Chapter 12: The Woman Behind the Accident
I stared at the picture until my eyes hurt.
Patricia’s car.
Eight years ago.
On the same road where my mother died.
The same night everyone told me was a tragic accident.
My fingers went numb.
I looked at Patricia.
She was already crying.
Not shocked.
Not confused.
Crying.
“You knew.””
My voice barely came out.
Patricia shook her head.
“No.””
But nobody believed her.
Not even Ethan.
Daniel took my phone.
“Where did this come from?””
I didn’t answer.
Because I already knew.
The person sending these messages wanted the truth to come out.
One piece at a time.
My father looked at Patricia.
“Why were you there?””
Patricia wiped her tears.
“I wasn’t involved.””
“Then explain the car.””
“I was following Ethan.””
Everyone turned.
Ethan looked horrified.
“What?””
Patricia covered her face.
“I knew something was wrong.””
My anger disappeared for a moment.
Replaced by disbelief.
“You were following your own son?””
She nodded.
“Because I knew he was hiding something.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Everyone knew something.””
The sentence silenced the room.
Everyone had pieces of my life.
Everyone had secrets.
Everyone except me.
Daniel looked at Patricia.
“What happened that night?””
She took a shaky breath.
“I saw Ethan’s car.””
She looked at him.
“I followed him because I thought he was meeting someone.””
Ethan looked down.
“And then?””
Patricia’s voice broke.
“I saw Sarah’s mother’s car.””
I stepped closer.
“What did you see?””
She closed her eyes.
“The argument.””
My heart pounded.
“Between my mother and my father?””
“Yes.””
“And then?””
She looked at Ethan.
“Then Ethan arrived.””
Nobody spoke.
“Your mother got into the car.””
Patricia looked terrified.
“She was crying.””
“What happened next?””
She whispered:
“Another car came from the side road.””
Daniel leaned forward.
“Whose?””
Patricia looked at me.
And I knew.
Before she said it.
“Your father’s.””
My father shook his head.
“No.””
“Yes.””
She started crying harder.
“You followed her.””
Everyone looked at him.
My father stepped back.
“I was angry.””
“You chased her.””
“I didn’t mean—”
“Stop.””
My voice cut through the room.
I looked at my father.
“Did you cause the accident?””
His face collapsed.
“No.””
The answer came immediately.
But there was something in his eyes.
Something he wasn’t saying.
“Then what happened?””
He looked at the floor.
“I tried to stop her.””
My heart sank.
“You caused her to crash?””
“No.””
He shook his head.
“No, Sarah.””
His voice broke.
“I reached the car after it happened.””
I stared.
“Then why didn’t you call for help?””
Silence.
That was the question.
The one nobody wanted.
Finally, my father whispered:
“Because I was afraid.””
I felt tears fall.
Afraid.
Everyone’s favorite excuse.
He continued:
“I thought the police would discover everything.””
“So you left my mother there?””
His face twisted with pain.
“Yes.””
The room went silent.
I couldn’t look at him.
Then Ethan spoke.
“Sarah…”
I turned.
“What?””
He looked devastated.
“There’s one more thing.””
I felt exhausted.
“How many more things?””
His eyes filled with tears.
“The person who hit your mother…”
He stopped.
I waited.
“Wasn’t your father.””
My breath caught.
“Then who?””
Ethan looked toward Patricia.
And Patricia whispered:
“It was me.””
The room went completely silent.
I stared at the woman who had spent years judging me.
The woman who had sat at my table.
The woman who had slapped me.
My voice trembled.
“You killed my mother?””
Patricia broke down.
“No.””
She shook her head violently.
“No, Sarah.””
“Then tell me the truth.””
She covered her face.
“I didn’t hit her.””
A pause.
May you like
Then she whispered:
“But I know who did.””
