Chapter 10: The Mother Who Came Back from the Dead
"Mom?""
The word barely came out of my mouth.
Richard stood motionless beside me, holding his phone. Ethan had stopped moving. Even Vanessa, who had been crying moments earlier, stared at the speaker as though she had just witnessed a ghost.
Then the woman spoke again.
"Olivia, sweetheart, please listen to me. You cannot trust Charles Blackwood's family.""
My knees weakened.
"Where are you? Why did you let me believe you were dead?""
A shaky breath came through the phone.
"I didn't have a choice.""
"YOU DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE? I GREW UP THINKING BOTH MY PARENTS WERE DEAD!""
"Olivia, I know.""
"No, you don't know! You weren't there when I graduated. You weren't there when I got married. You weren't there when I spent three years believing I couldn't give my husband a child!""
Silence.
Then my mother began crying.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart.""
I covered my mouth.
For eighteen years, I had carried the memory of my parents' deaths like two permanent wounds.
My father had died in a car accident.
My mother had supposedly died ten months later from complications following an illness.
I had been raised by my maternal aunt, who told me that my mother had been too sick to recover.
Now the woman I had mourned for most of my adult life was speaking to me from a telephone.
"Where are you?"" I asked again.
"Connecticut.""
Richard stepped closer.
"Ma'am, this is Richard Coleman, attorney for Olivia Blackwood. Can you verify your identity?""
"Richard Coleman?""
"Yes.""
"I remember you. You represented Charles Blackwood.""
Richard's expression hardened.
"That was many years ago.""
"I know. That's why I called this number.""
I grabbed the phone.
"Mom, what happened to Dad?""
She became quiet.
Then she said, "Your father discovered that Charles Blackwood was using illegal financial arrangements to conceal ownership of several companies. He was preparing to expose him.""
Ethan stepped forward.
"That's ridiculous. My father was a businessman, not a criminal.""
My mother heard him.
"Are you there, Ethan?""
He froze.
"Yes.""
"I remember you. You were a little boy when I last saw you.""
Ethan looked uncomfortable.
"What did my father do?""
"He destroyed your life before you even knew what was happening.""
Ethan's jaw tightened.
"Explain.""
My mother sighed.
"Charles discovered that you had a medical condition after your surgery. He was terrified that you might never produce an heir. He believed the family fortune would eventually become vulnerable to outside claims.""
Richard interrupted.
"Did Charles arrange the surgery?""
"I don't know who performed every part of it. But I know Charles authorized additional procedures without Ethan's knowledge.""
Ethan closed his eyes.
My mother continued.
"Your father discovered the medical arrangements because he was investigating the family trust. Charles had been moving assets through shell companies, and one of those companies was connected to Daniel.""
I looked at Richard.
"Was my father's death connected to that investigation?""
My mother began crying again.
"Three days before the accident, Michael told me he had copies of documents that could expose everything.""
"What happened?""
"He left our house one morning and never returned.""
"Mom, the police said it was an accident.""
"They were given false information.""
My chest tightened.
"Are you saying someone killed him?""
"I'm saying I never believed the accident report.""
Ethan walked toward the window.
"Who was responsible?""
"I don't know. But I know Charles had people watching us. After Michael died, I received a warning that Olivia would be in danger if I tried to recover the documents.""
"Why didn't you come to me?"" I asked.
"I was trying to keep you alive.""
I shook my head.
"You left me alone.""
"I know.""
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
Then my mother said something unexpected.
"Olivia, do you still have the wooden box your father gave you?""
I looked at Richard.
"Yes.""
"Then you have the key.""
"How do you know?""
"Because your father told me he had hidden something for you. He said the key would only make sense when you were old enough to understand the Blackwood family.""
Richard immediately took out his notebook.
"Do you know where the key leads?""
"An old private storage facility in Stamford. Your father rented a vault there under a separate company name.""
Richard nodded.
"Can you give us the address?""
"I can. But there's something else.""
Her voice became urgent.
"Do not tell Daniel that I contacted you.""
I looked at Ethan.
"Daniel is missing.""
"Then he may already know.""
The call disconnected.
I stared at the screen.
Richard immediately tried calling back, but the number went straight to voicemail.
Ethan approached me.
"Olivia, I owe you an apology.""
I didn't look at him.
"For what?""
"For everything.""
"That's a very broad apology.""
He swallowed.
"I knew my father had arranged the surgery. I didn't know the extent of it, but I knew he had hidden something from me. I was afraid to investigate because I didn't want to discover that my family had deliberately damaged my ability to have children.""
I finally turned toward him.
"And instead, you made me feel responsible.""
He lowered his eyes.
"Yes.""
I took a breath.
"Your shame was never mine to carry, Ethan.""
He nodded.
"I know.""
Richard interrupted.
"We need to retrieve that vault before anyone else does.""
I looked at him.
"Can we go today?""
"Yes. But I recommend notifying the authorities first.""
Ethan reached for his phone.
"I'll arrange security.""
"No," I said.
He stopped.
"This is my father's property. My inheritance. My mother's safety. I will decide who comes.""
He slowly lowered his hand.
Richard nodded.
"She's right.""
We left the hospital shortly afterward.
On the drive to Connecticut, I kept looking at my phone, hoping my mother would call again.
Instead, I received a message from an unknown number.
It contained a photograph of the Stamford storage facility.
A red circle had been drawn around one particular unit.
Underneath it was a message.
Your father didn't leave you money, Olivia. He left you evidence. And someone has already been inside the vault.
I showed Richard.
He immediately called the facility.
The manager confirmed that someone had accessed the vault that morning.
The authorization had been made using a duplicate key.
May you like
And the name on the access record was the one person I had never expected to see.
My mother.
