Chapter 8: The Daughter Who Was Never Told
Nobody moved.
Jasmine stood outside the front door.
Her glittering graduation dress was still the same one she wore hours earlier.
But the confidence was gone.
The smug smile.
The perfect expression.
Everything had disappeared.
Now she looked scared.
Derrick stared at her.
“Jasmine?””
She looked away.
Grandma Ruth immediately stepped forward.
“You followed us.””
Jasmine shook her head.
“No.””
Her voice trembled.
“I came because I heard Mom talking.””
Aaliyah stared.
“Talking about what?””
Jasmine looked at her.
And for the first time in eighteen years, Aaliyah saw her stepsister without the jealousy.
Without the competition.
Just fear.
“About you.””
Aaliyah felt her stomach tighten.
“What about me?””
Jasmine looked down.
“She knew you found the medal.””
Nobody spoke.
Derrick walked toward the door.
“Jasmine, go home.””
“No.””
Her voice surprised everyone.
“I’m tired of not knowing anything.””
Vanessa’s daughter.
The girl who always seemed to have every answer.
Was finally asking questions too.
Aaliyah stepped closer.
“What did your mother say?””
Jasmine hesitated.
“She said if you found out the truth, everything would fall apart.””
Grandma Ruth frowned.
“What else?””
Jasmine looked at the floor.
“She said Marcus should have stayed gone.””
The room became silent.
Aaliyah felt anger rise.
“Stayed gone?””
Jasmine nodded.
“I didn’t understand what she meant.””
She looked at Aaliyah.
“I swear.””
Aaliyah studied her face.
For years, Jasmine had made her feel small.
But now she looked just as lost.
“What else did you hear?””
Jasmine took a shaky breath.
“She said Grandma Ruth still had something.””
Derrick looked at the key in Aaliyah’s hand.
Jasmine noticed.
“That.””
Her eyes widened.
“She was looking for that.””
Aaliyah closed her hand around it.
“Why?””
Jasmine shook her head.
“I don’t know.””
Then she whispered:
“But I think she was afraid you would find what it opens.””
Aaliyah looked at Derrick.
The pieces were finally connecting.
The medal.
The letter.
The key.
The threats.
All leading somewhere.
Grandma Ruth walked toward Jasmine.
“Did Vanessa send that message?””
Jasmine looked shocked.
“What message?””
Derrick showed her the phone.
The color drained from Jasmine’s face.
“No.””
Her voice was quiet.
“My mom wouldn’t…”
Nobody responded.
Because nobody needed to.
Jasmine covered her mouth.
“She did.””
It wasn’t a question.
It was realization.
Aaliyah looked at her.
“Why are you helping us?””
Jasmine looked hurt.
“Because I didn’t know.””
The honesty surprised her.
“I thought my mom was just strict.””
She laughed bitterly.
“I thought she hated that you were different.””
Aaliyah said nothing.
Jasmine continued.
“I didn’t know she was hiding something.””
Grandma Ruth softened slightly.
“Jasmine, sometimes people hide things because they’re ashamed.””
Jasmine looked at her.
“And sometimes because they’re guilty.””
Nobody corrected her.
Aaliyah walked toward the table.
She placed the medal and key beside the letter.
Three pieces of her father’s past.
Three things Vanessa wanted hidden.
“What do we do now?””
Derrick looked at the items.
“There’s one place.””
Aaliyah looked up.
“What place?””
“Marcus had a storage unit.””
Grandma Ruth turned.
“You said he destroyed everything.””
Derrick looked ashamed.
“I lied.””
Aaliyah closed her eyes.
Another lie.
Another piece missing.
“When?””
Derrick looked at her.
“Before he disappeared.””
Aaliyah stared.
“You knew about it?””
“Yes.””
“Did you go there?””
“No.””
“Why?””
Derrick swallowed.
“Because Marcus made me promise.””
Aaliyah’s expression changed.
“A promise to do what?””
Derrick looked at the medal.
“To wait until you were old enough to know the truth.””
Aaliyah’s heart pounded.
“And you waited eighteen years?””
Derrick nodded.
“I thought I was keeping my promise.””
She looked away.
“You were keeping everyone else’s secret.””
Derrick accepted the words.
Because they were true.
Suddenly, Jasmine’s phone rang.
Everyone looked at it.
The screen lit up.
*Mom calling.*
Jasmine stared.
Nobody spoke.
Then the phone stopped.
A second later, a message appeared.
Jasmine opened it.
Her face went pale.
“What does it say?”” Aaliyah asked.
Jasmine slowly turned the phone around.
May you like
The message was short.
*Bring Aaliyah home. Or I tell her what her father really did.*
