Chapter 2: The Secret Behind My Husband's Death
Nobody touched the cake.
Nobody moved.
The only sound in the kitchen was the faint buzzing of phones as thousands of strangers watched our family fall apart in real time.
Andre kept staring at the screen.
At Rebecca's comment.
At the words accusing his wife of something connected to his father.
"My husband's records?"" I whispered.
I looked at Andre.
"Did you know anything about this?""
His face was pale.
"No.""
Danielle immediately stepped forward.
"Of course he doesn't know. Because this is ridiculous.""
She reached for the phone.
Andre pulled it away.
"No.""
That single word shocked everyone.
Danielle blinked.
"What did you say?""
"I said no.""
His voice was different.
Not angry.
Disappointed.
"You're not taking the phone.""
For the first time, Danielle looked nervous.
"Andre, you're really going to believe some stranger online over your wife?""
Maya shook her head.
"She isn't just some stranger.""
Everyone looked at her.
Maya swallowed.
"Rebecca Williams was the nurse assigned to your father during his final months.""
I felt a chill.
Robert's final months.
A period of my life I rarely discussed.
Because it still hurt.
He had been sick quickly.
Too quickly.
One day he was gardening.
The next, we were sitting in hospital rooms listening to doctors explain words we didn't understand.
Danielle had appeared during that time.
She had been dating Andre for only six months.
I remembered how helpful she seemed.
Bringing coffee.
Organizing paperwork.
Offering to speak with doctors.
At the time, I thought she was a blessing.
Now I wondered if I had invited danger into my home.
Andre looked at Danielle.
"What did Vanessa mean by a medical evaluation?""
Danielle folded her arms.
"You are seriously doing this?""
"Answer me.""
She sighed.
"Your mother has been acting differently.""
I stared at her.
"Different?""
"Forgetful. Emotional. Angry.""
She looked around.
"Everyone has noticed.""
My chest tightened.
Everyone?
Who was everyone?
I had lost my husband.
I had spent two years learning how to live alone.
Of course I had bad days.
That didn't mean I was incapable.
"You've been telling people I'm unstable?"" I asked.
Danielle didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
Andre walked away from her.
Maya quietly turned off the livestream audio.
"Should I stop recording?""
I looked at the phone.
At thousands of people watching.
At strangers who had seen something my own family ignored.
"No," I said.
My voice surprised me.
"Keep it on.""
Danielle's expression changed.
"You want strangers watching your family problems?""
"No.""
I looked directly at her.
"I want the truth watching.""
The comments exploded.
Maya showed us a few.
People were asking questions.
People were defending me.
But then another comment appeared.
From Rebecca.
"Margaret, I need to tell you what happened the night Robert died.""
My heart stopped.
I picked up the phone.
"Call her.""
Maya looked at me.
"Are you sure?""
I nodded.
I had spent years accepting that my husband's death was something I could never understand.
Maybe I was wrong.
Rebecca answered after one ring.
"Margaret?""
Her voice was older than I remembered.
But I knew it instantly.
"Rebecca...""
There was silence.
Then she whispered.
"I knew this day would come.""
My fingers tightened around the phone.
"What are you talking about?""
She took a breath.
"Did Danielle show you a document three months ago?""
I looked at Andre.
The room went quiet.
"Yes.""
Rebecca sighed.
"She did the same thing with Robert.""
My heart began racing.
"What?""
"Margaret, before your husband died, Danielle was already asking questions about your property.""
I closed my eyes.
"No.""
Rebecca continued.
"Robert didn't trust her.""
Andre looked shocked.
"My father knew?""
"Yes," Rebecca said.
"He asked me to keep copies of his medical records because he believed someone was trying to change information in his file.""
My hands started trembling.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I tried.""
Her voice broke.
"But after Robert died, Danielle told me you didn't want contact. She said you were grieving and needed space.""
I looked at Danielle.
She looked away.
"That was a lie," I whispered.
Rebecca continued.
"Margaret, you need to find the blue folder.""
"What blue folder?""
"The one Robert kept hidden in your house.""
My eyes moved around the kitchen.
"What folder?""
"Before he died, he told me if anything happened, I needed to make sure you found it.""
Andre stepped closer.
"Where is it?""
Rebecca hesitated.
Then she said:
"Somewhere Danielle already looked.""
A cold feeling moved through me.
"What do you mean?""
"Because the last time I visited your house, I saw her searching Robert's office.""
Danielle's face changed.
"That's insane.""
Everyone looked at her.
She laughed nervously.
"You're all seriously listening to this?""
But nobody answered.
Because we all remembered.
Three months earlier.
The day she brought Vanessa.
The day she insisted I needed new documents.
The day she spent an hour alone upstairs.
I had thought she was making a phone call.
Now I knew.
She had been searching.
Andre looked at his wife.
"You went through Dad's office?""
"No.""
"Did you?""
Danielle stepped closer.
"Andre, your mother is manipulating you.""
I almost laughed.
The accusation was unbelievable.
But then Vanessa's voice came from the phone.
"Danielle?""
Everyone froze.
The call was still connected.
Vanessa had been listening.
Danielle grabbed the phone.
"You weren't supposed to call now.""
A silence followed.
Then Vanessa said something that made Danielle's face lose all color.
"Did you find the folder or not?""
Andre stared.
"What folder?""
Nobody answered.
Then Vanessa spoke again.
"Danielle, if Margaret finds Robert's original letter, everything falls apart.""
I felt the air leave my lungs.
A letter.
My husband had left a letter.
And Danielle was terrified of it.
I turned toward the hallway.
Toward Robert's old office.
The room I hadn't entered in almost a year.
Because every object inside still carried his memory.
But now I knew.
Something inside that room could reveal the truth.
I walked toward the door.
Andre followed.
Behind us, Danielle shouted.
"Margaret, don't open that room!""
I stopped.
Slowly turned around.
"Why?""
Her face went pale.
Because for the first time...
May you like
she had no excuse.
And then the office door opened.
