Chapter 13: The Call From The Past
Nobody moved.
Dad’s voice filled the house again.
“Ethan… if you can hear this, you need to listen carefully.””
I stood frozen on the stairs.
It was impossible.
Dad’s voice.
His exact voice.
The same voice that used to wake me up on Saturday mornings.
The same voice that sang badly when he cooked dinner.
The same voice that promised he would always come home.
Lily grabbed my hand.
“Ethan…”
I couldn’t answer.
Amanda looked like she had seen a ghost.
She slowly reached for the phone.
But before she touched it, Dad’s recording continued.
“Do not let Amanda convince you that everything is okay.””
Amanda stopped.
Her face changed.
Not anger.
Pain.
“Ethan,” she whispered.
I looked at her.
“Why is Dad saying that?””
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
The recording continued.
“I know this will hurt you. I know you’ll feel confused.””
Dad paused.
“But the truth matters more than protecting feelings.””
My eyes filled with tears.
Why did he sound like he was saying goodbye?
“Ethan, Amanda made mistakes. Serious mistakes.””
Amanda closed her eyes.
“But she is not the person who caused my disappearance.””
I looked at Amanda.
She looked up at me.
For the first time, we were both hearing the same truth.
Dad continued.
“The person you need to find is the one who has been pretending to help.””
A cold feeling moved through my body.
Pretending to help.
Mark.
The envelope.
The explanations.
The way he always appeared at the perfect moment.
Lily whispered:
“Mark.””
Amanda nodded slowly.
“Yes.””
The recording continued.
“Mark knows about the accounts. He knows about the evidence. He knows where I hid everything.””
The phone crackled.
Then Dad said:
“If Mark gives you a story where he is the hero…”
A pause.
“Don’t believe him.””
The recording ended.
Silence.
Nobody spoke.
Then Amanda sat down.
Her hands covered her face.
“I tried to tell you.””
I stared at her.
“When?””
She looked at me.
“Every time I tried, Mark threatened us.””
“Us?””
She nodded.
“You and Lily.””
Lily walked closer.
“You knew he was dangerous?””
Amanda looked at her daughter.
“Yes.””
“Then why did you let him come here?””
Amanda’s eyes filled with tears.
“Because he had something I needed.””
“What?””
“Proof.””
I frowned.
“Proof of what?””
Amanda looked toward the phone.
“Proof that your father was still alive.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
She nodded.
“I found out weeks ago.””
The room spun.
“Dad is alive?””
Amanda shook her head.
“I don’t know.””
That answer hurt.
“But Mark knew where he was.””
I looked at the phone.
“Then why didn’t you tell me?””
Amanda looked ashamed.
“Because I was afraid.””
“Of Mark?””
She nodded.
“And of what would happen if your father came back.””
I didn’t understand.
“Why?””
Amanda looked at me.
“Because your father wasn’t just investigating Mark.””
She swallowed.
“He was investigating me too.””
Lily looked confused.
“Why?””
Amanda whispered:
“Because I knew about the money.””
The words hung in the air.
I felt angry.
“You lied to Dad.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Amanda looked down.
“Because I was desperate.””
I waited.
She finally told the truth.
Before she married Dad, she had debts.
Big ones.
Mark offered to help.
But the help came with conditions.
“He wanted control,” Amanda said.
“And I let him.””
I looked at her.
“You hurt me because of him?””
Her face broke.
“Yes.””
The honesty hurt more than a lie.
“I was angry at your father. I was scared. And I took it out on the one person who reminded me of him.””
Me.
She didn’t say it.
She didn’t have to.
Then the front door handle moved.
Everyone froze.
A voice came from outside.
“Interesting.””
Mark.
Amanda stood immediately.
“He followed us.””
Mark slowly opened the door.
May you like
And he smiled.
“But now I know where the evidence is.””
