Chapter 6: The Voice From Yesterday
Nobody spoke.
The phone kept ringing.
The name glowing on the screen felt impossible.
Marcus stared.
“How?””
Vanessa didn’t answer.
“Maya,” Marcus said quietly, “go upstairs.””
Maya shook her head.
“No.””
“Maya.””
“I’m tired of leaving the room when adults have secrets.””
The honesty of the statement silenced him.
Marcus looked at his daughter.
Eleven years old.
Wearing an old sweater.
Holding a photograph that had changed everything.
He realized she wasn’t a child who needed protection from the truth.
She was the person the truth belonged to.
“Okay,” Marcus said softly.
Maya stayed.
Vanessa finally answered the phone.
“Hello?””
Everyone watched her face.
At first, nothing changed.
Then her eyes widened.
“No.””
A pause.
Her hand covered her mouth.
“That’s impossible.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“Who is it?””
Vanessa ignored him.
“How did you get this number?””
Another pause.
Then Vanessa whispered:
“You’re supposed to be gone.””
The room froze.
Marcus felt his chest tighten.
Gone.
The same word everyone had avoided.
The same word connected to his wife.
Vanessa listened for several seconds.
Then she said:
“I can’t do this.””
A voice came faintly through the phone.
Nobody else could hear the words.
But Vanessa could.
And whatever the person said made tears appear in her eyes.
“No,” she whispered.
Then she looked at Maya.
The guilt on her face was impossible to miss.
Marcus noticed.
“What did they say?””
Vanessa slowly lowered the phone.
“They know she found the photograph.””
Maya’s face went pale.
“How?””
Vanessa looked toward the window.
“I don’t know.””
Elijah stood.
“We need to leave.””
Marcus turned.
“Why?””
“Because if they know the photograph was found, they know the message might be found too.””
Marcus looked at the envelope.
His wife’s letter.
The one they still hadn’t opened.
Maya whispered:
“Who are they?””
Nobody answered.
Marcus picked up the envelope.
“No more waiting.””
Vanessa looked at him.
“Marcus.””
“No.””
He held the letter firmly.
“My daughter spent her entire life missing pieces of her mother.””
He looked at Maya.
“I’m done letting other people decide what she can know.””
Slowly, he opened the envelope.
The paper inside was folded neatly.
The handwriting was unmistakable.
Marcus’s hands shook.
Maya stood beside him.
“What does it say?””
He looked at the first line.
And his expression changed.
“What?””
Maya stepped closer.
Marcus couldn’t speak.
Elijah looked worried.
“What did she write?””
Marcus turned the paper slightly.
The first sentence was visible.
Only one sentence.
And it was enough to make Vanessa start crying.
Because it wasn’t a goodbye.
It was a warning.
Marcus whispered:
“She knew this day would come.””
Maya looked at him.
“What did Mom say?””
Marcus read the line again.
Then he looked at Vanessa.
“Why did she write your name?””
Vanessa stepped back.
“I don’t know.””
But nobody believed her.
Marcus held the letter tighter.
Because beneath the first sentence was a message that changed everything.
And the next words were addressed to him.
“Marcus, if Maya ever finds this…”
He stopped.
His eyes moved across the page.
May you like
Then he whispered:
“She wanted me to know who betrayed her.””
