Chapter 4: The Voice From My Past
The phone kept ringing.
I stared at the screen, unable to move.
The name belonged to someone I never expected to see again.
*Emily Hart.*
My late wife Sarah’s older sister.
The woman who vanished after Sarah’s funeral.
The woman who refused every call, ignored every message, and disappeared from Lily’s life when my daughter needed family the most.
For six years, I believed Emily wanted nothing to do with us.
But now she was calling.
And somehow, she knew exactly what was happening in my house.
“Answer it,” Marcus said quietly.
I looked at him.
“Why?””
His expression changed.
“Because she knows the truth.””
Vanessa immediately stepped forward.
“No.””
Everyone turned toward her.
Her reaction was too fast.
Too desperate.
I slowly lowered the phone.
“Why don’t you want me to answer?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“Because Emily hates me.””
I looked at her.
“That doesn’t explain why you’re afraid.””
Her lips parted.
Nothing came out.
The phone stopped ringing.
Then a voicemail notification appeared.
I pressed play.
A woman’s shaky voice filled the room.
“Richard… please listen to me. I know you have every reason to hate me for disappearing. But I didn’t leave because I stopped caring about Lily.””
My breathing changed.
Emily’s voice sounded older.
Broken.
“I left because Sarah asked me to.””
I froze.
Sarah.
My wife’s name still had the power to hurt.
“She knew something was wrong before she died,” Emily continued.
“She found documents. She found messages. She knew Vanessa wasn’t who she claimed to be.””
Vanessa went pale.
I looked at her.
She whispered, “She’s lying.””
But nobody believed her.
Emily’s voice continued.
“Richard, Sarah tried to warn you. She planned to tell you everything. But before she could, she passed away.””
My hand tightened around the phone.
The room became silent.
Even Marcus stopped smiling.
“Call me back,” Emily said.
“Please. Before Vanessa destroys the last thing Sarah left behind.””
The voicemail ended.
I looked at Vanessa.
“What did Sarah find?””
She didn’t answer.
“Vanessa.””
She looked away.
Marcus laughed softly.
“You really don’t know, do you?””
I turned toward him.
“What are you talking about?””
He walked closer.
“Your wife didn’t choose Vanessa randomly.””
My eyebrows narrowed.
“Explain.””
Marcus looked at Vanessa.
“She knew Sarah had money.””
My stomach dropped.
“Sarah?””
“Yes.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
Marcus opened the folder again.
“Your first wife created a trust for Lily. A large one.””
I knew that.
Sarah had worked hard before she died. She wanted Lily protected.
But I never imagined anyone would try to steal from a child.
Marcus continued.
“Vanessa found out about that trust before she married you.””
I looked at my wife.
She started crying.
“Richard, listen to me.””
I stepped back.
“When did you know?””
Silence.
That was the answer.
“How long?””
Vanessa wiped her face.
“Before we met.””
My chest tightened.
“You knew about Lily’s money before you even loved me?””
“No.””
Her voice cracked.
“I did love you.””
I almost believed her.
Almost.
Until I remembered Lily sitting on the floor.
Eating crumbs.
I looked at Ethan.
The boy who had risked everything to expose his own mother.
“Why did you help me?””
Ethan looked down.
“Because Lily cried every night.””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“Ethan…”
He continued.
“She said she missed her mommy.””
The words hit me harder than anything else.
Lily had lost her mother.
And instead of giving her another person to love her, I had brought someone into her life who made her feel unwanted.
I walked upstairs and grabbed my jacket.
“I’m taking Lily.””
Vanessa immediately looked up.
“You can’t.””
I stopped.
“What?””
She smiled faintly.
A cold, familiar smile.
“The custody papers.””
My blood ran cold.
“The fake ones?””
She tilted her head.
“You think they’re fake?””
Marcus stepped forward.
“They are.””
Vanessa glared at him.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.””
Marcus looked at me.
“She has another copy.””
I stared at Vanessa.
“Where?””
She didn’t answer.
Then her phone buzzed.
She looked at the screen.
The color drained from her face.
I noticed.
“Who is it?””
She quickly locked the phone.
“No one.””
I held out my hand.
“Give it to me.””
“Richard—”
“Give me the phone.””
She refused.
That told me everything.
I grabbed my own phone and called the police.
Not because I wanted revenge.
Because I needed to protect my daughter.
Vanessa’s expression changed.
“You’re really doing this?””
I looked at Lily.
“Yes.””
She whispered:
“Daddy…”
I knelt beside her.
“You’re coming home with me.””
Then Vanessa said something that stopped me.
Something I never expected.
“You should ask Emily what happened the night Sarah died.””
My body went still.
“What?””
Vanessa smiled through her tears.
“Because she wasn’t the only person who knew Sarah’s secret.””
The front door suddenly opened.
A woman stood there.
Older.
Tired.
Holding a small envelope.
Emily.
She looked directly at me.
Then at Vanessa.
And whispered:
“Richard… I’m sorry.””
May you like
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Sarah didn’t die in an accident.””
