Chapter 8: The Person Who Betrayed My Mother
I spent the next hour trying to understand what Claire had said.
Someone close to my mother.
Someone I still trusted.
The list in my head was painfully short.
And every name hurt.
“My father?””
Claire shook her head.
“I don’t know.””
“Then who?””
“I only know your mother suspected a betrayal.””
Daniel looked at Claire.
“You never told her this before?””
“I wasn’t supposed to.””
I stared at both of them.
“You both knew pieces of the truth while I was living in that house believing everything was normal.””
Neither of them responded.
Because they knew I was right.
I left the coffee shop with one goal.
Find out what the key opened.
I drove to my mother’s old storage unit.
She had rented it years ago.
After she died, my father told me there was nothing important inside.
Just old clothes.
Books.
Memories.
But now I wondered how many lies I had been given.
The storage unit was exactly how I remembered it.
Dusty.
Quiet.
Forgotten.
I unlocked the door.
Inside were boxes stacked along the walls.
My mother’s handwriting covered every label.
“Emily’s childhood.””
“Family photos.””
“Medical records.””
My chest tightened.
I searched through everything until I found a small wooden box hidden beneath a blanket.
It had a lock.
A tiny silver lock.
The same size as my key.
My hands shook as I inserted it.
The lock opened.
Inside was a folder.
And a photograph.
I picked up the photograph first.
It was my mother.
Standing beside someone.
My father.
But they weren’t smiling.
They looked serious.
Behind them was a building I recognized.
My father’s company office.
I flipped the picture over.
A date was written on the back.
Two months before my mother died.
The folder contained financial documents.
Bank transfers.
Contracts.
Emails.
And one name repeated again and again.
Vanessa.
But not as my stepmother.
As a business partner.
My stomach turned.
“She was involved.””
A voice behind me made me jump.
I spun around.
My father stood at the entrance.
I stepped back.
“How did you find me?””
He looked exhausted.
“I followed you.””
“That’s not comforting.””
He walked closer.
“Emily, give me the folder.””
I laughed.
“Are you serious?””
“Yes.””
“After everything?””
His face changed.
“I’m trying to protect you.””
I held up the papers.
“From what?””
He looked at the documents.
Then away.
“From what happens if Vanessa gets them.””
“You mean if I find out the truth.””
“Emily.””
“No.””
My voice grew louder.
“I want the truth.””
He closed the door behind him.
That small movement made me nervous.
“Your mother discovered Vanessa was moving money through the company.””
I stared.
“How much?””
“Over three million dollars.””
I felt sick.
“And you knew?””
“Yes.””
The honesty surprised me.
Then anger replaced it.
“You knew she was stealing?””
“I found out later.””
“But you stayed with her.””
My father looked ashamed.
“I was trapped.””
I almost couldn’t believe him.
“You’re telling me you were trapped?””
“She threatened me.””
“With what?””
He didn’t answer.
“Dad.””
He sat down on an old chair.
“She knew about your mother’s illness. She knew how desperate I was. She threatened to expose things that could destroy me.””
“What things?””
His eyes filled with regret.
“Things I did before.””
The room went silent.
“What did you do?””
He looked at me.
“I made one mistake.””
I shook my head.
“No. People say that when they don’t want to admit the truth.””
He looked down.
“I borrowed money from the company.””
My stomach dropped.
“How much?””
“Not enough to matter at first.””
“But it became enough.””
“Yes.””
I looked at the folder.
“And Mom found out.””
He nodded.
“She was going to leave me.””
I froze.
“She was going to divorce you?””
“Yes.””
The pain in his voice was real.
But it didn’t erase what he did.
“What happened?””
He looked at me.
“Vanessa convinced me she could fix everything.””
A horrible thought entered my mind.
“Dad…”
He looked away.
“What?””
“Did Vanessa know Mom was dying?””
He didn’t answer.
And that silence was the answer.
My phone buzzed.
A message.
From Vanessa.
A photo.
My bedroom.
My heart stopped.
She had taken a picture inside my house.
The message underneath said:
*I KNOW WHERE YOU HID THE KEY.*
I looked at my father.
He looked terrified.
May you like
Then another message arrived.
*AND I KNOW YOUR FATHER HAS BEEN LYING TO YOU TOO.*
