Chapter 11: The Night Everyone Lied About
I couldn’t hear anything after that.
Not the wind outside.
Not the clock ticking.
Not even my own breathing.
Only one word repeated in my head.
Mine.
Ethan’s car.
At the scene of my mother’s death.
I stepped back.
“How?””
Ethan looked at me.
“I can explain.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
My voice was quiet.
“No more explanations before the truth.””
He lowered his eyes.
And that scared me more than anger.
Because Ethan finally looked like someone who knew there was no way out.
“I was following your father.””
My father looked away.
“Why?””
Ethan answered:
“Because I knew he was trying to access the inheritance.””
I stared.
“So you were involved.””
“Yes.””
The honesty hurt.
“But I didn’t know what he planned.””
My father laughed bitterly.
“You knew enough.””
Ethan didn’t argue.
Daniel stepped closer.
“Start from the beginning.””
Ethan sat down.
His hands were shaking.
“Your father contacted me after I met Sarah.””
I closed my eyes.
There it was again.
Everything came back to that first lie.
“Our relationship.””
He looked at me.
“Sarah, I swear…”
I held up my hand.
“Keep going.””
He swallowed.
“He told me about the inheritance. He said he only needed access to documents.””
“And you believed him?””
“At first.””
My father looked disgusted.
“You wanted the money too.””
Ethan didn’t deny it.
“Yes.””
The room felt unbearable.
I looked at the man I married.
The man I slept beside.
The man who knew every fear I had.
“You built our entire relationship on a lie.””
His eyes filled with tears.
“At first.””
I looked away.
“Stop saying that.””
He went quiet.
Then continued.
“The night your mother died, I followed your father.””
My heart raced.
“Why?””
“Because I thought he was going to steal the documents.””
Daniel frowned.
“And what happened?””
Ethan rubbed his face.
“When I arrived, your mother was already arguing with him.””
My father closed his eyes.
“She knew.””
Ethan nodded.
“She had found everything.””
I looked at my father.
“What happened?””
He whispered:
“She told me she would go to the police.””
Silence.
“And then?””
My father looked broken.
“I left.””
My eyes widened.
“You left?””
“I was angry.””
“That’s not an answer.””
“No.””
His voice cracked.
“It isn’t.””
Ethan continued.
“Your mother got into her car.””
I held my breath.
“And?””
“She was crying.””
My hands went cold.
“She called someone.””
“Who?””
Ethan looked at me.
“Me.””
I froze.
“She called you?””
He nodded.
“She didn’t know I was there.””
My voice shook.
“What did she say?””
Ethan closed his eyes.
“I only heard part of it.””
“What part?””
He whispered:
“She said, ‘If anything happens to me, make sure Sarah knows the truth.’”
I felt tears forming.
My mother.
Even in her final moments.
She was thinking about me.
“What happened after?””
Ethan’s voice became softer.
“She drove away.””
“And?””
“I followed.””
My father looked at him.
“You followed her?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Ethan looked at me.
“Because I was afraid.””
“Of what?””
“The truth coming out.””
The words hurt.
Because they explained everything.
Everyone was protecting themselves.
Nobody was protecting me.
Then Ethan continued.
“The road was dark.””
His hands tightened.
“Your mother’s car suddenly swerved.””
I whispered:
“Why?””
He looked at my father.
And my father looked away.
“There was another car.””
Daniel immediately spoke.
“Whose?””
Nobody answered.
Then my phone buzzed.
Everyone froze.
I looked down.
A new message.
From the same unknown number.
This time, there was a picture attached.
My hands started shaking.
Because the image showed the road from that night.
Three cars.
Not two.
May you like
And one of them…
Belonged to Patricia.
