Chapter 5: The Voice From My Mother’s Last Night
The phone kept ringing.
Three times.
Four times.
Five.
Nobody moved.
The name glowing on my screen felt impossible.
I had never seen it before.
But Vanessa’s reaction told me everything.
She knew exactly who it was.
My father looked at her.
“Who is calling my daughter?””
Vanessa didn’t answer.
That was enough.
My father’s expression darkened.
“Emma.””
I looked at him.
He nodded toward the phone.
“Answer it.””
My fingers felt numb as I pressed the screen.
For a moment, there was only silence.
Then a man’s voice.
Low.
Older.
Careful.
“Emma Carter?””
I didn’t speak.
The voice continued.
“I know you don’t know me.””
My father moved closer, listening.
The man paused.
Then he said something that made my entire body freeze.
“But I knew your mother.””
My grip tightened around the phone.
“Who are you?””
A long silence followed.
“My name is Daniel Cross.””
The room changed instantly.
Vanessa closed her eyes.
My father’s face hardened.
Attorney Williams slowly reached for his phone, probably preparing to record everything.
I stepped away from the table.
“Why are you calling me?””
Daniel’s breathing came through the speaker.
“I need you to listen carefully.””
“No.””
My voice shook.
“You don’t get to call me after threatening me.””
A pause.
Then:
“I never threatened you.””
I laughed bitterly.
“You were talking about me in messages.””
“I know.””
“You called me ‘the girl.’”
“I know.””
The calmness in his voice made my anger worse.
“Then explain.””
Another pause.
Then Daniel said:
“Because I didn’t know if you were safe.””
Nobody spoke.
Not even Vanessa.
I looked at my father.
His eyes told me to keep going.
“Safe from who?””
Daniel answered immediately.
“Vanessa.””
Vanessa stepped forward.
“Don’t listen to him!””
My father turned sharply.
“Stay where you are.””
She stopped.
The authority in his voice made the room silent.
Daniel heard her.
“She’s there, isn’t she?””
I stared at Vanessa.
“How do you know?””
“Because she always stays close when she thinks she’s losing control.””
Vanessa’s face tightened.
“Daniel, stop.””
The fact that she used his name like she knew him made my stomach twist.
“You two worked together,” I said.
No answer.
That was enough.
“You worked together.””
Daniel finally spoke.
“Yes.””
My father’s jaw clenched.
“Why?””
The question came from him.
Not me.
Daniel went quiet.
Then he said:
“Because I made a mistake.””
Everyone froze.
A confession.
Simple.
Heavy.
“What mistake?”” I asked.
Daniel’s voice became quieter.
“Your mother trusted me.””
I looked at the letter in my hand.
The words still burned in my mind.
*The accident that took my life was not an accident.*
“What did you do to my mother?””
The question came out before I could stop it.
The line went silent.
Then Daniel answered:
“I tried to warn her.””
My heart pounded.
“Tried?””
“Yes.””
“About what?””
“About Vanessa.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“No.””
My father looked at her.
“Enough.””
But she ignored him.
“Daniel, you don’t get to rewrite history.””
Daniel heard her.
“You should have listened to Evelyn.””
The use of my mother’s first name made Vanessa’s face change.
“You were there?””
I asked.
Daniel didn’t answer.
That scared me more than anything.
“Were you there the night my mother died?””
A long silence.
Then:
“Yes.””
The room stopped.
My father looked at me.
I couldn’t breathe.
“You were there?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Daniel exhaled slowly.
“Because your mother called me.””
My father stepped closer to the phone.
“Why would my wife call you?””
Daniel answered:
“Because she discovered what Vanessa was planning.””
Vanessa’s voice broke.
“Liar.””
Nobody looked at her.
Because everyone was listening.
Daniel continued.
“She found out Vanessa wasn’t only interested in your assets. She found out Vanessa was working with someone else.””
“Who?””
My father’s voice was cold.
Daniel hesitated.
Then:
“Someone inside Carter Industries.””
That sentence landed harder than everything else.
Inside.
Someone close.
Someone trusted.
My father looked toward Attorney Williams.
The attorney immediately shook his head.
“I had no involvement.””
“I didn’t say you did,” my father replied.
But the damage was done.
Suspicion had entered the room.
And once suspicion enters a family, it doesn’t leave easily.
I looked at Vanessa.
“You knew about my mother’s investigation.””
She didn’t answer.
“Didn’t you?””
Her eyes filled with anger.
“You have no idea what happened.””
“Then tell me.””
She looked away.
That was answer enough.
Daniel’s voice returned.
“Emma, you need to find the original journal.””
My forehead creased.
“What journal?””
“Your mother’s diary.””
I froze.
“My mother didn’t keep a diary.””
Daniel gave a sad laugh.
“Yes, she did.””
My father looked at me.
“You knew about this?””
“No.””
Daniel continued.
“She hid it because she knew Vanessa would look for it.””
Vanessa suddenly moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
She grabbed her coat from the chair.
My father stepped in front of the door.
“Where are you going?””
She stared at him.
“You need to hear the truth from someone who was actually there.””
“Then stay.””
She shook her head.
“No.””
The confidence returned.
But it was different now.
Desperate.
“You think Daniel is saving you?””
Nobody answered.
“He’s not.””
My father looked at her.
“Explain.””
Vanessa smiled sadly.
“Ask him why he disappeared after your wife died.””
The silence that followed was terrifying.
Because Daniel didn’t answer.
My father slowly turned toward the phone.
“Daniel.””
Nothing.
“Why did you disappear?””
The line remained quiet.
Then Daniel said:
“Because I was afraid.””
“Of what?””
“Of the person who caused Evelyn’s death.””
My blood went cold.
My father’s voice dropped.
“You’re saying someone killed my wife.””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
Daniel didn’t answer immediately.
Then:
“The same person who is trying to get access to Emma’s inheritance now.””
I looked at Vanessa.
She looked back.
And for the first time, neither of us spoke.
Because we both knew.
The truth was bigger than her.
Bigger than the documents.
Bigger than the trust.
My father took the phone from my hand.
“Daniel, tell me who it is.””
A long pause.
Then Daniel said:
“Marcus, before I tell you, you need to understand something.””
“What?””
“Your wife wasn’t investigating Vanessa.””
My father frowned.
“Then who was she investigating?””
Daniel’s voice became barely audible.
“Someone you have known your entire life.””
The call ended.
Just like that.
The screen went black.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then my father slowly lowered the phone.
Someone he had known his entire life.
Someone close.
Someone trusted.
Attorney Williams looked at the old folder.
Vanessa looked at the door.
And I looked at my mother’s letter.
Because suddenly, the sentence on the page felt different.
Not just a warning.
A clue.
I turned the paper over.
I don’t know why.
Maybe instinct.
Maybe because somewhere inside me, I knew my mother had planned every step.
And on the back of the letter, hidden beneath the fold, was another message.
One sentence.
Written in ink darker than the rest.
*Emma, do not trust the man who helped raise you.*
My heart stopped.
May you like
Because I knew exactly who she meant.
And he was standing only ten feet away from me.
