Chapter 7 - MY MOTHER'S LAST LIE
I found my mother alone in the hospital chapel.
She was sitting beneath a stained-glass window.
I stood behind her.
“Mom.”
She didn't turn.
“I knew you'd come.”
I sat beside her.
“Richard's ledger has your name.”
She closed her eyes.
“I know.”
“What did you do?”
“Nothing.”
“That's not true.”
She looked at me.
“You deserve the truth.”
I waited.
She took a deep breath.
“Twenty-seven years ago, Natalie discovered Richard was stealing from your grandfather.”
“How much?”
“Millions.”
“Why didn't she expose him?”
“She tried.”
“And?”
“Richard threatened Lucas.”
My mother looked toward the window.
“Natalie was willing to risk her life.”
“But not her son's.”
“No.”
“So Richard used Lucas.”
“Yes.”
“What happened next?”
My mother lowered her voice.
“Your father confronted Richard.”
“And Richard kidnapped Natalie.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did Dad disappear?”
“Because Richard threatened to kill Lucas.”
I shook my head.
“Why didn't Dad tell me?”
“You were a child.”
“I was twelve.”
“You were still his son.”
I stood.
“And you?”
She looked at me.
“I made a deal.”
My heart sank.
“With Richard?”
“Yes.”
“What kind?”
“I agreed to help him convince everyone Natalie had died.”
I stared at her.
“You lied to us.”
“I did.”
“You told Lucas his mother was dead.”
“Yes.”
“You told me Dad was dead.”
“Yes.”
“You told everyone the family was safe.”
She began crying.
“I thought I could protect you.”
“By lying?”
“Yes.”
I couldn't speak.
She continued.
“Richard promised he would release Natalie after the trust was transferred.”
“Did he?”
“No.”
“He lied.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did you keep helping him?”
“I didn't.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“I stopped.”
“When?”
“The day your father disappeared.”
My mother pulled a photograph from her purse.
It showed my father standing outside the old farmhouse.
Beside him was Richard.
And beside Richard was another man.
I recognized him.
Daniel.
My brother.
My stomach tightened.
“Daniel?”
My mother nodded.
“He was young.”
“How old?”
“Sixteen.”
“Why was he there?”
“He overheard Richard talking.”
“What did he hear?”
“That Lucas was alive.”
I stared.
“Daniel knew?”
“Yes.”
“And he never told me.”
“He was afraid.”
I sat down.
“Everyone was afraid.”
My mother nodded.
“That is how Richard controlled us.”
I looked at the photograph.
“Why did Daniel work for him?”
“He didn't.”
“What?”
“He pretended to.”
My head spun.
“Why?”
“To protect Lucas.”
I remembered the documents.
The payments.
Daniel's name.
All those years, I had believed my brother was simply greedy.
Maybe I had been wrong.
“He helped Richard?”
“Only enough to stay close.”
“Then why did he lock Claire underground?”
My mother looked away.
“He made a terrible choice.”
“What choice?”
“He thought he could force Claire to cooperate before Richard found her.”
I felt anger rising again.
“He almost killed her.”
“I know.”
“Fear doesn't excuse that.”
“No.”
She reached for my hand.
“That's why he must face the consequences.”
I sat silently.
Then she said something that changed everything.
“Mark, Richard isn't the only person who knew about Lily's trust.”
“Who else?”
“Your father.”
“I know.”
“Your grandfather.”
“I know.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
She looked directly into my eyes.
“Lily knew.”
I frowned.
“She was six.”
“She knew something was wrong.”
“How?”
“Your father told her.”
“What?”
“Not the details.”
My mother explained.
“My father knew that one day Richard might come after her.”
“So he prepared her.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“He taught her to listen.”
I thought about Lily hearing Claire beneath the floor.
My mother continued.
“He told her that if she ever heard someone asking for help, she should tell you.”
My throat tightened.
“That wasn't coincidence.”
“No.”
“Dad knew.”
“Yes.”
“He knew Lily would find the room?”
“He hoped.”
I stared at the floor.
My daughter had been part of a plan she didn't understand.
My mother squeezed my hand.
“She saved Claire.”
“She saved all of us.”
My mother smiled sadly.
“That's what your father wanted.”
That evening, Daniel was brought to the hospital under police escort.
He looked exhausted.
I sat across from him.
“You knew.”
He didn't answer.
“You knew Lucas was alive.”
“Yes.”
“You knew about Natalie.”
“Yes.”
“You knew about Richard.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because every time I tried, Richard threatened someone.”
“Who?”
“Lily.”
I stared at him.
“How?”
“He had people watching her school.”
I felt sick.
“I never knew.”
“Neither did she.”
I looked at him.
“Then why did you hurt Claire?”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“I thought I could scare her into giving me the papers.”
“You locked her underground.”
“I know.”
“You lied to everyone.”
“I know.”
“You almost destroyed your own family.”
He looked at me.
“I know.”
I stood.
“I don't know if I can forgive you.”
“You shouldn't.”
I stopped.
Daniel looked down.
“But I can testify.”
“Against Richard?”
“Yes.”
“Everything?”
“Everything.”
He reached into his pocket.
He pulled out a small memory card.
“I recorded him.”
I took it.
“What is on this?”
“The final meeting.”
“With whom?”
“Richard.”
“When?”
“Tomorrow.”
I stared at him.
“Tomorrow?”
Daniel nodded.
“He thinks Lily's guardianship hearing will happen.”
“What does he plan to do?”
May you like
Daniel's face went pale.
“He plans to kill your father.”
