Chapter 8: The Morning My Father Died
I didn't sleep that night.
At 5:30 a.m., I was still sitting in my hotel room, staring at the visitor log.
Daniel had visited my father forty-one minutes before the emergency call.
He had told me he was at the office that morning.
I remembered the day vividly.
I'd been nineteen, studying for my final university exams.
My father had called me the night before and promised to take me to breakfast.
He never showed up.
At 9:15 a.m., my aunt called.
She told me my father had suffered a cardiac event.
By the time I reached the hospital, he was gone.
I remembered Daniel arriving an hour later.
He'd held me while I cried.
He'd told me everything would be okay.
I had believed him.
Now every memory felt contaminated.
At 7:00 a.m., Jonathan arrived with a folder.
"We've confirmed Rebecca's identity.""
He placed several documents on the table.
Birth records. Photographs. Financial records.
"She is your father's biological daughter. The records also confirm he established a private education trust for her.""
I looked at the documents.
"Did my mother know?""
Jonathan nodded.
"According to a letter in your father's personal archive, your mother knew about Rebecca before she died.""
I looked up.
"She knew?""
"Yes.""
I sat back.
The letter contained a short handwritten message from my mother.
William, Rebecca deserves to know her family. Don't let old mistakes become her future.
I pressed my fingers against my forehead.
My parents had known.
They had kept a secret that involved another daughter, but somehow they had also made room for her.
I couldn't decide whether to feel betrayed or grateful.
Jonathan placed another folder on the table.
"This concerns your father's death.""
I looked at him.
"What did you find?""
"The original medical report lists a sudden cardiac event. But the report doesn't include the full medication history.""
"Why not?""
"Because the hospital received an incomplete record from the family.""
I stared at him.
"Who provided it?""
Jonathan turned the page.
"Patricia Whitmore.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Why would Patricia provide my father's medical history?""
"She was listed as the emergency contact for the company-related incident.""
"That makes no sense. My father wasn't married to Patricia.""
"No. But the hospital record says she presented herself as an authorized company representative.""
I stood.
"Was she there when he died?""
Jonathan shook his head.
"According to the hospital, she left before the ambulance arrived.""
I looked at the medication list.
Several prescriptions were missing.
"Can we find the doctor?""
"He's retired. But he agreed to speak with us.""
"Arrange it.""
Two hours later, we were sitting in a private medical office in Stamford.
Dr. Samuel Brooks was a thin man in his seventies with careful eyes and a quiet voice.
He examined the documents.
"I remember Mr. Hayes," he said.
I leaned forward.
"Was anything unusual about his condition?""
Dr. Brooks considered the question.
"He had a history of cardiac problems, but his symptoms were being managed. He was stable during his last appointment.""
"Could he have suffered a sudden cardiac event naturally?""
"Certainly.""
"Was there anything in his medication that could have contributed?""
The doctor paused.
"That's where things become complicated.""
He opened an old record on his computer.
"Your father had been prescribed medication for his heart condition. However, the medication list provided to the emergency department didn't match the list from my office.""
"How?""
"One medication had been omitted. Another was recorded at a different dosage.""
My hands tightened.
"Could that have affected his treatment?""
"Potentially. But I cannot determine what happened that morning from these records alone.""
"Did you investigate?""
"I raised the discrepancy with the hospital administration.""
"And?""
He looked uncomfortable.
"I was told the family had already resolved the matter.""
"Which family member?""
He looked directly at me.
"Mrs. Patricia Whitmore.""
I felt Jonathan shift beside me.
"Did you speak to her?""
"Once. She told me Mr. Hayes had been confused about his medication and that the family didn't want unnecessary speculation.""
I stared at him.
"My father was not confused.""
Dr. Brooks nodded.
"I understand.""
He closed the file.
"There's something else I remember. The morning of his death, a man called my office asking about the medication list.""
"Who?""
"I believe his name was Daniel.""
My throat tightened.
"What did he ask?""
"Whether a medication change would be recorded in the hospital system if the original prescription wasn't available.""
Jonathan leaned forward.
"Did you answer?""
"I told him that I couldn't discuss another patient's medical information without authorization.""
I sat very still.
Daniel had visited my father.
Daniel had carried a briefcase out of the building.
Daniel had called the doctor about medication records.
And he had spent eleven years pretending none of it happened.
When we left the office, I couldn't stop shaking.
Jonathan opened the car door.
"Nia, we need to be careful. These are serious matters, but we still need evidence before drawing conclusions.""
I nodded.
"I know.""
My phone rang.
Rebecca.
I answered immediately.
"Where are you?""
"I'm outside your hotel.""
I looked through the window.
A dark-haired woman stood near the entrance, holding a leather handbag.
She looked nervous.
I stepped out of the car.
For a moment, we simply stared at each other.
Then she approached.
"Hi, Nia.""
Her voice was soft.
I looked into her face.
The gray eyes.
The shape of her nose.
The familiar expression.
I saw my father everywhere.
"You're really my sister," I whispered.
Rebecca smiled sadly.
"Apparently.""
I wanted to hug her.
Instead, I asked the question that had been tearing through me all morning.
"Why didn't you tell me Daniel was involved?""
She lowered her eyes.
"I didn't know the full extent of it.""
"Did you know he visited Dad that morning?""
She nodded.
"Yes.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I was afraid you would tell him I was contacting you.""
I stared at her.
"He's my husband.""
"That's exactly why I was afraid.""
She opened her handbag and removed a small flash drive.
"Your father gave me this three days before he died.""
Jonathan stepped closer.
"What does it contain?""
"Copies of the financial records Martin was hiding. Emails. Bank transfers. And a recording.""
I looked at the flash drive.
"A recording of what?""
Rebecca swallowed.
"Your father confronting Daniel.""
My entire body went cold.
"Have you listened to it?""
"Once.""
"What does it say?""
Rebecca looked at me.
"Your father asked Daniel why he had helped Martin move money out of the company.""
I took the flash drive.
"And what did Daniel say?""
Rebecca's eyes filled with tears.
"He said he hadn't meant for your father to die.""
The world seemed to stop.
I gripped the flash drive.
"Play it.""
Rebecca shook her head.
"Not here. We need to get somewhere secure.""
Jonathan nodded.
"She's right.""
We returned to the hotel and used a secure laptop.
Rebecca inserted the drive.
Several files appeared.
One was labeled:
*WILLIAM — FINAL CONVERSATION.*
I pressed play.
Static filled the speakers.
Then my father's voice emerged.
"Daniel, look at me. I know what you've done.""
A second voice answered.
Daniel.
"Mr. Hayes, you're misunderstanding.""
"Four million dollars has disappeared. Martin has been moving company assets through Patricia's accounts. And your name is on the approvals.""
"That doesn't mean I knew everything.""
My father sounded furious.
"You knew enough.""
There was a long silence.
Then Daniel spoke.
"What do you want me to do?""
"Tell Nia the truth.""
"She can't know.""
"She's my daughter.""
"She's my wife.""
My father laughed bitterly.
"Those things are not mutually exclusive.""
Then came a sound.
A chair scraping.
My father spoke again.
"If you have any decency left, you'll tell me who gave Patricia access to the medication records.""
Daniel's voice dropped.
"Please don't involve her.""
"Who?""
"Martin.""
A sharp breath followed.
Then Daniel said something that made me stop breathing.
"Martin told me the dosage wouldn't matter.""
The recording ended.
I stared at the screen.
Jonathan slowly closed the laptop.
Rebecca covered her mouth.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then my phone rang.
Daniel.
I answered.
He sounded breathless.
"Nia, listen carefully. You need to get away from Rebecca.""
I looked at my sister.
"Why?""
"Because she's lying to you.""
"What about the recording?""
Silence.
Then Daniel whispered:
"That recording is not the whole conversation.""
"Then what are you hiding?""
He took a shaky breath.
"Your father was alive when I left that house.""
I gripped the phone.
"Then why did you tell me you weren't there?""
May you like
Daniel's voice broke.
"Because when I came back forty minutes later, he was dead.""
