Chapter 12: The Person Who Returned
The investigator repeated the name.
I didn’t understand.
Not at first.
Because the name meant nothing to me.
But my father…
My father looked like the world had collapsed.
“Dad?””
He sat down slowly.
“No.””
The investigator continued.
“We confirmed the identity through records.””
My father grabbed the phone.
“How is this possible?””
I had never heard him sound afraid.
The investigator answered:
“We don’t know yet.””
I looked between them.
“Who is it?””
My father didn’t speak.
So the investigator did.
“Your mother’s brother.””
I froze.
“My uncle?””
The room went silent.
I had never met my mother’s family.
Not once.
My father always told me they lived far away.
That they weren’t involved.
That they had their own lives.
But now…
Someone from my mother’s side had returned.
After eight years.
And they had been watching me.
“Why would he contact me now?”” I asked.
The investigator hesitated.
“Because he believes your mother’s death was not an accident.””
My father closed his eyes.
I looked at him.
“Is that true?””
He didn’t answer.
And that was answer enough.
I stood up.
“All these years…”
My voice broke.
“You knew there were questions.””
My father looked at me.
“I knew your mother was investigating something.””
“And you said nothing?””
“I was trying to protect you.””
I shook my head.
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
My eyes filled with tears.
“Everyone keeps deciding what I can handle.””
My father looked hurt.
But I didn’t stop.
“I wasn’t a child forever.””
Silence.
Then Mia appeared at the doorway.
She had heard everything.
“Emily…”
I turned.
She looked devastated.
“I’m sorry.””
I looked at her.
“For what?””
“For believing I was the only one who was hurt.””
That sentence surprised me.
Because it was true.
For years, Mia and I had been fighting over attention.
Over approval.
Over feeling important.
Meanwhile, someone else had been hiding the truth from both of us.
My phone buzzed again.
Another message.
This time from the unknown number.
I opened it.
*“Your father is not the only person who lied to you.””*
Then a second message arrived.
A picture.
It showed my mother.
Standing beside someone.
A man.
My uncle.
But that wasn’t what made me freeze.
It was the person standing behind them.
A person I recognized.
A person who was supposed to have no connection to my mother.
Laura.
I looked at my father.
“Dad.””
He saw the photo.
His face became completely pale.
Because he finally understood.
Laura wasn’t just part of my present.
She had been part of my mother’s past.
May you like
And the secret my mother died protecting…
Was inside our own house.
