Chapter 6: The Person Dad Trusted

Amanda opened the door slowly.

She didn’t look angry.

She looked disappointed.

Like I had broken a rule.

Lily immediately stepped in front of me.

“Don’t hurt him.””

Amanda stared at her daughter.

“Lily, move.””

“No.””

A long silence followed.

Then Amanda laughed quietly.

“You really are becoming just like your father.””

I held the device behind my back.

“What did Dad mean?””

Amanda looked at me.

“You heard a recording from someone who wanted to make me look bad.””

“Why would Dad do that?””

Her expression changed.

“Because people make mistakes.””

“That doesn’t answer my question.””

For a moment, Amanda looked surprised.

Maybe because I was only seven.

Maybe because she expected me to stay quiet.

She took a step forward.

“Ethan, your father wasn’t perfect.””

I shook my head.

“But he loved me.””

Amanda didn’t respond.

That silence hurt.

Because I knew.

She couldn’t say no.

Lily wiped her eyes.

“Mom, what money?””

Amanda looked at her.

“You don’t need to know.””

“Yes, I do.””

“No, you don’t.””

Lily’s voice cracked.

“Am I your daughter or not?””

Amanda froze.

That question landed harder than anything else.

Then she looked away.

“Go to your room, Lily.””

“No.””

Amanda’s face hardened.

“I said go.””

But Lily stayed beside me.

For the first time, I realized something.

She was scared of Amanda.

But she was more scared of losing me.

I pressed the device again.

A second recording appeared.

Amanda noticed.

Her face changed.

“Give me that.””

I stepped back.

Dad’s voice started playing.

This time, it wasn’t a message for me.

It was a conversation.

Amanda’s voice came through the speaker.

“You promised nobody would find out.””

Then Dad answered.

“You made your choice.””

Amanda said something else.

I couldn’t believe what I heard.

“You can’t just leave me with nothing.””

Dad replied:

“You already took enough.””

The recording stopped.

Nobody spoke.

Amanda looked like she had seen a ghost.

Then the front door downstairs opened.

A man’s voice called from the entrance.

“Amanda?””

She looked toward the hallway.

The color disappeared from her face.

Lily whispered:

“Mark.””

Amanda quickly grabbed the device from my hand.

But this time, she wasn’t looking at me.

She was looking at the person downstairs.

Because whoever Mark was…

He was the one person Amanda didn’t want me to meet.

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