Chapter 10: The Woman Who Raised Me
I couldn’t move.
My aunt’s face was visible through the rain-covered window.
Margaret Ellis.
The woman who held my hand at my father’s funeral.
The woman who cooked dinner for me when I was too broken to eat.
The woman who told me everything would be okay when I was eighteen and suddenly alone.
For ten years, I believed she was the one person in my family who never abandoned me.
Now she was standing outside my house.
With a black SUV.
With someone beside her.
And with a secret that had followed me all the way to this night.
Marcus stepped away from the window.
“Emily, you need to listen to me.””
I looked at him.
“Did you know?””
He hesitated.
That hesitation hurt.
“Did you know she was coming?””
“No.””
“Did you know she was involved?””
Marcus looked down.
“I suspected.””
I closed my eyes for a second.
Another secret.
Another person who knew more than I did.
How many people had been protecting me?
And how many had been protecting themselves?
Daniel watched silently.
For once, he wasn’t enjoying my confusion.
He looked nervous.
“Emily.””
I turned toward him.
“What?””
His voice was quieter.
“Do not let her inside.””
The words surprised me.
Not because he cared.
Because he sounded afraid.
“You’re scared of her.””
Daniel’s expression hardened.
“No.””
“Yes.””
I stepped closer.
“You’re not scared of Marcus. You’re not scared of me. But you’re scared of her.””
Daniel said nothing.
That was enough.
A knock echoed through the house.
Everyone froze.
Patricia looked toward the entrance.
“Who is that?””
Nobody answered.
Another knock.
Slow.
Confident.
Like whoever stood outside knew they belonged there.
Marcus moved closer to me.
“Emily, whatever happens, do not sign anything.””
I frowned.
“Why would I sign anything?””
His face became serious.
“Because Margaret knows exactly how to make you believe you have no choice.””
The door opened before anyone could answer.
Margaret walked inside.
She was dressed elegantly, wearing a dark coat over a simple dress. Her silver hair was tied neatly behind her head.
She looked exactly like the woman from my childhood.
Calm.
Warm.
Safe.
And that almost made it worse.
Her eyes immediately found mine.
“Oh, Emily.””
Her voice cracked.
She looked at my cheek.
For a moment, genuine emotion appeared on her face.
Then it disappeared.
“I heard what happened.””
I stared at her.
“How?””
She looked toward Daniel.
Then back at me.
“That doesn’t matter.””
“Yes.””
My voice was colder than I expected.
“It matters.””
The room became silent.
Margaret sighed.
“You always were stubborn.””
A strange feeling moved through me.
Because Daniel used to say the same thing.
Not as a compliment.
As a criticism.
Marcus stepped forward.
“Margaret, you need to leave.””
She looked at him.
“Still protecting her?””
Marcus didn’t respond.
Margaret smiled sadly.
“You never understood your role.””
My heart tightened.
“What role?””
She looked at me.
And for the first time, I saw something I had never seen before.
Guilt.
“Your father was not honest with you.””
I laughed softly.
Not because it was funny.
Because everyone seemed determined to destroy the memories I had left.
“Is that what everyone says now?””
“Emily—”
“No.””
I shook my head.
“First Daniel. Then Marcus. Now you.””
I pointed toward the room.
“Everyone has a version of my father. Everyone has a secret. Everyone thinks I’m too fragile to know the truth.””
Margaret looked away.
“You have no idea what he did.””
“Then tell me.””
She remained silent.
And suddenly, I understood.
Silence was how all of them controlled me.
Not anymore.
“What happened the night my father died?””
Margaret’s eyes moved to Daniel.
Then to Marcus.
Finally back to me.
“He found out.””
“Found out what?””
Her voice dropped.
“He found out the person betraying him was someone he loved.””
My stomach tightened.
“Who?””
Margaret looked at me.
And whispered:
“Me.””
The room went completely still.
I couldn’t breathe.
“No.””
She closed her eyes.
“I never wanted it to happen this way.””
Daniel suddenly laughed.
A bitter laugh.
“So now you’re finally admitting it?””
I turned toward him.
“What does that mean?””
Margaret looked at Daniel.
“You have no right to judge me.””
Daniel smiled.
“Neither do you.””
Their words hit me harder than any accusation.
Because it meant one thing.
They had history.
A history I never knew existed.
Margaret stepped closer.
“Emily, your father was planning to remove Daniel from the company.””
I looked at Daniel.
“And you helped him?””
She swallowed.
“Yes.””
The answer shocked me.
But not for the reason I expected.
Because for the first time, someone admitted the truth.
Then she continued.
“I helped him because I thought I was protecting you.””
I stared at her.
“Protecting me?””
She reached into her bag.
And pulled out a small envelope.
“I found this after your father died.””
My heart stopped.
“What is it?””
Margaret looked at me with tears in her eyes.
“The final letter your father wrote.””
She handed it to me.
But before my fingers touched it, Daniel spoke.
“Don’t open it.””
I looked at him.
“Why?””
His face was pale.
Because for the first time, Daniel looked genuinely terrified.
“Because if you read that letter…”
May you like
He swallowed.
“You’ll find out who your father really trusted.””
