Chapter 5: The Truth Behind The Perfect Stepmother
The next morning, I woke up and wondered if everything had been a dream.
For a few seconds, I forgot.
Then I saw Dad sitting in the chair beside my bed.
He smiled when my eyes opened.
“Morning, buddy.””
I sat up.
“Are you leaving again?””
His smile faded.
“No.””
I looked at him carefully.
“Promise?””
Dad reached out and squeezed my hand.
“Promise.””
That was the first time in weeks I felt like I could breathe.
Downstairs, Amanda was sitting at the kitchen table.
She looked tired.
Different.
Not like the woman who used to stand tall whenever Dad wasn’t around.
Dad placed breakfast in front of me.
Pancakes.
The same kind he always made.
I stared at them.
Then Dad noticed.
“What?””
I smiled a little.
“Nothing.””
But this time, it was a happy nothing.
Amanda watched us.
Then she spoke.
“I made mistakes.””
Dad didn’t answer.
“I admit that.””
He looked at her.
“Mistakes don’t happen repeatedly.””
She looked away.
“I was stressed.””
“You isolated him.””
“No.””
“You treated him differently.””
Amanda’s jaw tightened.
“I treated my daughter the same way.””
Dad looked at Lily.
Lily immediately shook her head.
“No, Mom.””
Amanda looked surprised.
Lily continued.
“You gave me more.””
The room became quiet.
My little sister looked nervous, but she kept going.
“You told me not to share.””
Amanda looked hurt.
“Lily…”
“But Daddy always says family shares.””
Dad reached over and held Lily’s hand.
She was only six years old.
But she understood something many adults forgot.
Being family wasn’t about blood.
It was about how you treated people.
Later that afternoon, Dad took me outside.
We sat on the porch.
The neighborhood was quiet.
“Ethan.””
I looked at him.
“Yes?””
“There’s something I need to tell you.””
My stomach tightened.
Because adults always said that before something important.
Dad took a deep breath.
“When I gave you that device, it wasn’t because I thought Amanda would hurt you.””
I nodded.
“I know.””
“It was because I was worried.””
“About what?””
Dad looked toward the house.
“Your stepmother had been acting differently.””
I listened carefully.
“She started asking questions about money.””
I frowned.
“What money?””
Dad was quiet for a moment.
“Money your mother left for you.””
I didn’t understand.
My mother had died when I was little.
I barely remembered her.
Dad always told me she loved me.
“She left something for me?””
Dad nodded.
“A trust fund.””
I stared.
“But Amanda knows?””
“She knew.””
A cold feeling went through me.
Dad continued.
“Your mother wanted to make sure you were protected.””
I looked down.
“Was Amanda trying to take it?””
Dad didn’t answer immediately.
That answer was enough.
That evening, Karen came back.
This time, she brought more documents.
Not papers for me to read.
Not things I could understand.
But things that made Dad very serious.
Amanda walked into the room.
“What now?””
Karen looked at her.
“We found several attempts to access Ethan’s account.””
Amanda shook her head.
“That’s impossible.””
Dad looked at her.
“Is it?””
She became quiet.
Karen continued.
“The requests were made while you were listed as his temporary guardian.””
Amanda looked at Dad.
“I was his stepmother.””
“You were.””
The way Dad said it made Amanda freeze.
Were.
Not are.
I looked at Lily.
She was holding her stuffed rabbit.
She looked scared.
Because she knew something was changing.
Then Amanda suddenly stood up.
“You’re choosing him over me?””
Dad looked shocked.
“He’s my son.””
“And I’m your wife.””
Dad stared at her.
“You were supposed to protect him.””
Amanda’s eyes filled with tears.
But then she said something that made everyone silent.
Something I never expected.
“I didn’t do this because I hated Ethan.””
Dad looked confused.
“Then why?””
Amanda looked toward me.
May you like
And whispered:
“Because I was afraid of what would happen if he found out who his mother really was.””
