Chapter 5: The Woman Who Came Back
I opened the door slowly.
Standing outside was a woman I hadn’t seen in nearly five years.
Naomi.
Claire’s older sister.
The last time I saw her, she was standing beside Claire’s hospital bed.
The last time I saw her, she was crying.
The last time I saw her, she blamed me.
“You shouldn’t be here,” I said.
Her expression didn’t change.
“I know.””
She looked past me.
Her eyes landed on Lily.
And immediately softened.
“Is that her?””
I didn’t answer.
Because I didn’t know if I wanted her near my daughter.
Not yet.
Not after years of unanswered questions.
“Why are you here, Naomi?””
She looked at the letter in my hand.
Then she sighed.
“Because Vanessa finally made a mistake.””
Jordan stepped closer.
“She knew you were coming?””
Naomi looked at him.
“You must be Jordan.””
He looked confused.
“How do you know my name?””
“Because I’ve been watching from a distance.””
The words made my body tense.
“What does that mean?””
Naomi shook her head.
“Not watching you like a stranger.””
She looked at Lily.
“Watching because Claire asked me to.””
My heart stopped.
“Claire is gone.””
“I know.””
The sadness in her voice was real.
That made it worse.
I stepped outside and closed the door behind me.
“Explain.””
Naomi looked exhausted.
“Five years ago, Claire didn’t leave because she wanted to.””
I stared at her.
“She left because she was afraid.””
“Of what?””
“Of Vanessa.””
Hearing the name out loud made my jaw tighten.
“What did Vanessa do?””
Naomi looked down.
“She convinced Claire that you would hate her if she told you the truth.””
“What truth?””
“That Vanessa had been trying to get close to you for months.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
Naomi didn’t react.
“You don’t want to believe it.””
“Because it sounds impossible.””
“It happened.””
She reached into her bag and pulled out a small envelope.
“I kept these because Claire wanted you to have them when Lily was older.””
I stared at the envelope.
“What are they?””
“Messages.””
“From Vanessa?””
Naomi nodded.
My stomach turned.
“She threatened Claire?””
“She manipulated her.””
Naomi’s voice became quieter.
“She told Claire that you were already falling in love with her.””
I looked away.
The idea felt impossible.
Cruel.
“Claire believed her?””
“At first, no.””
Naomi looked toward the window.
“But then Vanessa started sending pictures.””
“Pictures of what?””
“Pictures of you and Vanessa together.””
My face hardened.
“I never cheated.””
“I know.””
“Then what pictures?””
“Pictures taken out of context.””
The pieces started connecting.
The recordings.
The lies.
The fear.
Vanessa wasn’t just hurting Lily.
She had been building this for years.
“She wanted Claire gone,” Naomi said.
“Why?””
Naomi looked at me.
“Because she wanted your family.””
I felt a painful silence settle between us.
Then the door opened behind me.
Lily stood there.
“Daddy?””
I turned immediately.
“Baby, go inside.””
She looked at Naomi.
Then whispered:
“I know her.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
Lily hugged her stuffed rabbit tighter.
“She came to my school.””
Naomi’s face changed.
“Lily…”
“When Vanessa wasn’t looking.””
I looked at Naomi.
“You saw my daughter?””
Naomi nodded slowly.
“I couldn’t stay away.””
My anger rose.
“You had years to come to me.””
“I tried.””
“When?””
“Many times.””
“Then why didn’t I know?””
Naomi looked at the ground.
“Because Vanessa made sure you never got my messages.””
The silence that followed felt heavier than anything before.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message.
From Vanessa.
I opened it.
It was a photo.
A picture of Naomi standing outside my house.
Below it were five words.
“You really believe her?””
I looked up.
Naomi saw my face.
“What happened?””
I showed her the phone.
Her expression changed immediately.
“She knows I’m here.””
Jordan appeared behind me.
“She always knows.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
He swallowed.
“She checks everyone’s phones.””
My chest tightened.
“Why?””
Jordan looked toward the house.
“Because she’s afraid people will find out what she did.””
I stared at the message again.
Then another message appeared.
This time it wasn’t from Vanessa.
It was from an unknown number.
The text contained only one sentence.
“Ask Marcus why Claire never told him she was pregnant before Lily.””
I felt my blood turn cold.
Because I knew Claire had been pregnant.
May you like
With Lily.
So what was I missing?
