Chapter 4: The Night My Mother Died
For several seconds, nobody moved.
The refrigerator hummed. Water dripped from the kitchen faucet. Somewhere upstairs, Madison's bedroom door clicked shut.
But all I could hear was Vanessa's whisper.
Ask your brother what really happened the night your mother died.
Dad looked as though he'd been struck.
“Take that back,” he said.
Vanessa tightened her grip on her purse.
“You heard me.””
“You have no right to bring Claire's death into this.””
“Then stop pretending you don't know what I'm talking about!””
I had never seen my father look at anyone with that much hatred.
He stepped closer to Vanessa, lowering his voice.
“Get your coat.””
“Michael—”
“Get your coat. You're going to your sister's tonight, and we're going to have a conversation when you're ready to tell the truth.””
Vanessa laughed, but the sound came out broken.
“You can't send me away from my own home.””
Dad glanced at the scattered clothes on the staircase.
“Apparently, sending people away from their bedrooms is acceptable in this family now.””
Her face reddened.
I should have felt satisfied. Instead, I stood clutching my mother's letter, wondering whether my entire childhood had been built on something nobody wanted me to know.
“Dad?”” I asked.
He turned toward me, and the anger vanished from his face.
“Sweetheart, not tonight.””
“That's what you always say when something hurts too much to talk about.””
He flinched.
I had never spoken to him like that before.
I continued before I lost my nerve.
“Mom left me a letter saying this house was part of my inheritance. You knew about it. You gave me the box, but you never explained what was inside. Now Vanessa says Uncle Robert knows something about Mom's death, and you want me to wait until tomorrow?””
Dad rubbed both hands over his face.
“Emily, I was trying to protect you.””
“From what?””
He looked at the letter.
“From a family secret that should never have involved you.””
“That doesn't make sense.””
“I know.””
“Then explain it.””
He opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Vanessa seized the silence.
“Tell her, Michael. Tell her why your brother stopped visiting after the funeral. Tell her why Claire was so desperate to change her will in the last weeks of her life.””
“Enough!”” Dad shouted.
The sound made me jump.
Madison appeared halfway down the stairs.
“Mom? What's happening?””
Vanessa immediately wiped her eyes.
“Go upstairs, honey.””
“But I heard—”
“Go!””
Madison hesitated, looking at me with an expression I couldn't read. Then she disappeared.
Dad waited until her footsteps faded.
“Vanessa, you have one chance to tell me the truth. Did you know about the attempted transfer?””
She stared at him.
Then she said something that made my stomach twist.
“I knew someone was trying to correct an old mistake.””
“What mistake?””
“The mistake Claire made when she decided you were the only person who deserved anything.””
Dad's face went white.
I stepped between them.
“Don't talk about my mother like that.””
Vanessa's eyes snapped toward me.
“You think she was perfect? You think she never hurt anyone? Your mother could make a person feel worthless with a single look. She could turn an entire family against you and still convince everyone she was the victim.””
I shook my head.
“You barely knew her.””
“I knew enough.””
“Then why did you marry my father?””
For the first time, Vanessa looked genuinely wounded.
“Because I loved him.””
“Then why are you trying to take my house?””
She had no answer.
Dad opened the front door.
“Vanessa. Go.””
She stood there, breathing hard, before finally stepping outside.
But just before he closed the door, she turned back.
“Michael, if you make me the villain in this story, you will regret it. You have spent eleven years letting Robert carry the blame for something you know he didn't do alone.””
Dad slammed the door.
The lock clicked.
I stared at him.
“What does that mean?””
He leaned against the door as if he could no longer support his own weight.
“Your mother died in a car accident,” he said.
“You know that.””
“I know she was driving home from the hospital.””
“She had been visiting her sister. It was raining. A truck crossed the center line.””
“Then why did Vanessa say Uncle Robert was involved?””
Dad looked toward the staircase.
“Because your uncle and I had an argument with your mother that evening.””
“About what?””
“Money. The business. Things that don't matter anymore.””
“If they don't matter, why won't you tell me?””
His eyes filled with tears.
“Because the last time I saw your mother alive, I said something unforgivable.””
I reached for his hand.
“What did you say?””
He squeezed my fingers, then released them.
“I told her that if she kept fighting with Robert, she would destroy this family.””
I stared at him.
“What was she fighting with him about?””
Dad looked away.
Before he could answer, my phone vibrated on the table.
An unfamiliar number.
The message contained only seven words.
*Your father isn't telling you everything.*
A second message arrived before I could respond.
*Ask him who was driving the other car.*
I looked up slowly.
“Dad?””
He saw the screen.
The color drained from his face.
Then he whispered a name I hadn't heard in years.
“Daniel Harrison.””
I blinked.
“That's Mom's lawyer.””
Dad nodded.
“And he wasn't just her lawyer.””
May you like
He swallowed.
“He was the last person to see your mother alive.””
