Chapter 12: The Person Behind the Lies
“Your father’s closest friend.””
The sentence felt impossible.
I stared at Adrian.
Then at my father.
“No.””
My father’s face was unreadable.
“Who?””
Adrian didn’t answer.
Marcus stepped forward.
“Who?””
The second time, his voice was louder.
Angrier.
Adrian looked around the room.
“You really don’t know.””
“Stop saying that.””
Marcus’s hands tightened into fists.
“Tell me.””
Adrian looked at Cassandra.
“She never told you.””
Cassandra shook her head.
“Don’t.””
Marcus turned.
“You knew?””
“No.””
“You knew there was someone else?””
“I knew there were problems.””
“That’s not what I asked.””
Cassandra looked away.
That was enough.
My father looked like he had been hit.
Again.
“You all knew pieces.””
His voice cracked.
“And I knew nothing.””
Nobody argued.
Because it was true.
Elena stepped closer.
“Marcus…”
“No.””
He looked at everyone.
“No more protecting me.””
The room went quiet.
“Who was it?””
Adrian finally answered.
“Thomas.””
My father froze.
The name meant something.
I saw it immediately.
“Who is Thomas?””
My father didn’t respond.
Adrian smiled sadly.
“Your father’s best friend.””
Marcus whispered:
“That’s impossible.””
“Is it?””
“He was like family.””
Adrian nodded.
“That’s why your wife never suspected him at first.””
My father stared.
“Thomas helped us.””
“Yes.””
“Through everything.””
“Yes.””
“Then why?””
Adrian looked at the memory card.
“Because people rarely betray strangers.””
The words hit hard.
My father sat down.
Like his legs suddenly couldn’t hold him.
I had never seen him look that broken.
“Thomas was there when your mother died.””
My stomach turned.
“What?””
Marcus looked at me.
“He was the one who drove us to the hospital.””
Silence.
Elena looked at Marcus.
“You never questioned it?””
“No.””
“Why?””
He looked at the floor.
“Because he was my brother.””
Nobody spoke.
Then Cassandra whispered:
“Your mother did question it.””
Everyone looked at her.
She continued.
“She noticed things.””
My father looked up.
“What things?””
“Small things.””
“Like what?””
Cassandra swallowed.
“Like how he always knew what she was worried about.””
The room became colder.
“How?””
Cassandra looked at the memory card.
“Because someone was telling him.””
Marcus stared.
“Who?””
Cassandra looked at him.
“I don’t know.””
But her expression said she did.
My father noticed.
“Cassandra.””
She closed her eyes.
“I thought it was me.””
“What?””
“I thought I was the reason.””
Nobody moved.
Cassandra continued.
“Your mother hated me. She blamed me. She thought I was involved.””
My voice was quiet.
“Were you?””
She looked at me.
“No.””
The answer was immediate.
“I made mistakes.””
Her eyes filled.
“I hurt you.””
I didn’t expect that.
Not from her.
“But I didn’t hurt your mother.””
Marcus looked away.
Because maybe part of him wanted to believe her.
Maybe part of him didn’t know what to believe anymore.
Daniel pointed at the memory card.
“The recording still isn’t finished.””
Everyone looked at him.
“What?””
“The card.””
Marcus held it.
“You think there’s more?””
“I think your wife left the final piece somewhere else.””
Adrian laughed quietly.
“She always did like making people search.””
Elena looked at him.
“She liked making sure the truth survived.””
My father stood.
“Then we find it.””
Cassandra looked terrified.
“No.””
Everyone turned.
She immediately corrected herself.
“I mean…”
Too late.
Marcus saw it.
“You know where it is.””
She said nothing.
“You know.””
Her eyes filled.
“Yes.””
The room went silent.
“Where?””
Cassandra looked toward the staircase.
Toward Maya’s old room.
My breath caught.
“My room?””
She nodded.
I stared.
“Why?””
“Because your mother wanted you to have it.””
My heart started racing.
“What is it?””
Cassandra whispered:
“The last thing she left behind.””
We walked upstairs together.
For the first time, nobody told me to leave.
Nobody sent me away.
The room looked exactly as I remembered.
My old books.
My college boxes.
The small desk near the window.
Everything normal.
Except now I knew my mother had hidden something here.
Cassandra stopped at the doorway.
“I never touched it.””
I looked at her.
“Why?””
She looked down.
“Because your mother asked me not to.””
That shocked me.
My father looked at her.
“She trusted you?””
Cassandra swallowed.
“No.””
A pause.
“She knew I was capable of protecting it.””
We searched.
Minutes passed.
Nothing.
Then Elena noticed something.
“The photograph.””
I turned.
“What?””
She pointed to the wall.
An old picture of my mother and me.
The frame was slightly crooked.
My father removed it.
Behind it was a small compartment.
Inside was a key.
And a note.
My hands shook as I opened it.
My mother’s handwriting.
“Maya.””
Just my name.
Then one sentence.
“The truth was never hidden from you.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
I turned the paper over.
There was another line.
A line that made everyone go silent.
“The person who has been protecting you knows exactly why I disappeared.””
Marcus looked at Cassandra.
Cassandra looked at him.
And then the key slipped from my hand.
Because from downstairs…
We heard a voice.
A familiar voice.
Thomas.
“Marcus, you need to come downstairs.””
My father froze.
May you like
The voice continued.
“Because I think it’s time Maya knows what really happened to her mother.”” :::
