Chapter 9: The Missing Page
The lawyer left thirty minutes later.
But the damage was already done.
My father stood in the living room holding the documents.
Claire sat calmly on the couch.
She looked like she had already won.
That scared me.
People who were innocent usually wanted answers.
Claire wanted control.
“You’re lying,” my father said.
She raised an eyebrow.
“Am I?””
“Yes.””
“Then prove it.””
My father looked at the papers again.
His silence told me something.
He wasn’t sure.
That scared me.
I walked toward him.
“Dad.””
He looked at me.
“What?””
“What happens if she has that page?””
He didn’t answer.
Claire did.
“Then I become the person responsible for managing the account.””
My stomach tightened.
“For how long?””
“Until you’re eighteen.””
I looked at her.
“That’s years.””
“Yes.””
“And you can do whatever you want?””
“Within legal limits.””
Her answer sounded rehearsed.
My father stepped forward.
“You won’t touch anything.””
Claire smiled.
“You already let me.””
The room went quiet.
My father looked away.
Because she was right about one thing.
He had trusted her.
That trust had given her power.
Later that afternoon, I searched through my mother’s old things.
My father helped me.
We opened boxes from the attic.
Old clothes.
Photos.
Letters.
Memories.
Then I found something.
A small wooden box hidden under a stack of blankets.
“What is this?””
My father looked surprised.
“I’ve never seen that.””
Inside was a key.
And a note.
My hands shook as I opened it.
For Ethan. When you are old enough to understand.
My father looked at me.
“Your mother wrote that.””
I nodded.
The note had one more line.
The truth is not in the house. It is where I trusted my last friend.
I frowned.
“Who was her last friend?””
My father didn’t know.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I almost ignored it.
But something made me answer.
“Hello?””
A woman’s voice came through.
“Is this Ethan Carter?””
“Yes.””
There was a pause.
Then she whispered:
“I knew your mother.””
My heart started racing.
“Who are you?””
“My name is Rebecca.””
I looked at my father.
The woman continued.
“I’ve been waiting years to speak with you.””
“Why?””
Her voice became quieter.
“Because your mother asked me to protect something from Claire.””
My grip tightened around the phone.
“What something?””
Silence.
Then Rebecca said:
“The missing page.””
I stopped breathing.
My father heard the word.
His face changed instantly.
“Who is that?”” he asked.
I covered the phone.
“She knows about Mom’s documents.””
My father stepped closer.
“Put her on speaker.””
I did.
Rebecca continued.
“Ethan, you cannot trust the documents Claire showed you.””
“Why?””
“Because the page she says is missing…”
A pause.
“She removed it herself.””
Claire’s voice suddenly came from behind us.
“Who are you talking to?””
I turned around.
She was standing in the doorway.
May you like
And the color had completely drained from her face.
Because she knew exactly who Rebecca was.
