Chapter 7: The Woman Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
For eight years, I visited my mother’s grave every Sunday.
I brought flowers.
I cleaned the stone.
I talked to her like she was still there.
I told her about my marriage.
My struggles.
My regrets.
And every single time, I walked away believing I was speaking to someone who could never answer.
Now Brandon was standing in front of me telling me the impossible.
My mother was alive.
“No,” I whispered.
The word came out before I could stop it.
“No.””
Brandon looked at me.
“I know how it sounds.””
“You’re lying.””
“I’m not.””
“You have lied about everything.””
His face tightened.
“Emily, I have no reason to make this up.””
I laughed.
A painful, empty laugh.
“You have every reason.””
I pointed at the phone.
“You’re losing everything. Your company. Your reputation.
Your money. Now you suddenly want me to believe my dead mother is alive?””
Before he could answer, my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I stared at it.
Brandon looked at the screen.
“Answer it.””
I didn’t move.
“Why?””
“Because I think you know who it is.””
My hand trembled as I accepted the call.
I didn’t say anything.
Neither did the person on the other end.
Then I heard a voice.
A voice I hadn’t heard in eight years.
“Emily?””
The world stopped.
I couldn’t breathe.
I couldn’t move.
Because a part of me recognized that voice before my mind accepted it.
“Mom?””
The silence that followed broke me.
Then she cried.
And so did I.
“Emily…”
I pressed my hand against my mouth.
“No.””
I sank into the chair behind me.
“No, this isn’t real.””
“I’m sorry.””
Those two words.
That was all it took.
All the anger.
All the grief.
All the years of wondering why she left me.
They all came rushing back.
“Where were you?””
My voice cracked.
“Where were you when I buried you?””
“Emily…”
“No.””
I stood.
“You let me believe you were dead.””
“I had no choice.””
“Everyone told me you were gone.””
“I know.””
“Dad cried every night.””
A pause.
“I know.””
“Then why?””
Her breathing shook.
“Because someone wanted me gone.””
I looked at Brandon.
He looked away.
And that scared me.
Because for once, he wasn’t pretending.
He was afraid.
“Who?”” I asked.
My mother’s voice lowered.
“The same person who has been controlling Brandon for years.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
“Emily, listen carefully. You cannot trust anyone around that company.””
I looked at Brandon.
He noticed.
“Your husband wasn’t the beginning of this.””
I swallowed.
“Then who was?””
My mother didn’t answer immediately.
That silence was worse than any confession.
“Mom?””
Finally, she said:
“Your uncle.””
The room went cold.
My uncle.
My father’s younger brother.
The man who had attended my wedding.
The man who had comforted me after my mother’s death.
The man who had always said family was everything.
“No.””
“Yes.””
“How?””
“Because he wanted control of the company.””
I closed my eyes.
Everything felt unreal.
My mother continued.
“Brandon was ambitious. He wanted money and power. Your uncle gave him an opportunity.””
“What opportunity?””
“To take credit for your work.””
I looked at the documents on the desk.
The hidden files.
The forged signatures.
The stolen ownership.
“How did you survive?””
My mother hesitated.
“I was investigating him.””
“Then why didn’t you come back?””
“Because I found out something worse.””
“What?””
Her voice became almost a whisper.
“Your uncle wasn’t working alone.””
The call suddenly became filled with static.
“Mom?””
No answer.
“Mom?””
Then the line went dead.
I immediately called back.
Nothing.
Brandon stared at me.
“She told you.””
I turned toward him.
“How much do you know?””
He sat down slowly.
“Enough.””
“Enough for what?””
He looked exhausted.
“Enough to know I made a deal with the wrong people.””
I hated that I almost felt sorry for him.
Almost.
“You knew my mother was alive.””
He nodded.
“For years.””
The pain that hit me was worse than anger.
“You knew?””
“Yes.””
“And you married me anyway?””
His silence was the answer.
I stepped back.
“How could you?””
His eyes filled with regret.
“Because by the time I realized what was happening, I was already trapped.””
I shook my head.
“You expect me to believe you’re the victim?””
“No.””
He looked down.
“I expect you to understand that someone much more powerful than me wanted you blind.””
Before I could respond, the front door opened.
We both turned.
My father walked in.
His face changed when he saw Brandon.
“What is he doing here?””
I looked at him.
“Dad.””
He stopped.
“Your wife called me.””
My father froze.
“You spoke to her?””
I nodded.
“She’s alive.””
The color drained from his face.
But not from shock.
From fear.
And that was when I realized something.
My father already knew.
“You knew too,” I whispered.
He didn’t answer.
He didn’t have to.
May you like
Because the two men I trusted most had been carrying the same secret.
And I was the only person who had been left in the dark.
