Chapter 4: The Woman Waiting in My Father's House
My mother refused to get into the car.
Not because she was afraid of my father.
Because she was afraid of what Vivian might tell me.
We were still sitting in the diner when she took my phone, stared at the screen, and listened to the voicemail my father had left.
"Bring your mother with you," he had said.
"There's someone else here who has been waiting six years to see her.""
My mother played it twice.
Then she closed her eyes.
"He's found her," she whispered.
"Found who?""
She looked at me.
"Vivian.""
"Mom, I know who Vivian is. She's Uncle Daniel's wife.""
"She wasn't always.""
I frowned.
"What does that mean?""
My mother rubbed her forehead.
"Before Vivian married Daniel, she worked for your grandfather. She was his personal assistant. She knew every detail about his estate, his properties, and the trust he created for you.""
"Okay.""
"She also knew where the original documents were kept.""
I stared at her.
"Why would she help them forge your signature?""
"Because she was supposed to receive something in return.""
"What?""
My mother hesitated.
Then she opened her handbag and removed another photograph.
This one showed Vivian standing beside my father at a charity dinner. They were smiling at the camera, their arms around each other.
It was dated eight years earlier.
Before my mother disappeared.
"Your father and Vivian were having an affair," she said.
I felt the air leave my lungs.
"No.""
"I found out three weeks before the accident.""
I looked at the photograph again.
My father was wearing the same watch he had worn at my graduation.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I thought I could fix the marriage. I thought Daniel would convince Vivian to leave him alone.""
"Daniel knew?""
"Daniel arranged their meetings.""
I stood up.
The waitress glanced over as my chair scraped against the floor.
"So my uncle helped my father cheat on you?""
My mother nodded.
"And when I threatened to expose them, the accident happened.""
I walked toward the window.
The world outside looked painfully ordinary. Cars passed. A delivery driver unloaded boxes. A woman pushed a stroller across the street.
My entire family had been built around a lie.
"Let's go," I said.
My mother looked surprised.
"Lena—"
"I'm going to that house. I'm going to look my father in the eye and ask him why he let me mourn you while he was sleeping with another woman.""
She reached for her coat.
"Then we go together.""
We arrived at my father's house forty minutes later.
It was a large Spanish-style home in a quiet neighborhood, with a stone driveway and a fountain my grandfather had installed decades earlier.
I had grown up there.
I knew every crack in the kitchen tiles and every loose floorboard near the staircase.
But when I stepped inside, it felt like entering a stranger's home.
My father stood beside the living room fireplace.
Daniel was seated on the leather sofa.
And Vivian stood near the piano.
She wore a cream-colored blouse, black trousers, and the diamond earrings I remembered from my childhood.
She looked older.
But her smile was exactly the same.
"Lena!"" she exclaimed.
She opened her arms.
I didn't move.
"Don't.""
Her arms slowly dropped.
"Oh, sweetheart. You've been through so much today.""
"Don't call me that.""
My father stepped forward.
"Enough. We're going to discuss this calmly.""
I pointed at Vivian.
"Why is she here?""
Marco glanced at Daniel.
"Because there are things you don't understand.""
"Then explain them.""
Daniel stood.
"Your mother has spent years inventing stories about people who helped her.""
My mother laughed once.
"Helped me?""
Daniel looked at her.
"Elena, you should be grateful you're alive.""
My mother stepped forward.
"You're right. I am grateful. Especially because I now know who cut my brakes.""
Daniel's expression didn't change.
"Do you have proof?""
She held up the evidence bag.
He glanced at it.
Then he smiled.
"That piece of metal could have come from anywhere.""
I watched him carefully.
He wasn't surprised.
He wasn't even particularly concerned.
My father placed a document on the coffee table.
"Lena, this is why I asked you to come.""
I looked down.
It was a legal agreement transferring the controlling shares of my grandfather's company.
The beneficiary was Daniel.
My mother's signature appeared at the bottom.
"This is forged," I said.
Vivian folded her arms.
"That's a serious accusation.""
"She was declared dead six months before this was signed.""
My father shook his head.
"Your mother had legal arrangements in place before the accident.""
"Then why is she standing here telling you otherwise?""
He looked at me with an expression I had seen a hundred times growing up.
Disappointment.
"Because she's confused.""
My mother stepped beside me.
"Marco, stop lying to her.""
He slammed his hand against the table.
"I gave you six years to stay away!""
The room went silent.
I stared at him.
"What did you just say?""
He looked as though he had realized his mistake.
Daniel quickly interrupted.
"Marco, that's enough.""
But I had heard him.
"You gave her six years?""
My father's face tightened.
"I meant—"
"No. You said you gave her six years. You knew she was alive.""
My mother looked at him.
"Tell her.""
He said nothing.
Vivian suddenly moved toward the staircase.
My mother noticed.
"Where are you going?""
"Upstairs.""
"Stay here.""
Vivian turned sharply.
"You don't give me orders.""
My mother walked toward her.
"Then perhaps I should tell Lena why you came to the hospital the morning after the accident.""
Vivian stopped.
For the first time, the smile disappeared from her face.
My father grabbed my mother's arm.
"Don't.""
My mother looked at his hand.
"Let go, Marco.""
He released her.
I stepped between them.
"What happened at the hospital?""
Vivian's eyes moved toward Daniel.
He gave her a small shake of his head.
But she was already trembling.
"Elena, please," Vivian whispered.
"Don't do this.""
My mother looked at me.
"Vivian came to see me while I was unconscious. She told the nurses she was my sister.""
I turned toward Vivian.
"You told people you were her sister?""
Vivian swallowed.
"Your mother was in critical condition. I was trying to help.""
"What did you do?""
My mother answered.
"She removed my wedding ring and took my personal identification.""
I stared at the diamond earrings in Vivian's ears.
Then I noticed something else.
A small gold necklace around her neck.
A pendant shaped like a bird.
My mother's pendant.
The one I had seen in childhood photographs.
"Where did you get that?"" I asked.
Vivian instinctively touched it.
"This?""
"That belonged to my mother.""
She looked at my father.
He looked away.
I stepped closer.
"Give it back.""
Vivian's fingers closed around the pendant.
"No.""
That single word told me more than all their explanations.
My mother reached into her handbag and removed a photograph.
"Look at the date.""
I took it.
It showed Vivian wearing the same necklace.
Standing beside a hospital bed.
The date was printed in the lower corner.
October 15.
The morning after the accident.
Then I noticed the person lying in the bed.
It was my mother.
Her eyes were closed.
Her face was bruised.
And beside her pillow was a handwritten note.
I enlarged the photograph.
Three words were visible.
*Don't let her wake.*
I looked up.
Vivian was crying.
May you like
Daniel had stopped smiling.
And my father had quietly moved toward the front door.
