Chapter 4: My Mother's Secret
"Your mother was also involved.""
Detective Miller's words kept echoing in my head.
I stared at Margaret.
My mother.
The woman who had raised me alone after my father died.
The woman who had helped me plan Rachel's funeral.
The woman who had held Nora while I cried beside an empty grave.
She looked away.
"Mom?""
Margaret bent down and picked up her handbag.
"I don't know what that detective is talking about.""
I took a step toward her.
"Then why did you drop your bag?""
"Because I'm frightened, Ethan. Look at what's happening!""
Rachel moved closer to me.
"Margaret, please. It's been six years. You don't have to protect Vanessa anymore.""
My mother suddenly turned.
"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO SPEAK TO ME!""
The chapel fell silent.
Rachel didn't raise her voice.
"I remember what you did.""
Margaret's lips tightened.
"You remember nothing correctly.""
I looked between them.
"What exactly happened?""
My mother shook her head.
"Your wife was always suspicious. She accused everyone of trying to steal from you. She was going to destroy this family.""
Rachel stared at her.
"Because I found your signature on the documents.""
Margaret froze.
I felt my stomach tighten.
"What documents?""
Rachel reached into her handbag and removed another envelope.
"Your father's estate transfer papers.""
She handed them to me.
I recognized the property descriptions.
Our family home.
Three commercial buildings in downtown Columbus.
Two rental properties.
Everything my father had worked for.
But there was something unusual about the final page.
A signature.
My mother's.
And beneath it, a handwritten instruction:
Transfer all beneficial ownership to Vanessa Blake upon Ethan Carter's marriage.
I looked up.
"Mom, what is this?""
Margaret's face crumpled.
"It's not what you think.""
"Then explain it.""
She glanced toward Vanessa.
Vanessa immediately shook her head.
"Don't say anything, Margaret.""
That single sentence told me more than an hour of explanations could have.
I turned toward my mother.
"Why is Vanessa telling you what to do?""
Margaret began crying.
"Because I was trying to protect you.""
"From what?""
"From losing everything.""
Rachel stepped forward.
"You helped her steal it.""
Margaret suddenly pointed at Rachel.
"You should have stayed away! You were supposed to be dead!""
The words struck the chapel like a gunshot.
Nora gasped.
I looked at my mother.
"What did you just say?""
Margaret covered her mouth.
Ryan closed his eyes.
Vanessa slowly backed toward the exit.
I grabbed my mother's arm.
"Did you know Rachel was alive?""
She started shaking.
"Not at first.""
"WHEN?""
"Three months after the accident.""
I felt my grip loosen.
Three months.
For six years, my mother had known my wife was alive.
She had watched me raise Nora alone.
She had watched me visit that empty grave.
She had watched me cry.
And she had said nothing.
"Why?"" I whispered.
Margaret looked toward Nora.
"Vanessa told me Rachel had become dangerous. She said she was mentally unstable and wanted to take Nora away from you.""
Rachel shook her head.
"That's what she told you?""
Margaret nodded.
"She showed me medical reports.""
Rachel laughed bitterly.
"Those reports were forged.""
I looked at Vanessa.
She was now standing beside the chapel doors.
"Vanessa, don't move.""
She stopped.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then my mother reached into her handbag.
She pulled out a small photograph and handed it to me.
It showed Rachel sitting inside a hospital room.
A nurse stood beside her.
On the back was a handwritten date.
Three months after the accident.
Margaret whispered, "Vanessa brought this to my house. She told me Rachel had agreed to disappear permanently if we paid her.""
Rachel shook her head violently.
"I never agreed to that.""
"She said you wanted money," Margaret continued.
"She said you didn't want to see Ethan or Nora again.""
I stared at my mother.
"And you believed her?""
Margaret started sobbing.
"I was scared.""
I stepped away.
"That's your explanation?""
She lowered her head.
Then Ryan spoke.
"There's something else, Ethan.""
I turned.
"What now?""
He looked at our mother.
"Mom wasn't just helping Vanessa with the property transfers.""
Margaret's face went white.
Ryan continued.
"She was the person who gave Vanessa the spare key to Rachel's car.""
My mother began shaking.
"Ryan, please.""
I felt the blood drain from my face.
"Mom?""
She covered her face.
"I didn't know she was going to hurt her.""
Rachel slowly approached her.
"You knew she was going to stop me from coming home.""
Margaret didn't answer.
I looked at the woman who had raised me.
"Did you know about the accident?""
She whispered something.
I couldn't hear it.
"What?""
Margaret lifted her head.
"I was there that night.""
My heart stopped.
"You were where?""
"At the roadside.""
Rachel grabbed my arm.
"She was there?""
Margaret nodded, crying.
"I saw the car. I saw Rachel lying beside it. Vanessa told me to leave.""
I stepped backward.
"Did you call an ambulance?""
Margaret shook her head.
"Vanessa said she had already called.""
Rachel's voice trembled.
"She hadn't.""
A horrible silence filled the chapel.
Then Nora whispered:
"Grandma, did you know Mommy was alive when you told me she was in heaven?""
My mother looked at her granddaughter.
She couldn't answer.
Nora began crying.
I pulled my daughter into my arms.
And as I held her, my phone vibrated again.
A message from Detective Miller appeared.
Mr. Carter, we located the original emergency call from the night of the accident. You need to hear it immediately.
A second message followed.
May you like
The caller wasn't Vanessa.
It was my mother.
