Chapter 10: The Message That Changed Everything
Nobody touched the phone.
Nobody even breathed.
The screen glowed in the darkness, the words sitting there like a wound that refused to close.
*I’m sorry I left you. But I had to save you from your father.*
Marcus stared.
For several seconds, he didn’t understand what he was reading.
Then the meaning reached him.
And everything inside him went cold.
Maya looked at the phone.
Then at her father.
“Dad?””
Marcus didn’t answer.
He couldn’t.
Because the person who wrote that message was the one person he had spent years grieving.
The one person he had defended.
The one person he believed loved him.
His wife.
Maya’s mother.
Elijah slowly reached for the phone.
Marcus stopped him.
“No.””
His voice was quiet.
Too quiet.
Everyone looked at him.
Marcus picked up the phone himself.
The old device was scratched and worn, like it had been hidden somewhere for years.
“How is this possible?”” he whispered.
Vanessa looked terrified.
“I don’t know.””
Marcus turned toward her.
“You expect me to believe that?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“No.””
“Because you’ve lied to me all day.””
“Yes.””
The honesty surprised him.
Vanessa looked down.
“I have.””
Marcus looked at the message again.
Maya stood beside him.
Her face was full of confusion.
“Dad…”
He immediately softened.
“I’m here.””
“Is Mom saying you hurt her?””
Marcus looked at the screen.
The hardest part wasn’t the accusation.
It was the doubt.
A tiny piece of doubt he hated himself for feeling.
“I don’t know.””
Maya’s eyes filled.
“You don’t know?””
Marcus closed his eyes.
“No.””
The answer hurt both of them.
Because for the first time, her father didn’t have certainty.
He had questions.
Elijah slowly spoke.
“Marcus.””
Everyone looked at him.
“You need to think carefully.””
Marcus turned.
“About what?””
“About who wanted you to see this message.””
The room went quiet.
Marcus looked at the phone.
“What do you mean?””
Elijah stepped closer.
“Your wife was careful. Very careful. If she truly wanted to tell Maya you were dangerous, she would have left this message somewhere Maya would find it alone.””
Marcus stared.
“But she didn’t.””
“No.””
Elijah pointed at the phone.
“Someone placed it here.””
Vanessa looked around the room.
“So someone wanted us to believe it.””
Marcus’s eyes narrowed.
“You think it’s fake?””
“I think someone wants you to question everything.””
A loud sound came from upstairs.
Everyone froze.
Maya grabbed Marcus’s arm.
“What was that?””
Nobody answered.
Then came another sound.
A footstep.
Slow.
Heavy.
Someone was inside the house.
Marcus immediately moved in front of Maya.
“Stay behind me.””
Vanessa whispered:
“We need to leave.””
Marcus looked toward the stairs.
“Where is the key?””
Vanessa blinked.
“What?””
“The key to the apartment.””
She reached into her pocket.
Marcus took it.
“We’re not running.””
Elijah stared.
“Marcus.””
“No.””
His voice was firm.
“Someone has been controlling this story for years.””
He looked toward the darkness.
“I’m done letting them.””
The footsteps stopped.
Silence.
Then a voice came from upstairs.
“Marcus.””
Everyone froze.
Because the voice was familiar.
Too familiar.
Maya whispered:
“Who is that?””
Marcus didn’t answer.
His face had gone pale.
The voice came again.
“You always were easy to manipulate.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“No.””
The word barely left his mouth.
Vanessa looked at him.
“You know that voice.””
Marcus nodded slowly.
“Yes.””
“Who is it?””
Marcus stared at the stairs.
May you like
Then whispered:
“My brother.””
