Chapter 6: The Accident That Wasn’t
For a few seconds, I couldn’t understand the words.
My brain refused to connect them.
The accident.
My mother’s accident.
The one that had taken her life.
The one everyone told me was just a terrible moment nobody could control.
I looked at my father.
“What did you just say?””
He looked like he wanted to disappear.
“Emily…”
“No.””
My voice shook.
“Say it again.””
Patricia stepped forward.
“Your father is confused.””
I turned toward her.
“No.””
The word came out stronger than I expected.
“You are scared.””
Her face tightened.
I looked back at my father.
“Was Mom’s death an accident?””
He closed his eyes.
And that was my answer.
A scream built inside me, but I swallowed it.
Eight years.
Eight years believing I had lost my mother because life was unfair.
Eight years blaming fate.
And now my father was standing in front of me telling me there was more.
“What happened?””
My father gripped the gate.
“I should have told you.””
“Yes.””
My voice cracked.
“You should have.””
He looked broken.
“Your mother’s car went off the road.””
“I know.””
“But before that happened…”
He stopped.
“Before that happened what?””
My father looked at Patricia.
She shook her head.
“Don’t.””
I felt numb.
“Dad.””
He whispered:
“Your mother had been planning to leave.””
I stared.
“Leave?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Nobody answered.
Then Patricia did.
“She thought she was better than everyone.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
She immediately looked away.
My father’s expression turned angry.
“Patricia.””
“No,” she snapped.
“She’s going to find out eventually.””
My stomach twisted.
Find out what?
My father spoke quietly.
“Your mother discovered something.””
“About what?””
He looked at the envelope.
“About Daniel’s adoption.””
I frowned.
“What does that have to do with anything?””
My father hesitated.
Then said:
“Daniel wasn’t the only thing she found.””
The wind moved through the trees.
I felt like I was standing on the edge of a cliff.
“What else?””
My father swallowed.
“She discovered that someone had been hiding money from her.””
I looked at Patricia.
Slowly.
Because I already knew.
“No.””
My father didn’t say her name.
He didn’t need to.
Patricia’s face had changed.
The confidence was gone.
The perfect mask was gone.
My mother had found something.
Something Patricia didn’t want anyone to know.
I gripped the letter.
“Did Mom know?””
My father nodded.
“She confronted Patricia.””
“And then she died?””
He looked down.
“I don’t know.””
The answer made me angry.
“You don’t know?””
His eyes filled with tears.
“I found out years later.””
“Why didn’t you investigate?””
His silence hurt.
More than anything.
Because I knew.
He had chosen peace over truth.
He had chosen pretending over protecting me.
I looked at him.
“You promised my mother.””
“I know.””
“You promised you would protect me.””
“I know.””
“But you protected everyone except me.””
My father started crying.
I had never seen him cry before.
Not when my mother died.
Not at the funeral.
Not during all the years afterward.
But now he cried.
And somehow, it didn’t make me feel better.
A car engine suddenly sounded behind them.
Everyone turned.
A black SUV stopped near the road.
The driver’s door opened.
My heart stopped.
Daniel stepped out.
The man who had helped me buy my home.
The man who knew my mother’s secret.
The man who was my brother.
He walked toward the gate slowly.
His face was pale.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
I stared at him.
“For what?””
He looked at the envelope in my hand.
“Because I should have told you the truth yesterday.””
My father looked shocked.
“You knew?””
Daniel nodded.
“I knew everything.””
My hands tightened.
“Everything?””
He stopped in front of the gate.
Then quietly said:
“I knew why your mother died.””
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
May you like
And then Daniel added:
“But I also know who was responsible.””
