Chapter 10: The Call From the Past
Marcus stood completely still.
The phone pressed against his ear.
Nobody in the kitchen moved.
Not Maya.
Not Jordan.
Not Vanessa.
Even Angela looked like she had forgotten how to breathe.
The voice on the other end remained silent for a moment.
Then:
“Marcus, are you there?””
Marcus’s fingers tightened around the phone.
His face had lost all color.
“Who is this?””
A quiet laugh came through the speaker.
A laugh Marcus remembered.
A laugh he never thought he would hear again.
“You know exactly who this is.””
Marcus looked toward the photograph on the table.
The photograph of Vanessa standing beside Derrick.
The photograph that had reopened a wound he thought had healed years ago.
“No.””
His voice was barely a whisper.
“It can’t be.””
Maya watched him.
“Dad?””
Marcus turned away from everyone.
“Where are you?””
The voice answered:
“Somewhere I should have been a long time ago.””
Marcus closed his eyes.
Because there was only one person who could make him feel that kind of fear.
“Derrick.””
The name dropped into the kitchen like a stone.
Vanessa immediately stepped back.
Jordan looked confused.
Angela’s expression changed.
Marcus heard the voice on the phone smile.
“So you remember.””
Marcus’s jaw tightened.
“You’re supposed to be gone.””
“Everyone thought that.””
The man paused.
“Just like everyone thought Rachel’s story ended the night she died.””
Maya’s heart stopped.
She looked at her father.
“What is he talking about?””
Marcus didn’t answer.
He couldn’t.
The voice continued.
“You found the key.””
Marcus looked at it.
“How do you know?””
“Because Vanessa failed.””
The room went silent.
Marcus looked at his wife.
Vanessa looked terrified.
“Derrick…”
Her voice was barely audible.
Marcus turned.
“You knew?””
Vanessa shook her head quickly.
“No.””
But nobody believed her.
The man on the phone laughed.
“She always was bad at hiding things.””
Marcus stepped away from the table.
“Where are you?””
“Does it matter?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Marcus’s voice hardened.
“Because you destroyed my family.””
A pause.
Then Derrick answered:
“No, Marcus.””
His voice became colder.
“You destroyed your family when you trusted the wrong people.””
The call ended.
Marcus lowered the phone slowly.
Nobody spoke.
Then Maya asked:
“Dad.””
Her voice trembled.
“Who is Derrick?””
Marcus looked at his daughter.
And Maya saw something she had never seen before.
Fear.
Not fear for himself.
Fear for her.
“He was my best friend.””
Jordan looked shocked.
“Your best friend?””
Marcus nodded.
“He helped me build my company.””
Angela spoke quietly.
“He also helped destroy it.””
Marcus looked at her.
“What do you mean?””
Angela hesitated.
“You never told Maya the full story.””
Marcus looked down.
“I thought I was protecting her.””
Maya shook her head.
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
She stepped closer.
“But you’re not protecting me.””
Her voice cracked.
“You’re leaving me alone with questions.””
Marcus looked devastated.
“I wanted you to have a normal childhood.””
“I don’t need normal.””
Maya wiped her face.
“I need my dad to trust me.””
That hurt him.
Everyone could see it.
Marcus walked toward her.
“I’m sorry.””
Maya looked away.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Jordan noticed something.
“Wait.””
Everyone looked at him.
“The papers.””
Marcus turned.
“What?””
“The papers Vanessa wanted you to sign.””
Jordan pointed toward the document.
“What if they weren’t about Maya leaving?””
Marcus looked confused.
“What are you saying?””
Jordan stood.
“What if they were about something else?””
Angela’s eyes widened.
“She’s right.””
Everyone looked at her.
Angela corrected herself.
“He’s right.””
She pointed at the document.
“Vanessa wasn’t trying to remove Maya.””
Marcus frowned.
“Then what was she doing?””
Angela walked closer.
“She was trying to move something before Derrick came back.””
Marcus stared.
“What something?””
Angela looked at Maya.
Then at the key.
“Something Rachel left behind.””
Vanessa suddenly spoke.
“Enough.””
Everyone turned.
Her voice shook.
“I was trying to fix this.””
Marcus stared.
“Fix what?””
Vanessa looked at him.
“Everything.””
“No.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“You were hiding.””
Vanessa’s eyes filled.
“I was scared.””
“Of Derrick?””
She didn’t answer.
Marcus’s expression changed.
“Of what he would do?””
Vanessa looked away.
That was the answer.
Maya whispered:
“You knew he was alive.””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
A tear fell.
“Yes.””
The kitchen went silent.
Marcus looked like he had been hit.
“You knew?””
“I didn’t know at first.””
“When did you find out?””
Vanessa didn’t speak.
Marcus’s voice became sharper.
“When?””
She finally answered.
“Six months ago.””
Nobody moved.
Maya stared.
“Six months?””
Vanessa nodded.
“He contacted me.””
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“So this whole time…”
“I was trying to stop him.””
“No.””
Marcus shook his head.
“You were trying to control the situation.””
Vanessa looked at him.
“Because I knew you would do exactly what you’re doing now.””
“What?””
“Destroy everything trying to find answers.””
Marcus stared.
“And you thought lying was better?””
Vanessa had no response.
Then Maya noticed something.
Something on the table.
The envelope from Rachel.
It had been moved.
Someone had touched it.
She reached for it.
“Dad.””
Marcus looked.
Maya picked up the envelope.
“It’s open.””
Everyone froze.
Marcus grabbed it.
The seal had already been broken.
Inside was a single piece of paper.
Marcus unfolded it.
His eyes moved across the page.
Then his face changed.
“What?””
Maya stepped closer.
“Dad?””
Marcus looked at her.
And whispered:
“She wrote this the day before she died.””
Angela looked worried.
“What does it say?””
Marcus couldn’t answer.
Because the first line was written directly to him.
*Marcus, if you are reading this, it means Vanessa found the key before I could give it to you.*
Vanessa covered her mouth.
Marcus continued reading.
May you like
And the next sentence made him freeze.
*She knows the truth about Maya’s birth.*
