Chapter 6: The Secret Behind Her Mother's Death
I didn't show Maya the note.
Not immediately.
I folded it and slipped it into my jacket pocket.
Then I crouched in front of her.
"Sweetheart, did Vanessa ever talk to you about your mother?""
Maya nodded.
"Sometimes.""
"What did she say?""
Maya looked toward Claire.
"She said Mom died because Dad didn't take care of her.""
I felt the ground shift beneath me.
"What?""
Maya's eyes filled.
"She said you were working when Mom needed you.""
I closed my eyes.
My first wife, Emily, had died seven years earlier.
She had been thirty-four.
Maya was only three.
Emily had suffered a sudden medical emergency at home. The doctors later told me that the condition had developed rapidly and that even immediate treatment might not have saved her.
I had never hidden Emily's death from Maya.
But I had always tried to explain it gently.
"Mom got very sick," I had told her.
"The doctors tried everything, but they couldn't make her better.""
I had never blamed myself.
Not until now.
I looked at my daughter.
"Did Vanessa tell you anything else?""
Maya nodded.
"She said if I loved you, I wouldn't ask questions about Mom.""
I felt my jaw tighten.
"Why?""
"She said it made you sad.""
I hugged her.
"Your mother loved you more than anything in the world. And nothing about her death was your fault.""
Maya buried her face against my shoulder.
"Did she love me?""
I held her tighter.
"Every single day.""
Claire watched us from the doorway, her eyes wet.
When Maya went inside, I took the note from my pocket and showed it to her.
Claire read it.
Then she looked at me.
"Marcus, what is Vanessa trying to do?""
"I don't know.""
"Do you think there's something about Emily she knows?""
I stared at the paper.
"Apparently.""
I called Daniel.
He answered immediately.
"Marcus, I was just about to call you.""
"Vanessa left a note for Maya. It says I should ask what happened to her mother.""
There was a pause.
"Did she explain anything?""
"No. But Maya says Vanessa has been telling her I was responsible for Emily's death.""
Daniel exhaled.
"Come to my office tomorrow morning. Bring the note.""
"Why?""
"I found something in your mother's estate documents.""
"What?""
"Your mother left a sealed letter concerning Emily's final months. It was never included in the original estate distribution.""
I gripped the phone.
"Why didn't you tell me before?""
"Because I only found it while reviewing the supplementary documents after yesterday's hearing.""
"What's in it?""
"I haven't opened it. Your mother instructed me to release it to you only if there was a serious dispute involving Maya's welfare.""
I looked through the window at my daughter.
"Then tomorrow morning.""
That night, Maya slept in Claire's guest room.
I stayed on the sofa.
At around midnight, I heard quiet footsteps.
Maya stood in the doorway, holding Mr. Buttons.
"Can't sleep?""
She shook her head.
I lifted the blanket.
"Come here.""
She climbed beside me.
For a few minutes, we sat quietly.
Then she asked, "Dad, did Mom die because you weren't there?""
I turned toward her.
"No, sweetheart.""
"Vanessa said you were at work.""
"I was.""
"Then why didn't you come home?""
I swallowed.
"Because I didn't know she was sick.""
Maya looked down.
"Could you have saved her?""
I felt my chest tighten.
"Sometimes people get sick very suddenly. Even when doctors try their hardest, they can't always save someone.""
She rubbed the rabbit's ear.
"Did you cry?""
I smiled sadly.
"Every day.""
"Do you still miss her?""
"Every day.""
Maya leaned against me.
"I miss her too.""
I kissed her hair.
"That's okay.""
She was quiet for a moment.
Then she whispered, "Vanessa said I remind you of her, and that's why you don't love me as much as Brielle.""
I closed my eyes.
I wanted to scream.
Instead, I turned toward my daughter and held her face gently.
"Listen to me. You remind me of your mother because you have her smile. But I don't love you because you're like her. I love you because you're Maya.""
She began crying.
I pulled her into my arms.
And for the first time since I had found her on that kitchen floor, she cried without trying to hide it.
The next morning, I arrived at Daniel's office at 8:55.
He was waiting with a brown envelope.
"Your mother was very clear about this," he said.
He placed it on the desk.
My name was written across the front in my mother's handwriting.
I recognized every curve of every letter.
I opened it.
My dear Marcus,
If you're reading this, something has happened that I prayed would never happen.
You may have discovered that someone is trying to control Maya's inheritance. But money is not the only thing I want you to protect.
I continued.
I never trusted Vanessa completely.
My eyes stopped moving.
Daniel sat quietly.
I read the next paragraph.
During Emily's final months, she told me she was frightened. She said someone had been asking questions about her medical records and trying to access documents she had kept in a locked drawer.
My stomach tightened.
I read on.
Emily believed someone was interfering in her personal affairs. I told her not to worry, but she insisted that I keep copies of certain records.
I looked up.
"Did my mother know something?""
Daniel nodded.
"Keep reading.""
I returned to the letter.
Marcus, I know you were devastated when Emily died. I also know you have spent years blaming yourself for not being home that night.
Please understand this: Emily never blamed you.
I felt tears gathering in my eyes.
She left something for Maya. Something that may one day explain why she was so afraid.
I placed it in the safety deposit box at First National Bank, under my personal estate account.
The key is attached.
I looked down.
A small brass key had been taped to the bottom of the letter.
There was another paragraph.
Do not tell Vanessa about the box.
I stopped breathing.
The letter continued.
She came to my house shortly after Emily's funeral. She asked me whether Emily had left any documents about Maya. I told her no.
She did not believe me.
I stared at Daniel.
"Vanessa visited my mother after Emily died?""
"Apparently.""
"Why?""
"That's what we need to find out.""
I picked up the key.
My mother's handwriting continued at the bottom of the page.
Marcus, if you discover that the person who hurt Emily is still close to Maya, do not confront them until you know the truth.
Your mother,
Margaret.
I sat motionless.
For years, Vanessa had presented herself as a woman who helped me rebuild my life after losing Emily.
She had comforted me.
She had helped raise Maya.
She had stood beside me at family gatherings.
And now I was learning that my mother had warned me about her.
Daniel opened his desk drawer and removed another document.
"There's one more thing.""
"What?""
"Your mother gave me a copy of Emily's medical records shortly before she died.""
He placed the file in front of me.
I opened it.
The first pages contained hospital reports and treatment notes.
Then I saw a handwritten entry.
It was dated three days before Emily died.
*Patient reports receiving repeated medication reminders from an unidentified household member. Patient expresses concern that prescribed dosage may have been altered.*
I read it again.
"Medication reminders?""
Daniel nodded.
"Your mother was concerned about this entry.""
I flipped to the next page.
A nurse had documented that Emily requested a medication review because she believed she had been given the wrong pills.
The hospital had ordered further tests.
But the final report was missing.
I looked at Daniel.
"Where is the rest?""
"That's what I want to know.""
He pointed to a reference number.
"According to the medical file, there should be an attached pharmacy reconciliation report. It isn't here.""
I stared at the empty space where the report should have been.
Then my phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
I answered.
"Hello?""
A woman's voice spoke quietly.
"Mr. Carter?""
"Yes.""
"My name is Linda. I was a nurse at the hospital where your first wife was treated.""
I sat straighter.
"How did you get this number?""
"Your mother's attorney contacted the hospital records department. Someone gave me your information.""
"What is this about?""
She hesitated.
"About Emily.""
My fingers tightened around the phone.
"What do you know?""
"I remember her. She was frightened during her final admission. She asked me to make sure nobody changed her medication.""
I looked at Daniel.
He immediately began writing.
"Did anyone change it?"" I asked.
Linda's voice became softer.
"I can't say that with certainty. But I remember seeing a woman bringing medication from outside the hospital.""
"Who?""
There was a pause.
Then Linda said something that made my blood turn to ice.
"Your wife identified her as someone she trusted.""
I swallowed.
"Who was it?""
The nurse took a shaky breath.
"She called her Vanessa.""
I couldn't move.
Daniel was staring at me.
Then Linda added one final sentence.
"Mr. Carter, there's something else. Before Emily died, she asked me to hide a small envelope because she was afraid Vanessa would find it.""
"Where is it?""
"I don't know. But I remember what she wrote on the outside.""
"What?""
The nurse lowered her voice.
"She wrote, 'For Marcus. If Vanessa ever enters our house again, he needs to know the truth.''"
I looked at the brass key in my hand.
My mother had kept a secret for seven years.
And now, somewhere inside a bank safety deposit box, there might be an answer to the question that had haunted my family since Emily died.
But as I prepared to leave Daniel's office, my phone lit up with a message from Vanessa.
*We need to talk about Maya. Come home alone. There's something about Emily you don't know.*
May you like
A second message arrived before I could respond.
*And if you go to that bank, you'll destroy everything you think you know about your first wife.*
