Chapter 12: The Question My Father Couldn’t Answer
I looked at my father.
And he knew.
Before I said anything.
He knew exactly what the message meant.
The silence between us was louder than any confession.
“Marcus.””
His face changed.
“Nia…”
“Where were you?””
The gym watched him.
A man who had spent years being the quiet one.
The safe one.
The person everyone trusted.
Now he was the one standing in the middle of the storm.
“I was at the hospital.””
The answer came quickly.
Too quickly.
Daniel’s eyes narrowed.
“Which hospital?””
My father looked at him.
“Why does that matter?””
“Because Claire wasn’t admitted where you told everyone she was.””
The room exploded with whispers.
My stomach dropped.
I turned toward Marcus.
“What?””
He looked at Daniel.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.””
Daniel stepped closer.
“I was Claire’s attorney.””
“And?””
“And I was the person who helped arrange the transfer.””
My father went silent.
I felt my chest tighten.
“Transfer?””
Nobody spoke.
Dr. Lewis looked down.
Marcus closed his eyes.
“Nia…”
“No.””
My voice shook.
“Tell me.””
He swallowed.
“She was moved.””
“Why?””
“Because she asked.””
The answer confused me.
“My mother asked to be moved?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
He looked at Vanessa.
Then away.
“I don’t know.””
The anger came back.
“You don’t know?””
He looked broken.
“I thought I did.””
I stared.
That was the problem.
Everyone thought they knew.
Everyone made decisions for me based on what they believed.
Nobody asked me what I wanted.
Nobody trusted me with the truth.
I stepped closer.
“What happened that night?””
Marcus took a deep breath.
“I got a call.””
“From who?””
He didn’t answer.
My stomach dropped.
“Dad.””
He looked at the floor.
“From Claire.””
The entire room went silent.
My voice became a whisper.
“You spoke to her?””
“Yes.””
“Before she died?””
“Yes.””
I felt dizzy.
My mother’s voice.
My mother’s last moments.
My father knew.
“What did she say?””
His eyes filled.
“She said someone was coming.””
A chill moved through me.
“Who?””
He shook his head.
“She didn’t say.””
“Why not?””
“Because she was afraid the call wasn’t private.””
My phone suddenly vibrated.
Everyone froze.
Another message.
I looked down.
*“He knows more than he admits.””*
I looked at Marcus.
He saw it.
And his expression told me everything.
“You know who it is.””
He didn’t answer.
“Dad.””
His eyes filled with tears.
“I know who Claire suspected.””
“Who?””
He looked at Vanessa.
Then at me.
And whispered:
“She suspected someone in our family.””
The words felt like the floor disappeared.
Our family.
Not a stranger.
Not someone outside.
Someone close.
I looked around.
At everyone.
At every person who had protected a secret.
Then my father said something that changed everything.
“Claire wasn’t running away from Vanessa.””
A pause.
“She was running away from someone who had access to both of us.””
My blood ran cold.
“Who?””
Marcus looked toward the gym entrance.
Toward the person who had been standing there unnoticed.
The person holding a folder.
The person nobody questioned.
Dr. Bennett.
My father whispered:
“The person who helped hide the truth.””
Dr. Bennett’s expression changed.
May you like
For the first time all night…
he looked afraid.
