Chapter 3: The Message My Mother Left Behind
Dad stared at the old phone as though it were a ghost.
"How is this possible?"" he whispered.
The device was scratched, its screen slightly cracked, but it was still working.
A notification blinked across the display.
*One scheduled message is ready to play.*
Vanessa moved toward him.
"Marcus, give me that phone.""
He immediately stepped away.
"Why?""
"Because it's broken. You're wasting your time.""
"Then why are you so desperate to get it?""
She didn't answer.
Dad pressed the notification.
For a moment, there was only static.
Then a familiar voice filled the room.
"Lily?""
My knees nearly gave way.
It was Mommy.
Her voice sounded softer than I remembered, but I knew it immediately.
Dad covered his mouth.
The recording continued.
"If you're hearing this, Marcus, something has happened, and I wasn't able to tell you everything in person.""
Dad sank onto the floor.
"Oh, Sarah...""
I began crying.
"Mommy?""
He pulled me close and let me listen.
My mother's voice continued.
"I need you to understand something. I never wanted to leave you or Lily. I never wanted a divorce. And I certainly never intended to take your money.""
There was a pause.
Then she spoke again.
"Vanessa knows about the money I placed in Lily's trust. She also knows that I discovered what she and someone else were doing with the company accounts.""
Dad looked toward Vanessa.
"What company accounts?""
She shook her head.
"Turn it off, Marcus.""
He raised one hand.
"Not another word.""
The recording continued.
"Marcus, last September, I discovered that several transfers had been made from the family business without your authorization. At first, I thought it was an accounting mistake. Then I found documents bearing your signature.""
Dad frowned.
"My signature?""
"I asked Vanessa about it. She said she was helping you with some investments. But when I checked with the bank, I discovered that the documents were fraudulent.""
Vanessa backed toward the hallway.
Dad noticed.
"Stay where you are.""
The recording continued.
"I made copies of everything. I also spoke with Daniel Reed. He told me to keep the evidence somewhere safe until we could meet with the authorities.""
Dad looked stunned.
"Daniel knew?""
Vanessa shook her head violently.
"That's impossible. Sarah was confused.""
But the phone kept playing.
"On October 14, Vanessa came to the house while Marcus was away. She told me she wanted to discuss Lily's inheritance. I refused to sign anything. She became angry.""
My mother's voice trembled.
"Marcus, I don't know what she'll do next. But if anything happens to me, please investigate that night. Don't accept the first explanation you're given.""
Then came a sound.
A door slamming.
A woman's voice.
Vanessa's voice.
"You're making a terrible mistake, Sarah!""
My mother replied, "You can't take what belongs to my daughter.""
Then the recording ended.
The room fell silent.
Dad slowly looked at Vanessa.
"Tell me what happened on October 14.""
Vanessa shook her head.
"That recording proves nothing.""
"Did you visit Sarah that night?""
"I don't remember.""
"You don't remember?""
"It was years ago, Marcus!""
Dad looked at the phone.
"She recorded your voice.""
Vanessa suddenly started crying.
"Your wife was unstable. She was obsessed with money. She thought everyone wanted to steal from her.""
"Stop lying!""
His voice echoed through the house.
I had never heard him shout like that.
He turned toward me and immediately softened.
"Sweetheart, go sit in the living room.""
I shook my head.
"I want to stay with you.""
He kissed my forehead.
"Okay. Stay close to me.""
A knock sounded at the front door.
Dad looked at the clock.
7:12 p.m.
"That must be Daniel.""
He walked down the hallway.
Vanessa remained beside the storage room.
I could see her hands trembling.
Then she leaned toward me.
"Lily, listen carefully.""
I stepped backward.
"What?""
"Your father doesn't know everything about your mother.""
I looked toward the living room.
"Stop talking about Mommy.""
Vanessa lowered her voice.
"Do you remember the hospital?""
I nodded.
"I remember the white room.""
"Do you remember who came to see your mother?""
I shook my head.
She leaned closer.
"Your mother wasn't alone that night.""
Before I could ask another question, Dad returned with Daniel.
Daniel was a tall man with gray hair and a leather briefcase. He had known my parents for years.
He looked at the phone.
"Where did you find this?""
"In Sarah's chest.""
Daniel examined the device.
"Marcus, you need to listen to me carefully. Sarah contacted me three days before she died. She said she had discovered something that could put several people in prison.""
Dad's expression tightened.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because she asked me not to. She believed someone was monitoring her communications.""
"Who?""
Daniel glanced at Vanessa.
"She never gave me a name. But she left instructions for me to deliver a sealed envelope if the scheduled recording was ever activated.""
Dad stepped closer.
"Where is it?""
Daniel opened his briefcase and removed a thick manila envelope.
He placed it on the table.
Across the front, in my mother's handwriting, were four words:
*FOR LILY, WHEN SHE TURNS EIGHTEEN.*
Dad stared at it.
"Why would Sarah leave something for Lily's eighteenth birthday?""
Daniel carefully opened the envelope.
Inside were bank documents, medical records, and a photograph.
The photograph showed my mother standing outside a hospital entrance.
Beside her was a woman wearing a nurse's uniform.
Dad picked it up.
"Who is this?""
Daniel looked at the photograph.
"That's Nurse Patricia Evans. She was working the night Sarah died.""
Vanessa suddenly grabbed the edge of the table.
"That woman has nothing to do with this.""
Daniel turned toward her.
"How would you know?""
Vanessa's lips parted.
She looked from Daniel to Dad.
Then she made a terrible mistake.
"Because Patricia promised she would never tell anyone what happened!""
Dad went completely still.
Daniel slowly closed his briefcase.
"What did you just say, Vanessa?""
She backed away.
"I didn't mean—"
Dad stepped forward.
"Who is Patricia? And what did she promise to hide?""
Vanessa looked toward the front door.
For one second, I thought she might run.
Then Dad's phone rang.
He answered immediately.
"Hello?""
A woman's voice came through the speaker.
"Mr. Marcus? This is Patricia Evans. I worked at the hospital the night your wife died.""
Dad gripped the phone.
"How did you get my number?""
"Your wife arranged for me to contact you if the recording was ever activated.""
Dad looked at Daniel.
"What do you know?""
The nurse took a shaky breath.
"Sir, there's something in your wife's medical file that was deliberately removed. I kept a copy because I couldn't live with what happened.""
Dad's face drained of color.
"What was removed?""
The woman hesitated.
Then she said:
"Your wife wasn't supposed to die that night. And the person who signed the order that stopped her treatment was...""
Vanessa suddenly screamed.
"END THE CALL!""
Dad turned toward her.
The nurse finished her sentence.
"Your current wife, Vanessa.""
Dad dropped the phone onto the table.
And for the first time, I understood why Vanessa had been so afraid of my mother's little wooden box.
May you like
*Because my mother hadn't left behind a goodbye letter.*
*She had left behind evidence.*
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