Chapter 3: What My Father Never Told Me
My father closed the door behind Claire.
But I could still see the fear on his face.
That was the moment I stopped feeling like a child.
Children believe adults know everything.
They believe parents can fix anything.
But standing there, watching my father struggle to speak, I realized something painful.
Sometimes adults are just people trying to hide their mistakes.
“What is that?”” I asked.
My father looked at the envelope.
Then at me.
“Ethan…”
“No.””
My voice shook.
“You don’t get to say my name and avoid answering.””
The room went quiet.
Claire stood near the doorway, holding the envelope.
For once, she looked confident.
“I think he deserves to know.””
My father turned toward her.
“Not from you.””
She smiled.
“Why? Because you want to keep pretending you’re the good guy?””
“Claire, stop.””
“No. You made promises.””
I looked at my father.
“What promises?””
Neither answered.
Claire walked closer.
“Your father promised your mother something before she died.””
My chest tightened.
“What?””
My father’s face turned pale.
Claire held up the envelope.
“He promised he would protect everything she left you.””
I stared at him.
“Everything?””
My father closed his eyes.
“Yes.””
“Then why don’t I know about it?””
He didn’t answer.
That silence hurt.
Claire opened the envelope further.
Inside was a stack of papers.
“I found these months ago.””
My father immediately stepped forward.
“Give me that.””
She moved back.
“No.””
“What did you do?””
The question came out before I could stop myself.
Claire looked at me.
“I protected this family.””
I almost laughed.
“By leaving me without lunch?””
Her expression hardened.
“This is bigger than lunch.””
My father’s voice became cold.
“Claire, enough.””
“No, Mark. You don’t get to act angry now.””
She pointed at the papers.
“You chose him over us.””
My father stared.
“He is my son.””
“And Dylan and Lily are mine.””
The same words from the kitchen.
But this time, I understood what they meant.
Claire didn’t just treat me differently.
She saw me as an obstacle.
My father reached for the papers again.
Claire moved away.
“You should tell him.””
My father looked exhausted.
“I was trying to.””
“When?””
He didn’t answer.
“When he was eighteen? When he discovered everything himself?””
I looked at my dad.
“Tell me.””
He sat down slowly.
“Your mother owned a small investment account.””
I listened carefully.
“She created it for you.””
“How much?””
He hesitated.
“Enough to help you start your future.””
My heart raced.
“Where is it?””
My father looked toward Claire.
That was all the answer I needed.
My stomach dropped.
“No.””
Claire folded her arms.
“I didn’t steal anything.””
My father stood.
“Then explain why you transferred money from an account that wasn’t yours.””
I looked at Claire.
“What?””
She didn’t look guilty.
She looked annoyed.
“Your father is exaggerating.””
“Am I?”” my father asked.
He pulled out his phone.
“I have the records.””
For the first time, Claire’s confidence disappeared.
A small crack appeared in her expression.
“You checked?””
“Yes.””
“And what did you find?””
My father looked at me.
Then at her.
“Three transfers.””
The room became silent.
“Claire,” he said, “where did my son’s money go?””
She stared at him.
Then she slowly smiled.
“You really want to do this?””
My father didn’t respond.
Claire reached into her pocket.
Not for the envelope.
For her phone.
She unlocked it.
“There’s something else Ethan should know.””
My father immediately stepped forward.
“No.””
Claire pressed something on the screen.
A video appeared.
And the first thing I heard was my mother’s voice.
“Mark… if anything happens to me, promise me you’ll never let Claire—”
The video cut off.
Claire smiled.
“Should we finish watching?””
My father’s face went completely pale.
May you like
Because whatever my mother was about to say…
Was the reason Claire had been holding that envelope all along.
