Chapter 7: The Woman Who Was Supposed to Be Gone
The phone kept ringing.
I stared at the screen.
The name displayed there didn't make sense.
*Emily Carter.*
Lily's mother.
The woman Vanessa told me had died years ago.
Mason looked at the phone.
"Dad...""
I couldn't move.
My mind was fighting itself.
One part of me wanted to answer immediately.
The other part was terrified of what I would hear.
Vanessa stood across the room, completely frozen.
For the first time since I met her, she looked powerless.
"Michael," she whispered.
I looked at her.
"What?""
"Don't answer.""
Those three words told me everything.
I pressed the button.
"Hello?""
For several seconds, there was only breathing.
Then a woman's voice came through.
"Is this Michael?""
My throat tightened.
"Yes.""
"I'm sorry.""
The voice cracked.
"I know you have no reason to believe me.""
I looked at Vanessa.
"Who is this?""
A long pause.
Then:
"I'm Lily's mother.""
The room went silent.
Mason covered his mouth.
Vanessa stepped forward.
"Michael, hang up.""
I turned away from her.
"How are you alive?""
The woman on the phone started crying softly.
"Because Vanessa wanted everyone to think I wasn't.""
My hands shook.
"Where are you?""
"I've been trying to contact Lily for years.""
"Why didn't you?""
"Because Vanessa made sure I couldn't.""
I looked at Vanessa.
She shook her head.
"She's lying.""
Emily heard her.
"Is Vanessa there?""
I didn't answer.
The silence was enough.
Emily sighed.
"Michael, please. I need you to listen carefully.""
I walked into the kitchen, away from Vanessa.
"What happened?""
"My name is Emily Carter. I gave birth to Lily. I loved her more than anything.""
My eyes burned.
"Then why did you leave?""
The pain in her voice was immediate.
"I didn't.""
I gripped the counter.
"Vanessa told me you abandoned her.""
"She told everyone that.""
"Everyone?""
"My family. Your friends. Anyone who asked.""
I looked toward the living room.
Vanessa was watching me.
"Why?""
Emily was quiet.
Then she said:
"Because she wanted my daughter.""
The words hit harder than I expected.
I closed my eyes.
"Why would she want Lily?""
"Because Vanessa couldn't have what I had.""
"What did you have?""
"A family.""
The answer was simple.
And heartbreaking.
Emily continued.
"After my divorce, Vanessa became my friend. She helped me when Lily was young. I trusted her.""
I looked at Mason.
His face was pale.
"Then what happened?""
"She started acting strange.""
"How?""
"She would say things like Lily loved her more. She would joke that I needed to let someone else raise her.""
My stomach turned.
"Did you tell anyone?""
"I tried.""
"What happened?""
Emily's voice dropped.
"Vanessa told people I was unstable.""
The same word.
The same pattern.
She always made the victim look guilty.
"Michael, there is something you need to know.""
"What?""
"I didn't leave Lily because I wanted to.""
"Then why?""
Emily hesitated.
"Because Vanessa made sure I couldn't stay.""
I looked at Vanessa.
"What did she do?""
"She set me up.""
The room felt colder.
"How?""
"She changed my medication. She made people believe I was having breakdowns. She collected every mistake I made and used it against me.""
I felt sick.
"That's impossible.""
"I know how it sounds.""
"No," I said quietly.
"I mean... it's impossible that I didn't see it.""
Nobody answered.
Because that was the truth.
I didn't see it.
I was too busy working.
Too busy believing everything was fine.
Emily spoke again.
"Michael, I need to see Lily.""
I looked down.
My daughter was upstairs at my sister's house.
Safe.
For now.
"I don't know if I can just bring you back into her life.""
"I understand.""
Her voice softened.
"I know I'm a stranger to her.""
That sentence hurt.
Because Emily was right.
Lily had a mother who was alive.
And she didn't know her.
"I need proof," I said.
"I have it.""
"What proof?""
"Everything Vanessa hid.""
My eyes narrowed.
"Where?""
"With someone you already spoke to.""
I froze.
"What?""
Emily whispered:
"Her first husband.""
The same man who called me.
My head spun.
"Why does he have it?""
"Because he helped me.""
I looked toward Mason.
The puzzle pieces were finally connecting.
Vanessa's first husband.
The recordings.
The documents.
The hidden files.
The lies.
Then Emily said something that made my blood run cold.
"Michael, you need to get Lily away from Vanessa tonight.""
"Why?""
"Because she knows you found the truth.""
I looked toward the living room.
Vanessa was gone.
My heart stopped.
"Where did she go?""
I rushed back.
The front door was open.
The house was empty.
Except for one thing.
On the table was a note.
My hands shook as I picked it up.
May you like
Three words were written on the paper.
*I found Lily.*
