Chapter 8: The Hidden Truth About My Father
I read the sentence again.
And again.
Something my father didn’t know.
My seven-year-old mind tried to understand what that meant.
My father knew everything about my mother.
At least, I thought he did.
I looked at him.
“Dad?””
He looked nervous.
“What?””
“Mom wrote that there was something you don’t know.””
The color slowly disappeared from his face.
Amanda stood near the doorway.
She looked terrified.
Dad turned toward her.
“What does that mean?””
Amanda didn’t answer.
Dad stood up.
“Tell me.””
“I can’t.””
“Why?””
“Because your son is standing right here.””
That made me angry.
I hated when adults talked like I wasn’t there.
“I’m right here.””
Both of them looked at me.
“I deserve to know.””
Dad sat back down.
After a long silence, he nodded.
“You’re right.””
He looked at Amanda.
“Tell us.””
Amanda sat across from us.
“Your mother found out something before she died.””
“What?””
Amanda looked at Dad.
“She knew someone had been trying to access Ethan’s trust.””
Dad frowned.
“What?””
“She suspected someone close to the family.””
Dad looked shocked.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
Amanda looked down.
“Because she didn’t want you to panic.””
“That makes no sense.””
“She was afraid.””
The room went quiet.
I looked at Dad.
“Who was trying to take my money?””
Nobody answered.
And that scared me more.
Finally, Amanda spoke.
“She didn’t know for sure.””
Dad shook his head.
“So all these years…”
He stopped.
Because suddenly everything connected.
The device.
The school records.
The account requests.
Amanda wasn’t just being cruel.
She was hiding something.
But why?
Dad looked at her.
“Were you trying to access his account?””
Amanda immediately shook her head.
“No.””
“Then why did records show requests under your name?””
She looked down.
“I was trying to find out who was behind it.””
Dad stared.
“You expected me to believe that?””
“I know how it looks.””
“It looks like you were stealing from my son.””
Amanda flinched.
Because that was exactly what it looked like.
I watched them argue.
But something bothered me.
If Amanda wanted my money…
why would she give me my mother’s letter?
Why would she reveal the secret?
Then Lily walked into the room.
She was holding her stuffed rabbit.
“Can I ask something?””
Everyone became quiet.
Lily looked at Amanda.
“Were you really trying to help Ethan?””
Amanda’s eyes filled with tears.
“I wanted to.””
“But you didn’t.””
Amanda nodded.
“No.””
That answer surprised me.
She didn’t defend herself.
She accepted it.
“I was angry. I was jealous. I was wrong.””
Lily hugged her rabbit tighter.
“Then why did you tell him?””
Amanda looked at me.
“Because your mother trusted me with one job.””
“What job?””
Her voice became quiet.
“To protect Ethan.””
Nobody spoke.
Then Dad’s phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
His expression changed immediately.
“Hello?””
A few seconds passed.
Then his face became serious.
“What do you mean the account was accessed?””
My stomach dropped.
Dad stood up.
“When?””
He listened.
Then slowly looked at me.
“Today?””
Amanda covered her mouth.
Because she understood.
The problem wasn’t in the past.
Someone was still trying to get to me.
Dad ended the call.
Karen’s voice came through the speaker.
“Your son’s trust account was accessed twenty minutes ago.””
Dad looked at Amanda.
Then at me.
May you like
And said:
“Someone knew we were looking.””
