Chapter 12: The Hospital Record
I couldn’t stop staring at the photograph.
Richard.
My father.
Vanessa.
A hospital.
Two days after my mother disappeared.
The timeline didn’t make sense.
“Emily?””
My mother touched my shoulder.
I pulled away slightly.
Not because I didn’t want her near me.
Because I didn’t know what was real anymore.
“Why were they together?””
Nobody answered.
The investigator took the phone from me.
He studied the picture.
“Where did you get this?””
“Someone sent it.””
He looked at the number.
“This person knows more than they’re saying.””
My father stood.
“We need to find out who.””
My mother looked at the photograph.
“That hospital.””
“What about it?””
“That’s where I was taken.””
Everyone turned.
“What?””
She nodded.
“After the accident.””
My heart raced.
“You were there?””
“Yes.””
“Then how did everyone think you were dead?””
My mother looked at Dad.
“I woke up before they told him.””
My father looked shocked.
“What?””
“I was injured.””
She took a breath.
“But I was conscious.””
The room became silent.
“I heard two people talking.””
“Who?””
My mother looked at the picture.
“Richard and Vanessa.””
My blood ran cold.
“What did they say?””
She closed her eyes.
“They said the accident had failed.””
My father went pale.
The investigator immediately wrote something down.
“Failed?””
My mother nodded.
“They expected me to die.””
Nobody spoke.
Then she continued.
“I heard Vanessa say she would handle the paperwork.””
I looked at her.
“Paperwork?””
“The death certificate.””
My stomach turned.
The investigator looked serious.
“Are you saying your death was falsified?””
“Yes.””
The room felt like it was closing around me.
My whole life had been built on a lie.
The investigator immediately made a call.
My father sat beside me.
“Emily.””
I didn’t answer.
“I’m sorry.””
I looked at him.
“For what?””
“For every year you spent thinking you were alone.””
That hurt.
Because it was exactly how I had felt.
Alone.
Even surrounded by people.
My mother sat beside me.
“I wanted to come back.””
I looked at her.
“Then why didn’t you?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Because Richard found me.””
Everyone froze.
“What?””
She nodded.
“After I escaped the hospital, I hid.””
“Where?””
“Different places.””
“For fifteen years?””
“Yes.””
I couldn’t imagine living like that.
“How did you survive?””
She looked down.
“Because I knew one day I would return.””
The investigator ended his call.
“We need to move quickly.””
“Why?””
“Because Richard knows we have the documents.””
A cold feeling entered my stomach.
“How?””
The investigator looked at Vanessa’s file.
“She wasn’t working alone.””
My father frowned.
“Vanessa?””
The investigator shook his head.
“No.””
He looked at me.
“Someone inside this house has been giving information.””
Everyone went silent.
My eyes moved around the room.
My mother.
My father.
Madison.
Nobody spoke.
Then Madison suddenly gasped.
“What?””
She looked at her phone.
Her hands shook.
“Mom…”
Everyone turned.
Madison stared at the screen.
“She just sent me a message.””
My father stepped closer.
“What did it say?””
Madison looked up.
Her face was white.
“She said…”
Her voice broke.
“She said if I don’t bring her the original inheritance papers tonight, she’ll reveal what I did the night Emily’s mother disappeared.””
I stared at her.
“What you did?””
Madison started crying.
“I didn’t mean to.””
My heart sank.
“What did you do?””
She looked at me.
May you like
And whispered:
“I was the one who moved the car.””
