Chapter 7: The Woman Who Survived
“Because she isn’t dead.””
Thomas’s words seemed to suck the air from the room.
Nia stared at him.
Then at Angela.
Her mother’s hand slowly fell away from her mouth.
“You knew?”” Nia whispered.
Angela shook her head.
“No.””
Thomas backed toward the door.
David moved in front of him.
“Don't.””
Thomas stopped.
Nia held the document with both hands.
“My aunt is alive?””
Nobody answered.
She looked at Vanessa.
“You said she died.””
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
“I believed she was dead.””
“You told me she died.””
“I was told she died.””
“By who?””
Vanessa looked at Thomas.
Nia followed her gaze.
Thomas's face was rigid.
“Thomas?””
He swallowed.
“I never said she was dead.””
Vanessa stared at him.
“You told me she was gone.””
“She was gone.””
“Gone where?””
Thomas said nothing.
David stepped closer.
“You knew she survived.””
Thomas's jaw tightened.
“I knew there had been an accident.””
“What accident?”” Nia demanded.
Thomas looked at her.
“Your aunt was driving home from the hospital the night you were born.””
Angela whispered, “Stop.””
Thomas continued.
“She had the original custody papers with her.””
Nia's eyes widened.
“The papers that were supposed to go to the court?””
“Yes.””
“What happened?””
Thomas looked at the floor.
“A truck hit her car.””
Vanessa covered her mouth.
“I was told she died.””
“She disappeared from the hospital.””
Angela stared at him.
“Disappeared?””
Thomas nodded.
“When they found the wreckage, there was no body.””
David's voice became cold.
“And you never looked for her.””
Thomas looked at him.
“I had bigger problems.””
“You stole her identity.””
“I protected the company.””
“You stole a child's inheritance.””
Thomas snapped, “I kept the company from collapsing!””
Nia flinched.
Thomas immediately looked at her.
“I’m sorry.””
She stared at him.
“You're sorry?””
“I didn't want any of this.””
“You came here.””
“I came to stop Angela from destroying everything.””
Angela stepped forward.
“You destroyed everything eighteen years ago.””
Thomas looked at her.
“You left.””
“I was forced to leave.””
“You signed.””
“Because you threatened my daughter.””
Nia's eyes widened.
“You threatened Mom?””
Thomas's silence was enough.
Nia's voice dropped.
“What did you threaten her with?””
Thomas looked away.
David answered.
“He threatened to have you taken away permanently.””
Nia stared at him.
“How?””
David looked at Thomas.
“Your aunt had evidence against him.””
Thomas's face hardened.
“What evidence?””
David smiled without humor.
“You still don't know?””
Thomas's eyes flickered.
David reached into his jacket and pulled out a small envelope.
Thomas's expression changed immediately.
“Where did you get that?””
“Your sister gave it to me.””
Thomas went completely still.
Nia's heart hammered.
“My aunt?””
David nodded.
“She contacted me six months ago.””
Angela's eyes widened.
“You knew?””
“I couldn't tell you until I was sure.””
Nia looked at David.
“Where is she?””
“Safe.””
“Where?””
David hesitated.
“Nia—”
“Where?””
David finally answered.
“She’s in this building.””
Nia's breath caught.
Vanessa turned toward the backstage door.
“No.””
Thomas looked at David.
“You brought her here?””
“I didn't.””
A woman's voice came from the corridor.
“You're right.””
Everyone froze.
The voice was soft.
Older.
Familiar in a way Nia couldn't explain.
Footsteps approached.
A woman appeared in the doorway.
Dark brown coat.
Silver at her temples.
One hand gripping a cane.
Nia stared at her.
The woman stared back.
Then she smiled through tears.
“Hello, baby.””
Nia's knees almost gave out.
She looked at Angela.
Angela was crying.
“That's her,” Angela whispered.
Nia looked back at the woman.
“Who are you?””
The woman took one trembling step forward.
“My name is Renee.””
She looked at Thomas.
“And I have been waiting eighteen years to tell you what really happened that night.””
Thomas whispered, “You should have stayed gone.””
Renee's eyes hardened.
“You should have stayed honest.””
Nia looked down at the document in her hands.
Renee pointed toward it.
“Turn it over.””
Nia slowly flipped the page.
On the back was a handwritten note.
Only one sentence.
*I never gave up my rights to Nia.*
Nia looked at Renee.
“Then why did everyone think you did?””
Renee's expression changed.
“Because someone forged my death certificate.””
She looked directly at Thomas.
“And I know exactly who helped him.””
Vanessa began to cry.
Renee turned toward her.
“Don't cry now.””
Vanessa whispered, “I didn't know.””
Renee answered, “You knew enough.””
Then Renee reached inside her coat.
She pulled out a second sealed envelope.
“There is one more name in this story.””
Thomas stepped forward.
“Renee, don't.””
She looked at Nia.
“This name proves who ordered the entire scheme.””
Before Renee could open the envelope, the auditorium lights outside suddenly went dark.
A second later, every backstage light went out too.
Someone screamed in the hallway.
Then came the sound of a door slamming.
Renee's hand tightened around the envelope.
“Where's Nia?””
Angela grabbed her daughter.
“She’s here.””
A man's voice came from the darkness.
“No.””
The voice was not Thomas's.
It was someone else.
May you like
Someone standing inside the room.
“She's with me.””
