Chapter 10: The Truth My Mother Buried
I stared at the note until the words stopped looking real.
Transfer completed. Ethan must never know.
My mother’s handwriting.
My mother’s signature.
My mother’s secret.
For years, I had believed my biggest problem was losing my college fund.
I was wrong.
The money was only the first layer.
There was something much deeper.
Something my entire family had decided I wasn’t old enough, strong enough, or important enough to know.
I looked at Richard.
“How long have you had this?””
He didn’t answer immediately.
That pause hurt.
“How long?””
“Two weeks.””
I laughed quietly.
“Of course.””
“Ethan—”
“No.””
I held up the paper.
“You found out two weeks ago and waited?””
“I needed to understand what happened.””
“You needed time to decide how much truth to give me.””
His expression tightened.
“That’s not fair.””
I stared at him.
“Fair?””
The word tasted bitter.
“Do you even know what fair means anymore?””
Richard looked away.
For once, he didn’t argue.
That scared me more.
I placed the document on the table.
“Tell me everything.””
He sat down.
“Your father had a trust account before he died.””
“How much?””
“About $120,000.””
My chest tightened.
More money.
More secrets.
“Where did it go?””
Richard rubbed his hands together.
“I don’t know everything.””
I stared at him.
“Then tell me what you know.””
He took a deep breath.
“After your father died, your mother handled the paperwork.””
“Because she was his wife?””
“Yes.””
“And then?””
“She told me the account had problems.””
“What problems?””
“She said there were debts.””
I frowned.
“Debts?””
“Yes.””
“But my father left money.””
Richard nodded.
“That’s what I thought too.””
The room became silent.
“Then what happened?””
“She transferred the money.””
“To where?””
Richard looked at me.
“At first, I thought it went toward legal expenses.””
“But?””
“But later, I found out it went somewhere else.””
My stomach tightened.
“Where?””
He slid another document across the table.
I looked down.
A company name.
One I didn’t recognize.
“Who owns this?””
Richard’s face hardened.
“I do.””
I looked up.
“What?””
“I didn’t know the money came from your father’s trust.””
The anger returned immediately.
“So you benefited.””
“Yes.””
He didn’t deny it.
That surprised me.
“I should have questioned it.””
“Why didn’t you?””
He looked ashamed.
“Because I trusted your mother.””
I stood up.
“No.””
My voice shook.
“Don’t do that.””
“Do what?””
“Don’t make yourself a victim.””
Richard looked at me.
“I’m not.””
“Because I’m the victim.””
The words hung between us.
He lowered his eyes.
“You’re right.””
I didn’t expect that.
Not from him.
Not from anyone.
“I made mistakes,” he said quietly.
“Mistakes?””
“Yes.””
“You let my future disappear.””
He swallowed.
“Yes.””
For a moment, I saw something I hadn’t seen before.
Regret.
Real regret.
But regret didn’t give me my money back.
Regret didn’t fix years of lies.
I stood.
“I need to talk to my mother.””
Richard looked alarmed.
“Ethan.””
“What?””
“She doesn’t know I showed you this.””
I stared.
“So?””
“She’ll know I betrayed her.””
I almost smiled.
“Interesting.””
“What?””
“You’re worried about betraying her.””
I pointed at the document.
“Who was worried about betraying me?””
He had no answer.
When I returned to Grandma’s house, Mom was waiting outside.
She knew.
Somehow, she always knew.
The second she saw my face, she started crying.
“Ethan…”
I held up the document.
“Why?””
That was all I could say.
Why?
Why the money?
Why the lies?
Why me?
She looked at the paper.
Then closed her eyes.
“I was trying to protect you.””
I laughed.
“I don’t want to hear that anymore.””
She flinched.
“I made mistakes.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“You made choices.””
She cried silently.
“I was scared.””
“Of what?””
“Of losing everything.””
I stared at her.
“So you took everything from me?””
“No.””
Her voice broke.
“I thought I could fix it.””
Again.
That same sentence.
“I thought I could fix it.””
I looked at the woman who raised me.
The woman who knew every birthday I loved.
Every food I hated.
Every dream I had.
And somehow, she still made decisions that destroyed my future.
“Mom.””
She looked up.
“Did you use my father’s money too?””
Her face changed.
That was my answer.
I stepped back.
“You did.””
She whispered:
“I didn’t have a choice.””
I shook my head.
“Everyone says that.””
A car pulled into the driveway.
Daniel stepped out.
He walked toward us holding a folder.
His expression was serious.
“Ethan.””
I looked at him.
“What happened?””
He stopped.
“I found the original trust records.””
“And?””
He looked at Mom.
Then at me.
“The money from your grandfather’s account was not the first withdrawal.””
My heart sank.
“What does that mean?””
Daniel opened the folder.
“Your mother didn’t just move money after your grandfather died.””
May you like
He looked directly at me.
“She started before he died.””
