Chapter 5: The Secret
Nobody moved.
The graduation decorations outside suddenly felt like they belonged to another family.
Darren shut the front door.
“Jordan,” he said, “start from the beginning.””
Jordan nodded.
Monica shook her head.
“No.””
Darren turned.
“You've had enough chances.””
“You don't understand.””
“Then explain it.””
Monica looked at me.
Her eyes were wet.
“You weren't supposed to hear any of this today.””
I laughed once.
It came out bitter.
“You cut my hair the night before my graduation.””
She flinched.
“You hid an envelope under my mattress.””
“I was scared.””
“You planned to make Dad think I ran away.””
“I never wanted to hurt you.””
I pointed at the laptop.
“You said it yourself.””
Monica looked down.
Jordan stepped forward.
“There's something you need to know about your mother.””
Darren looked at him.
“Was she involved in this?””
“No.””
Jordan hesitated.
“She tried to stop it.””
My heart hammered.
“Stop what?””
Jordan looked at me.
“Monica wanted custody of you.””
I frowned.
“When?””
“When you were a baby.””
Monica closed her eyes.
Jordan continued.
“Your mother was struggling financially. Monica offered help. She paid hospital bills.
She bought formula. She made herself indispensable.””
Darren stared at his wife.
“You told me you met her years later.””
“I did.””
Jordan shook his head.
“No. You met her before that.””
Darren's expression hardened.
“You're lying.””
“I wish I were.””
Jordan pulled another folded document from his jacket.
“This is a copy of the original guardianship agreement.””
Darren took it.
His eyes moved across the page.
Then he looked at Monica.
“You forged my signature.””
Monica whispered, “I had to.””
“You forged my signature?””
“I knew you'd never agree.””
Darren's voice rose.
“Agree to what?””
Monica finally looked at me.
“To raising Arielle.””
My throat tightened.
Darren stared at her.
“You wanted to take my daughter?””
“I wanted to protect her.””
“From her mother?””
“From everyone!””
Her voice broke.
Then she sank onto the edge of the chair.
“I thought your life would be better if I controlled it.””
I shook my head.
“That doesn't make sense.””
“It does if you know the truth.””
She looked at me.
“Your mother wasn't the only person who knew Jordan.””
Jordan's face tightened.
Monica continued.
“She knew he was your biological father.””
The room seemed to tilt.
I stared at Jordan.
He didn't deny it.
Darren stepped toward him.
“You're Arielle's father?””
Jordan nodded.
“Yes.””
Darren's face twisted with disbelief.
“You knew?””
“I found out when she was born.””
“And you stayed away?””
“I was pushed away.””
Darren looked at Monica.
“You kept him away from her.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Monica's voice dropped.
“Because I was afraid he'd take her.””
Jordan stepped forward.
“She wasn't yours to take.””
Monica's eyes flashed.
“You don't know what I sacrificed.””
“You sacrificed Arielle's childhood.””
Silence.
I looked down at the photograph.
My mother was smiling.
Jordan stood beside her.
And Monica was standing behind them.
Not smiling.
Watching.
I looked at the picture again.
“Why was my mother smiling?””
Jordan's expression softened.
“Because she thought she'd finally found a way out.””
“What happened?””
“She was going to leave town with you.””
“When?””
“Twenty years ago.””
My stomach turned.
“Then why didn't she?””
Jordan looked at Monica.
“She never got the chance.””
Darren stared at his wife.
“What did you do?””
Monica's lips trembled.
“I didn't kill her.””
Nobody had accused her of that.
But the way she said it made the room colder.
Jordan's face hardened.
“You don't need to kill someone to destroy their life.””
I looked at him.
“What happened to my mother?””
Jordan reached into his jacket again.
This time, he pulled out a small key.
The same kind as the one from the envelope.
He held it toward me.
“Your mother left this for you.””
I didn't take it.
“What does it open?””
Jordan looked toward Monica.
“The place where she hid the evidence.””
Monica stood suddenly.
“No.””
Darren turned.
“Where?””
Jordan answered.
“Inside this house.””
Monica's face went completely white.
Darren looked around the room.
“Where?””
Jordan pointed toward the hallway.
“Behind the old graduation-photo wall.””
I froze.
The same wall where the family had taken pictures every year.
The same wall Monica had insisted on keeping untouched.
Darren walked toward it.
Monica rushed after him.
“Darren, don't.””
He stopped.
“Why?””
Monica stared at the wall.
May you like
Then she whispered:
“Because if you open it, you'll find out what I did twenty years ago.””
