Chapter 13: The Truth We Buried
For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.
My mother.
The person who taught me how to tie my shoes.
The person who held me when I cried.
The person who sat beside me at the funeral and told me David was in a better place.
My mother.
“No.””
The word came out before I even realized I had spoken.
Marcus looked at me with sadness.
“I know what you’re feeling.””
“No, you don’t.””
My voice cracked.
“You don’t know my mother.””
David stepped closer.
“Lena…”
I turned toward him.
“Don’t.””
He stopped.
Because he knew.
Everyone had been asking me to trust them.
Everyone had been telling me they were protecting me.
And every single one of them had hidden something.
I looked at Marcus.
“Explain.””
He lowered his eyes.
“Your mother wasn’t always the person you knew.””
“That’s not an explanation.””
“No.””
He nodded.
“It isn’t.””
Marcus pushed himself up from the chair.
David immediately moved to help him.
Marcus refused.
“I need to tell her myself.””
He looked at me.
“Years ago, before you met David, your mother was involved in financial schemes.””
I shook my head.
“That’s impossible.””
“She was desperate.””
“For what?””
Marcus hesitated.
“Money.””
The answer felt too simple.
Too small.
“My mother wouldn’t destroy her family for money.””
Marcus looked at the floor.
“She didn’t think she was destroying anything.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“What does that mean?””
Marcus took a breath.
“She believed she was fixing a mistake.””
David looked confused.
“What mistake?””
Marcus looked at him.
“The company.””
Silence.
“The company?””
Marcus nodded.
“Your father and I started investigating missing funds years ago. We discovered someone was moving money through fake accounts.””
David stared.
“And your mother?””
“She was one of the people being used.””
I frowned.
“Used?””
“Yes.””
Marcus looked at me.
“She wasn’t the person who created the plan.””
A small piece of relief appeared.
Then disappeared.
“Then why say she planned David’s death?””
Marcus looked toward the ground.
“Because when she realized David was close to finding the truth, she made a choice.””
“What choice?””
He didn’t answer immediately.
And that scared me.
“The choice to protect herself.””
My stomach tightened.
“What did she do?””
Marcus looked at David.
“She gave someone information.””
David’s face changed.
“What information?””
“Your investigation.””
The room went silent.
I looked at Maya.
At Mr. Collins.
At everyone who had carried pieces of this story.
And suddenly, I understood.
There were no random secrets.
Everyone had been protecting one piece of the same nightmare.
My mother gave information.
Jonathan used it.
David disappeared.
Marcus was imprisoned.
And I was left mourning a man who was still alive.
“But why?””
My voice became smaller.
“Why would she do that?””
Marcus looked at me.
“Because they threatened you.””
The room froze.
“They told her if she didn’t cooperate, they would hurt you.””
My eyes filled.
“My mother did this to save me?””
Marcus nodded.
“But then she made another mistake.””
“What?””
“She realized they were never planning to let anyone walk away.””
David whispered:
“Jonathan.””
Marcus shook his head.
“No.””
Everyone looked at him.
“Jonathan was a servant in a much bigger game.””
My heart sank.
“Then who?””
Marcus looked toward the basement stairs.
“She.””
Everyone followed his eyes.
Maya.
My sister.
Her face went pale.
“No.””
Marcus looked at her.
“I’m sorry.””
Maya backed away.
“You don’t understand.””
David stared.
“Maya?””
She started crying.
“I never wanted any of this.””
I felt like the floor disappeared beneath me.
“You?””
She looked at me.
“Lena…”
“Tell me I’m misunderstanding.””
She couldn’t.
That silence destroyed me.
Maya covered her face.
“I was trying to undo it.””
David stepped forward.
“Undo what?””
She looked at him.
“The first mistake.””
“What first mistake?””
Maya wiped her tears.
“The night Marcus disappeared.””
Marcus nodded slowly.
“Maya was the one who found the evidence first.””
David stared.
“No.””
“Yes.””
Maya’s voice shook.
“I thought I could fix it.””
I looked at her.
“You knew?””
She nodded.
“I knew something was wrong.””
“Then why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because Mom begged me not to.””
My chest tightened.
My mother.
Again.
Maya looked at me.
“She said she could protect us.””
A sound came from upstairs.
A phone ringing.
Everyone froze.
Not mine.
Not David’s.
Jonathan slowly reached into his pocket.
His phone.
He looked at the screen.
Then smiled.
“She knows.””
David’s expression changed.
“Who?””
Jonathan looked at me.
“Your mother.””
The phone rang again.
And this time…
May you like
everyone knew.
The person who started this was coming to finish it.
