Chapter 12: The Woman Who Knew My Mother
Nobody spoke.
Claire stood in the middle of the basement, tears running down her face.
My father looked like he didn’t know whether to believe her.
I felt the same.
“You expect me to believe that?”” my father asked.
Claire nodded slowly.
“Yes.””
“After fourteen years?””
“I know how it looks.””
“How it looks?””
His voice rose.
“You disappeared after my wife died.””
Claire flinched.
“I was trying to survive.””
“And now you appear with a key and a story?””
She looked at him.
“Because Emily needed the truth.””
I stared at her.
“Then tell me.””
Everyone turned toward me.
I stepped forward.
“No more secrets.””
Claire looked at me for a long moment.
Then she sat down.
“When your mother discovered Victor’s crimes, she knew someone inside the company was helping him.””
My father nodded.
“We thought it was security.””
Claire shook her head.
“No.””
She looked at him.
“It was closer.””
My stomach tightened.
“Closer how?””
Claire looked at me.
“I was there the night your mother disappeared.””
My father’s face changed.
“What?””
Claire closed her eyes.
“I saw what happened.””
The room went silent.
“Then why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because I was threatened.””
“By who?””
Claire looked at Victor.
Victor’s smile disappeared.
“Careful.””
Claire ignored him.
“By Victor.””
My father stared.
“But you said…”
“I lied.””
The words hurt.
Even though I expected them.
Claire looked at me.
“I lied because I was afraid.””
I crossed my arms.
“And my mother?””
Her face broke.
“Your mother knew.””
“Knew what?””
“That I was being forced.””
I froze.
“What?””
Claire nodded.
“Your mother didn’t think I betrayed her.””
My father looked confused.
“Then why did she mention someone close?””
Claire looked down.
“Because she didn’t know if I would survive.””
The answer hit differently.
My mother hadn’t been accusing Claire.
She had been warning her.
Victor stepped forward.
“You’re all wasting time.””
My father turned.
“What?””
Victor smiled.
“You found the chip.””
He pointed toward the computer.
“But you don’t know the most important part.””
Nobody moved.
“What part?””
Victor looked at me.
“The video wasn’t the only thing your mother left.””
My father’s face tightened.
“What else?””
Victor smiled.
“She left a second message.””
“Where?””
Victor looked directly at me.
“In the one place nobody could access.””
My heart raced.
“What place?””
He answered quietly.
“Your memories.””
I stared at him.
“What does that mean?””
Victor stepped closer.
“Your mother knew you might forget.””
A chill moved through me.
“Forget what?””
He looked at the necklace.
“The night she disappeared.””
I stopped breathing.
Because suddenly, fragments came back.
A car.
Rain.
A man shouting.
My mother pushing me away.
A voice saying my name.
And then…
A face.
A face I had forgotten for fourteen years.
My father noticed my expression.
“Emily?””
I looked at him.
“I remember something.””
Everyone became still.
“What?””
My hands shook.
“I saw someone that night.””
Claire whispered:
“Who?””
I closed my eyes.
The memory returned.
The person standing beside my mother.
The person holding the door open.
The person my child mind never understood.
Then I opened my eyes.
And whispered:
“It wasn’t Victor.””
A silence followed.
“Then who was it?”” my father asked.
I looked at him.
May you like
And said the name that made his face lose all color.
“It was someone from our family.””
