Chapter 12: The Person Behind Everything
My father stared at the photograph.
He didn’t blink.
He didn’t speak.
He just stared.
“Who is it?”” I asked.
He didn’t answer.
Marcus looked like he was fighting with himself.
Like saying the name would make it real.
Finally, he whispered:
“My uncle.””
Nobody moved.
Vanessa looked confused.
“Your uncle?””
Marcus nodded slowly.
“My father’s brother.””
The nurse looked down.
“He was involved.””
My father looked at her.
“Involved in what?””
The nurse took a deep breath.
“The reason Derrick came back.””
Ava held onto my arm.
I could feel her shaking.
“How does this keep getting bigger?””
Nobody answered.
Because we all had the same question.
How many more pieces of our lives had been hidden from us?
The nurse continued.
“Your uncle believed your family’s name mattered more than anything.””
Marcus looked disgusted.
“That sounds like him.””
“He didn’t want scandal.””
Vanessa whispered.
“Scandal?””
The nurse nodded.
“He believed Derrick would destroy the family reputation.””
My father laughed.
“Family reputation.””
He shook his head.
“So he destroyed ours instead.””
The nurse looked at him.
“He made a deal with Derrick.””
The room froze.
“What kind of deal?”” Marcus asked.
The nurse looked at me.
Then at Ava.
“He would pay Derrick to disappear.””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“And when Derrick refused?””
The nurse nodded.
“He threatened to expose everything.””
My father looked at the photograph again.
“Then why come back now?””
The nurse hesitated.
“Because someone stopped paying him.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“Who?””
The nurse didn’t answer.
She didn’t need to.
Everyone looked at Vanessa.
My mother immediately shook her head.
“No.””
Marcus looked at her.
“Did you pay him?””
“No.””
“Vanessa.””
“I didn’t.””
The desperation in her voice sounded real.
But after eighteen years of secrets, nobody knew what to believe anymore.
The nurse spoke quietly.
“Derrick contacted me before he came here.””
My father turned.
“Why?””
“He wanted me to tell the truth.””
I frowned.
“Then why?””
The nurse looked at me.
“Because he believed Vanessa was hiding something bigger.””
My father looked at Vanessa.
“What?””
She looked terrified.
“Marcus…”
“No.””
He stepped closer.
“No more.””
His voice cracked.
“You don’t get to protect me anymore.””
Vanessa started crying.
“I was trying to protect Jordan.””
I shook my head.
“From what?””
She didn’t answer.
Ava looked at her.
“Mom.””
The pain in that word was obvious.
Vanessa sat down.
“I thought I could handle it.””
Marcus stared.
“Handle what?””
She looked at me.
Then at Ava.
Then at him.
“The reason Derrick was able to find us.””
Nobody spoke.
Vanessa whispered:
“Because someone gave him our location.””
My father’s expression changed.
“Who?””
She looked down.
“I don’t know.””
The nurse interrupted.
“I do.””
Everyone turned.
The nurse reached for another paper.
“I found this years ago.””
Marcus took it.
Read it.
Then his face changed.
“What?””
I stepped closer.
“What does it say?””
He looked at me.
And for the first time, I saw something I never expected.
Fear.
Not for himself.
For us.
“It says someone has been monitoring this family for years.””
My heart raced.
“Who?””
My father looked at the paper.
Then at Vanessa.
Then at the door.
Because suddenly, the hospital room didn’t feel safe anymore.
The nurse whispered:
“Whoever did this knew every secret.””
Ava asked:
“Who?””
The nurse looked directly at Marcus.
And answered:
“The person who has been closest to your family the entire time.””
My father slowly lowered the paper.
And then his phone began ringing.
The caller ID appeared.
A name none of us expected.
A name that made Vanessa stand up immediately.
May you like
Because it was the last person she wanted to hear from.
*Eleanor Carter.*
