""
Emily stood beside me, watching with wide eyes.
Vanessa had backed against the wall.
Arthur looked as though he might collapse.
I pressed the phone against my ear.
"Tell me about Daniel.""
My mother's breathing changed.
"He's alive, Nia.""
"Where?""
"Somewhere safe.""
"Why didn't he come home?""
"Because the people who arranged the accident were still watching you.""
I shook my head.
"Who?""
A pause.
Then she said, "The third child.""
I looked at Margaret.
She was staring at the floor.
"Who is the third child?""
My mother lowered her voice.
"His name is Adrian.""
Arthur closed his eyes.
I looked at him.
"You know him?""
He nodded slowly.
My mother continued.
"Adrian was born twelve minutes after Daniel. He was the strongest of the three. Margaret arranged for him to be raised by another family because she believed three sons would destroy the family inheritance.""
I couldn't understand.
"Why?""
"Because your husband's father had a condition written into his will. Only one biological son could inherit the controlling shares of the company.""
Arthur finally spoke.
"That isn't true.""
My mother heard him.
"Arthur, don't pretend you don't remember.""
He looked down.
Margaret began shaking her head.
My mother continued.
"Adrian grew up believing he had been abandoned. Ethan grew up believing he had been discarded. Daniel grew up believing he was the only child.""
I felt sick.
"Where did Adrian go?""
"He was raised by a family in Pennsylvania. They changed his name. He eventually became a lawyer.""
I glanced at the laptop.
The corrupted video.
The bank transfers.
The hidden medical records.
"Is Adrian the person helping Ethan?""
"Yes.""
"Why would he want Daniel dead?""
"Because Adrian believes Daniel stole his life.""
I looked toward Arthur.
"Did Daniel know?""
My mother answered.
"He found out six months ago. He tried to meet Adrian. But Ethan reached him first.""
I swallowed.
"Then what happened in the accident?""
Silence.
My mother's voice became almost inaudible.
"Daniel discovered that Adrian had arranged for his car to be tampered with.""
I gripped the phone.
"Did Adrian kill him?""
"No. Daniel survived.""
I stopped breathing.
"Then why did everyone say he died?""
"Because Daniel asked us to let the world believe it.""
I looked at Emily.
She was crying silently.
I thought about Lily.
My little girl, who had cried beside her father's coffin.
"Does Lily know?""
"No.""
"Does she know her father is alive?""
"No.""
I closed my eyes.
"How could you let her believe he was dead?""
My mother began sobbing.
"Because if Adrian knew Daniel survived, he would have used Lily to reach him.""
I wanted to scream.
Instead, I whispered, "Where is my husband?""
"Come to the old lake house tomorrow at noon. Come alone.""
"Absolutely not.""
"Nia—"
"I'm not leaving my children.""
A pause.
Then my mother said something that made my blood run cold.
"Then bring them. Because Adrian already knows about Emily.""
The call ended.
I stood motionless.
Arthur took a slow breath.
"We need to move.""
Margaret looked up.
"Where?""
"Somewhere Adrian can't reach us.""
Vanessa shook her head.
"He's not going to hurt Emily.""
Arthur turned toward her.
"How can you possibly know that?""
"Because he's the one who paid for her education.""
"He's also the one who threatened Daniel.""
Emily stepped between them.
"Stop talking about me like I'm not here!""
Everyone fell silent.
She turned toward Vanessa.
"I want the truth. All of it.""
Vanessa wiped her cheeks.
"I don't know what else to tell you.""
"Then I'll ask someone who does.""
Emily took out her phone.
She opened her contacts and selected a number.
"Ethan?""
I grabbed her wrist.
"Don't.""
She pulled away.
"I need answers.""
The call connected.
A familiar voice answered.
"Emily, sweetheart.""
She closed her eyes.
"Did you know Daniel was alive?""
Silence.
Then Ethan replied, "Yes.""
I felt the room spin.
Emily continued.
"Did you know he was my uncle?""
"Yes.""
"Did you know Nia was my mother?""
Another silence.
"Yes.""
Emily began crying.
"Then why did you let me believe she abandoned me?""
Ethan's voice softened.
"Because I was trying to protect you.""
"Everyone says that!""
She ended the call.
Then she looked at me.
"I don't know who my family is anymore.""
I took a careful step toward her.
"You don't have to figure that out today.""
She stared at me for a long moment.
Then, unexpectedly, she reached for my hand.
It was a small gesture.
But it was the first time she had chosen to touch me.
I held her fingers gently.
Arthur picked up Daniel's letter from the table.
"There's something else.""
He unfolded the final page.
A small photograph slipped out.
It showed three newborn babies in hospital bassinets.
On the back, Daniel had written:
*ONE OF US KNOWS THE TRUTH. ONE OF US WANTS REVENGE. ONE OF US IS STILL PROTECTING THE FAMILY.*
I looked at the photograph.
Then I noticed something in the background.
A woman standing beside the bassinets.
It was my mother.
But she wasn't alone.
Beside her stood a man wearing a hospital uniform.
And the name embroidered on his chest was clearly visible.
*DR. ADRIAN WHITMORE.*
My mother had told me Adrian was one of the triplets.
But the photograph showed something impossible.
The doctor was old enough to be their father.
Unless the name belonged to someone else.
I turned the photograph over again.
There was another sentence beneath Daniel's handwriting.
May you like
*THE THIRD CHILD IS NOT WHO MOTHER CLAIMED.*
And suddenly, I understood why my mother had been so afraid to tell me the truth.
