Chapter 9: The Person We Trusted
Nobody moved after the voicemail ended.
The silence felt heavier than any argument.
Dad played it again.
Then again.
Like hearing it more times would somehow make the truth easier.
It didn’t.
My mother’s voice was gone.
But her warning remained.
The person who hurt us is someone you trust.
Dad slowly lowered the phone.
“Who?””
Nobody answered.
Michael looked at Amanda.
Amanda looked at Michael.
And suddenly, I understood.
They were both afraid.
But they weren’t afraid of each other.
They were afraid of what would happen when Dad discovered the whole truth.
Dad noticed too.
“You both know something.””
Amanda shook her head.
“No.””
“Don’t lie to me.””
“I’m not.””
Michael stood.
“It was me.””
Everyone looked at him.
“What?””
Michael swallowed.
“I was the person they didn’t trust.””
Dad stared.
“You just said you didn’t hurt them.””
“I didn’t.””
“Then why would she say that?””
Michael looked broken.
“Because before the accident, I told Ethan’s father I would ruin his life.””
My heart sank.
Dad closed his eyes.
“You threatened him.””
“Yes.””
“Then why should I believe you now?””
Michael had no answer.
That was the worst part.
Then Amanda whispered:
“Because he wasn’t the only one.””
Dad turned toward her.
“What?””
Amanda looked terrified.
“I didn’t want to tell you.””
“Tell me what?””
She sat down.
Her hands trembled.
“When I found the file, I also found a second document.””
Dad’s voice became cold.
“What document?””
Amanda looked at me.
“A custody agreement.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Dad answered before she could.
“It means someone was planning something.””
Amanda nodded.
“Someone wanted Ethan removed from your life.””
The room went silent.
Lily stepped closer to me.
“Who?””
Amanda looked at Michael.
Michael looked away.
Dad’s face changed.
“No.””
Amanda whispered:
“Yes.””
Dad shook his head.
“No.””
“You asked for the truth.””
Dad slammed his hand on the table.
“Say it.””
Amanda closed her eyes.
“It was your father.””
I froze.
“My grandfather?””
Dad looked like he had been punched.
“My father?””
Amanda nodded.
“He believed Ethan belonged with his biological relatives.””
“That makes no sense.””
“He thought you were making a mistake.””
Dad’s breathing became heavier.
“My father knew about Ethan?””
“Yes.””
“How?””
Amanda looked at Michael.
Michael answered.
“I told him.””
Everything stopped.
Dad stared at his brother.
“You told him?””
Michael looked ashamed.
“I needed help.””
“And you went to my father?””
“I didn’t know what he would do.””
Dad laughed once.
But there was no happiness in it.
“You didn’t know?””
His voice cracked.
“You brought my father into this?””
Michael lowered his head.
“I was desperate.””
I looked at Dad.
He looked hurt.
Not angry.
Hurt.
Because the people closest to him had betrayed him.
Then Dad’s phone buzzed.
He looked down.
A message appeared.
Unknown number.
He opened it.
His face changed instantly.
“What?””
I stepped closer.
“What is it?””
Dad turned the screen toward us.
It was a picture.
A picture of me.
Standing outside school.
Taken that morning.
Underneath was a message:
*Stop digging into the past, or the boy loses the family protecting him.*
Lily gasped.
Dad grabbed his phone.
“Who sent this?””
Michael looked at the message.
Then his face went pale.
“I know that number.””
Dad looked at him.
“Who is it?””
Michael didn’t answer.
“Michael.””
He whispered:
“It belongs to the one person we forgot to fear.””
The lights suddenly went out.
The house went completely dark.
May you like
And from somewhere outside…
A car door slammed.
