Chapter 8: The Box That Waited
The bank was only twenty minutes away.
But the drive felt endless.
Dad drove.
Sarah sat beside him.
I sat in the back seat holding the key.
Nobody talked much.
Every few minutes, Dad looked at me through the mirror.
Like he wanted to say something.
Like he was afraid.
Finally, I spoke.
“Did you know my mom left because of Melissa?””
Dad gripped the steering wheel.
“I knew she left because she was scared.””
“That’s not what I asked.””
He swallowed.
“No.””
I looked out the window.
“Then what did you know?””
He stayed quiet.
Sarah answered.
“He knew something was wrong.””
Dad looked at her.
“Sarah.””
“She deserves the truth.””
I watched the buildings pass outside.
“Dad?””
After a long pause, he said:
“I knew Melissa was lying about something.””
My chest tightened.
“But I didn’t know how much.””
“Why did you marry her?””
The question came out before I could stop it.
Dad looked hurt.
“Ethan…”
“Why?””
He took a breath.
“Because after your mother left, I was broken.””
The words surprised me.
“I was trying to raise you alone. I was angry. Confused. I thought Melissa understood what I was going through.””
“And she didn’t?””
“No.””
He looked at his hands.
“She understood how to make me depend on her.””
Nobody spoke after that.
When we arrived at the bank, Sarah guided us inside.
The employee checked the documents.
Then she looked at me.
“You’re the owner?””
I nodded.
“I think so.””
She gave me a small smile.
“Your mother left very specific instructions.””
My heart skipped.
“What instructions?””
The woman looked at the file.
“She said the box could only be opened by Ethan after he turned eighteen.””
I froze.
“I’m not eighteen.””
The woman frowned.
“That’s strange.””
She checked again.
Then she looked at Sarah.
“Because the authorization was updated.””
“Updated by who?”” Sarah asked.
The employee looked at the papers.
“Your father.””
I turned toward Dad.
“What?””
Dad looked confused.
“I never changed anything.””
The employee checked the document again.
“The signature is yours.””
Dad stepped closer.
“That’s impossible.””
She handed him the paper.
He stared at it.
His face slowly changed.
“That isn’t my signature.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
Someone had been using my father’s name.
The employee apologized and said she needed a supervisor.
While we waited, Sarah whispered:
“Someone didn’t want you to find this.””
I looked at her.
“Melissa?””
Sarah didn’t answer.
But she didn’t need to.
A few minutes later, the supervisor allowed the box to be opened after verifying the original documents.
Inside was a small collection of items.
A photograph.
A flash drive.
And a folded piece of paper.
I picked up the photograph first.
It was my mother.
Holding me as a baby.
Standing beside her was Melissa.
But they weren’t fighting.
They were smiling.
I looked at Sarah.
“They were friends?””
She nodded.
“Best friends.””
That confused me.
“Then what happened?””
Sarah looked away.
“Melissa changed.””
I picked up the paper.
My mother’s handwriting again.
Michael,
If you are seeing this, it means I was right to be afraid.
I looked at Dad.
He read over my shoulder.
Melissa has been watching everything. She knows things about Ethan’s future that she shouldn’t know.
My stomach dropped.
“What does that mean?””
Dad took the paper.
His face became pale.
The flash drive sat at the bottom of the box.
I picked it up.
“What’s this?””
Sarah looked at it.
“I don’t know.””
Dad stared at the drive.
Then he whispered:
“Yes, you do.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
He pointed to the label.
There were only three words written on it.
May you like
Words that made my blood run cold.
*Security Camera Footage.*
