Chapter 7: The Warning on My Phone
The message stayed on my screen.
Three words.
Six letters.
A warning from someone who didn’t want their name attached.
Don’t trust Raymond Cole.
I stared at it until the letters blurred.
The gym around me became distant.
The empty bleachers.
The scattered programs on the floor.
The balloons still hanging above us like this was supposed to be a celebration.
None of it matched the nightmare unfolding in front of me.
Raymond noticed my expression.
“What happened?””
I locked my phone.
“Nothing.””
It was the first lie I had told that night.
And everyone noticed.
Especially Vanessa.
She had spent years hiding things, but she knew the look of someone holding information.
“What did you receive?”” she asked.
I looked at her.
“Why do you care?””
Her face tightened.
“Because I know what people are capable of.””
A bitter laugh escaped me.
“That’s interesting coming from you.””
Marcus stepped between us.
“Enough.””
His voice wasn’t loud.
But it carried exhaustion.
“I can’t keep watching everyone fight around the truth.””
He looked at Raymond.
“You said you have documents.””
Raymond nodded.
“Yes.””
“Then show them.””
Vanessa immediately shook her head.
“Marcus, don’t.””
He turned toward her.
“Why?””
She didn’t answer.
That was becoming her pattern.
Silence.
Fear.
Regret.
But no truth.
Raymond opened the folder.
Inside were copies of bank statements, handwritten notes, and photographs.
I saw my mother’s handwriting on several pages.
My fingers trembled.
“She kept records?””
Raymond nodded.
“Angela knew she needed proof.””
“Proof of what?””
He looked at Vanessa.
“That she wasn’t imagining things.””
Vanessa looked away.
Marcus picked up one of the pages.
His face changed as he read.
“What is this?””
I moved closer.
The paper showed transfers from an account I didn’t recognize.
“What am I looking at?””
Marcus looked at Vanessa.
“Explain.””
She swallowed.
“It wasn’t what you think.””
“That’s what everyone says when it is exactly what I think.””
The words hurt because they sounded like something my father had been holding inside for years.
Raymond spoke calmly.
“Angela discovered money missing from your family account.””
Marcus looked at Vanessa.
“How much?””
She didn’t answer.
“How much, Vanessa?””
Her eyes filled.
“Enough.””
That single word destroyed something.
Marcus stepped back.
I watched his face.
The man who had spent twenty years believing he understood his life was suddenly realizing he had never known the whole story.
“Why?””
Vanessa whispered:
“I was trying to help.””
Nobody understood.
“Help who?””
She looked at me.
And my stomach dropped.
“Help Nia.””
I shook my head.
“Don’t.””
“I was trying to protect your future.””
“You stole from us to protect me?””
“It wasn’t stealing.””
“Then what was it?””
She looked at Marcus.
“I moved money because Angela was going to leave.””
The air disappeared.
Again.
Everything always came back to my mother leaving.
Marcus’s voice became quiet.
“She told you?””
Vanessa nodded.
“She came to me.””
I froze.
“My mother came to you?””
“Yes.””
“When?””
“The week before she died.””
My heart pounded.
“What did she say?””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“She said she was afraid.””
“Of my father?””
“No.””
She looked at me.
“Of what would happen if she stayed.””
The answer confused me more.
“Why?””
Vanessa looked at Raymond.
And for the first time, Raymond looked uncomfortable.
“You know something too,” I said.
He didn’t respond.
“Raymond.””
His jaw tightened.
“Angela discovered something about her past.””
“What?””
“She found out someone had been searching for her.””
The words sounded impossible.
“Who?””
Raymond looked down.
“She never found out.””
Vanessa interrupted.
“That’s not true.””
Everyone turned.
She looked at Raymond.
“You know exactly who was looking for her.””
Raymond’s face hardened.
“You don’t want to do this.””
“Do what?””
“Tell the truth.””
A strange silence passed between them.
They weren’t just hiding something.
They were protecting something.
Or someone.
I looked at Dr. Bennett.
“You knew about this too?””
His expression broke.
“I knew Angela was afraid.””
“That’s not an answer.””
“It’s the only one I can give you.””
“No.””
My voice shook.
“I’m done accepting pieces.””
I held up the envelope.
“My mother left this for me.””
I looked at every person in that room.
“You don’t get to decide what I deserve to know anymore.””
Nobody stopped me.
Not even Vanessa.
I opened the envelope further.
The first page slid out.
My mother’s handwriting filled the top.
Dear Nia,
I stopped.
My eyes filled instantly.
A simple greeting.
But it was from her.
After twenty years.
After thinking I would never hear from her again.
I wanted to keep reading.
I needed to.
Then Vanessa whispered:
“Nia…”
I looked up.
Her face was covered in tears.
“I’m sorry.””
The apology was so quiet I almost didn’t hear it.
For a second, I wondered if I had waited my whole life for those two words.
But then she said:
“Your mother didn’t know she was going to die.””
The room froze.
My fingers stopped moving.
“What?””
Vanessa looked at the letter.
“She wrote that because she thought she would come back.””
My heart raced.
“What are you saying?””
Nobody answered.
Then Marcus whispered:
“Vanessa…”
She looked at him.
And the pain on her face was unbearable.
“She didn’t leave.””
May you like
A tear fell.
“She was taken.””
