Chapter 8: The Father I Thought I Knew
I walked back inside the auditorium hallway because I needed walls around me.
I needed something solid.
Something that wasn’t changing.
But everything had changed.
My father followed.
“Maya, please.””
I turned around.
“Please what?””
He stopped.
I had never spoken to him like that before.
Maybe he had never given me a reason to.
Until now.
“Please let me explain.””
I looked at him.
“You had twenty-two years to explain.””
The words hurt him.
Good.
For the first time, I wanted him to feel the weight I had carried in minutes.
Robert lowered his head.
“I made mistakes.””
I laughed once.
“Mistakes are forgetting an anniversary.””
I held up the ID card.
“This was my father.””
My voice cracked.
“You knew.””
He nodded.
“Yes.””
The honesty hurt more than a lie.
“When did you find out?””
He sat down slowly.
“Before you were born.””
My eyes widened.
“Before?””
Robert nodded.
“I knew your mother was pregnant.””
“And?””
He looked at the floor.
“And I knew Elijah wanted to be involved.””
The hallway became silent.
“Then why?””
He rubbed his hands together.
“Because I loved your mother.””
I stared.
“That doesn’t answer my question.””
He looked up.
“I was afraid.””
“Of what?””
“Of losing you.””
My anger softened for a second.
Then hardened again.
“You weren’t my father yet.””
The sentence destroyed him.
“I know.””
“And Elijah was.””
He nodded.
“Yes.””
I looked away.
A part of me wanted to understand him.
That was the worst part.
Because Robert wasn’t a monster.
He was someone I loved.
Someone who hurt me.
Those were the hardest people to forgive.
Vanessa entered the hallway quietly.
Elijah stayed outside.
I noticed.
He was giving me space.
That mattered.
Vanessa approached.
“I need to tell you something.””
I looked at her.
“About my mother?””
She nodded.
“About everything.””
I crossed my arms.
“Start.””
She took a deep breath.
“Your mother and I were close.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“She trusted me.””
The words sounded impossible.
“You?””
Vanessa looked down.
“Before Robert and I were together, your mother and I knew each other.””
I felt confused.
“Then why would you do this?””
Her eyes filled.
“Because I thought I was helping her.””
“By keeping Elijah away?””
“No.””
She shook her head.
“I thought Elijah was dangerous.””
I stared.
“Was he?””
“No.””
The answer came immediately.
Too quickly.
That shocked me.
“Then why?””
Vanessa sat down.
“Because someone told me he was.””
My stomach tightened.
“Who?””
She looked at Robert.
And Robert looked away.
The silence told me enough.
“Dad?””
He closed his eyes.
“I didn’t know the whole story.””
“You believed someone.””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
Robert didn’t answer.
Vanessa whispered:
“Your mother’s family.””
I froze.
“My mother’s family?””
She nodded.
“They told us Elijah had a past.””
“What kind of past?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“They lied.””
The admission was quiet.
But it changed everything.
“You knew it was a lie?””
“Not at first.””
“When did you find out?””
She looked at the floor.
“After your mother died.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
Vanessa’s face crumpled.
“She found out too late.””
“Found out what?””
Vanessa looked at me.
“That Elijah had been searching for you.””
I couldn’t breathe.
My mother knew.
She knew he wanted me.
She knew.
“Then why didn’t she tell me?””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“Because she didn’t get the chance.””
The sentence felt wrong.
Dangerously wrong.
“What does that mean?””
Nobody answered.
I heard footsteps.
Elijah.
He stood at the entrance.
His face was serious.
“Maya.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
He held something in his hand.
A small envelope.
Older than the one my father gave me.
“This was supposed to reach you when you turned eighteen.””
My heart raced.
“Why didn’t it?””
Elijah looked at Robert.
Then Vanessa.
“Because someone took it.””
My eyes moved between them.
“Who?””
Elijah slowly handed me the envelope.
“I think you already know.””
I looked at the handwriting.
My mother’s.
Again.
But this time, there was something written beneath my name.
May you like
Something that made my blood run cold.
*For Maya. Only after you learn who betrayed me.*
