Chapter 12: The Truth Between Us
I couldn’t speak.
The voice on the phone continued.
“You have to leave.””
My hand tightened around the phone.
“Who is this?””
The person didn’t answer.
Instead, they whispered:
“He’s been lying to you.””
Then the call ended.
Jason immediately looked at me.
“Who was it?””
I stared at the screen.
“I don’t know.””
Diane’s name came to my mind.
But something stopped me from saying it.
Because this time, I wasn’t sure.
Too many secrets.
Too many lies.
Too many people claiming they were protecting me.
Jason looked hurt.
“Sarah.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
“You think it was me.””
“No.””
But my voice wasn’t convincing.
He noticed.
And that hurt him.
“I can’t believe this.””
I looked away.
“Neither can I.””
Robert stepped between us.
“Everyone needs to calm down.””
Jason laughed bitterly.
“Calm down?””
He pointed at the laptop.
“My father’s last message says someone in this family betrayed him.””
Then he looked at me.
“A stranger calls and tells you not to trust me.””
His voice cracked.
“And I’m supposed to be okay?””
I wanted to answer.
But I didn’t know what to say.
Because ten years ago, I had trusted someone.
And that trust almost destroyed me.
Michael looked at the box.
“There’s another item.””
I turned.
“What?””
He reached inside and pulled out the small recorder.
“The one your father made.””
Jason pressed play.
Static filled the room.
Then his father’s voice.
“If you’re hearing this, I need you to understand something.””
A pause.
“I discovered the person helping Diane.””
Everyone froze.
The recording continued.
“It wasn’t about money.””
Jason frowned.
“What does that mean?””
His father’s voice continued.
“They wanted control.””
My heart started beating faster.
“Control of what?””
The recording answered.
“The family.””
Nobody spoke.
Then another voice appeared.
A woman.
Diane.
Everyone recognized it.
“You don’t understand what I’m doing.””
Jason stepped backward.
His mother’s voice.
“I’m keeping Jason safe.””
His father replied:
“By destroying everyone around him?””
The recording became louder.
“You made your choice.””
Then Diane said something that made Jason’s face turn white.
“I never wanted him to marry her.””
Me.
The room went silent.
“She was always the problem.””
His father answered:
“No. She was the only person who saw you clearly.””
The recording ended.
Jason sat down.
For a long moment, he didn’t speak.
Then he whispered:
“My mother tried to destroy our marriage.””
I looked at him.
“Yes.””
He nodded slowly.
But then he looked at me.
“And you still hid the box.””
I lowered my eyes.
“Yes.””
The pain in his face returned.
Not anger.
Pain.
“I don’t know who to trust anymore.””
That sentence hurt because I understood.
I felt the same.
Then Robert’s phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
His expression changed.
“What?””
He listened.
Then stood completely still.
Jason noticed.
“What happened?””
Robert looked at us.
“The bank called.””
“About what?””
Robert swallowed.
“They found another account.””
I felt cold.
“Whose?””
He looked directly at Jason.
“Yours.””
Jason frowned.
“That’s impossible.””
Robert shook his head.
“No.””
He looked at the documents.
“Because it was opened ten years ago.””
Jason slowly stood.
“By who?””
Robert hesitated.
Then answered.
“By someone using your name.””
The room went silent.
And then Michael spoke.
“Now you understand why your father wrote your name.””
Jason looked at him.
“Why?””
Michael stared at him.
“Because the person who used your identity…”
He paused.
“…was someone who knew you better than anyone.””
The apartment door suddenly slammed shut.
Everyone turned.
Diane was gone.
And on the floor where she had been standing was a single piece of paper.
A copy of a bank signature card.
With Jason’s name on it.
May you like
And a date.
The day before his father died.
