Chapter 9: The Night My Father Died
The word stayed in the air.
Yes.
One word.
One answer.
One piece of truth that changed everything I thought I knew about my mother.
I stared at Gloria.
The woman who held my hand when I was sick.
The woman who taught me how to forgive.
The woman who told me family always protected each other.
“You were there?””
She nodded.
“I was.””
My voice became quiet.
“Then why did you tell me it was an accident?””
Her tears fell faster.
“Because that’s what everyone wanted you to believe.””
Everyone.
That word hurt.
Because it meant this wasn’t one person’s lie.
It was a lifetime built on hidden truths.
I looked at Daniel.
“You were there too?””
He shook his head.
“No.””
“Then how do you know?””
“Because your father called me before he left.””
My heartbeat increased.
“What did he say?””
Daniel looked at the photograph.
“He said he discovered who was behind everything.””
“Who?””
Daniel looked at Vanessa.
Then at my mother.
“I don’t know.””
I frowned.
“You don’t know?””
“No.””
He pointed at the journal.
“Your father never wrote the final name.””
I looked down.
The last page was torn.
Someone had removed it.
My father’s final words were missing.
“Who ripped this out?””
Nobody answered.
Then Vanessa whispered:
“I did.””
Everyone turned.
My eyes narrowed.
“You?””
She closed her eyes.
“Yes.””
The anger returned instantly.
“Why?””
“Because I was afraid.””
“You destroyed evidence.””
“I was trying to protect you.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Everyone says that.””
She looked at me.
“But this time it’s true.””
I stepped closer.
“Explain.””
Vanessa wiped her tears.
“After your father died, I found out someone was looking for his journal.””
“Who?””
“I don’t know.””
“Another answer you don’t know.””
She shook her head.
“No. I knew enough to be scared.””
She looked at the torn page.
“I removed it because I thought if nobody knew the final name, nobody would come after you.””
My eyes stayed on her.
“And you kept this from me for years.””
“Yes.””
“Why marry me?””
The question broke her.
Because I wasn’t asking about the secret anymore.
I was asking about us.
She whispered:
“Because I loved you before I knew what your last name meant.””
I wanted to believe her.
That was the worst part.
A piece of me still wanted to.
But another piece remembered my mother packing a suitcase.
Remembered Vanessa standing there.
Cold.
Unforgiving.
My mother slowly stood.
“Marcus.””
I looked at her.
“There is something you need to know.””
I almost laughed.
“Of course there is.””
She accepted the pain.
“Your father wasn’t killed because of Vanessa’s family.””
I froze.
“What?””
Daniel looked at her.
“Gloria.””
She continued.
“He was killed because he found out who was helping them.””
The room went silent.
I looked at the journal.
Then the photograph.
Then Vanessa.
“Who was helping them?””
My mother’s face changed.
Fear.
Real fear.
Not guilt.
Not sadness.
Fear.
She looked toward the doorway.
“Someone who is still close to you.””
My stomach tightened.
“What does that mean?””
Before she could answer, the mansion lights suddenly flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then everything went dark.
Someone gasped.
A sound came from the hallway.
A door opening.
Slowly.
Everyone froze.
Daniel whispered:
“Marcus…”
I couldn’t see his face.
“What?””
His voice dropped.
“We’re not alone.””
The sound of footsteps moved through the darkness.
Slow.
Careful.
Coming closer.
My hand reached for the nearest object on the desk.
The footsteps stopped.
Then a voice spoke from the hallway.
A voice I recognized.
A voice that made Vanessa turn completely pale.
“Marcus.””
The lights flashed back on.
And standing at the entrance was the one person nobody expected to see.
The person my father had trusted most.
The person who had been missing for twenty years.
My father’s former business partner.
May you like
Alive.
And holding the missing page from the journal.
