Chapter 4: The Letter Emily Hid
I drove home faster than I should have.
Not because I wanted answers.
Because I was afraid of what answers I might find.
When I entered the house, Vanessa was standing in the living room.
Her hands were shaking.
For the first time since I met her, she didn't look confident.
She looked cornered.
"Where is he?"" I asked.
Vanessa looked away.
"Who?""
"Emily's brother.""
Her expression changed.
That was enough.
"You know exactly who I mean.""
She swallowed.
"He left.""
"Why was he here?""
She didn't answer.
I stepped closer.
"Vanessa.""
She finally looked at me.
"He came because he found something.""
"What?""
She hesitated.
Then whispered:
"The same thing Emily was trying to protect.""
My heart sank.
I pulled out the folded letter Nia had given me.
"This?""
Vanessa's face went pale.
"You found it.""
"Emily wrote this before she died.""
She looked at the letter but didn't touch it.
"I told you. She kept secrets.""
"No.""
My voice hardened.
"She left a warning.""
Vanessa crossed her arms.
"You don't know what she meant.""
"Then explain.""
Silence.
That was all I needed.
I walked upstairs.
Vanessa followed.
"Marcus, don't do this.""
I stopped at the hallway.
"Do what?""
"Destroy everything.""
I turned around.
"You destroyed something years ago.""
Her eyes narrowed.
"You think I'm the villain because I didn't buy your daughter shoes?""
"No.""
I looked at her.
"I think you're the villain because my daughter was afraid to ask me for help.""
The words hit her.
For a moment, her expression softened.
Then it disappeared.
"I raised her.""
I shook my head.
"You lived with her.""
"Same thing.""
"No.""
My voice lowered.
"Raising a child means making them feel loved.""
Vanessa looked away.
I entered her bedroom.
She immediately stepped in front of the closet.
"Don't.""
I stared at her.
"Move.""
She didn't.
"You don't understand what you're looking for.""
"Then help me understand.""
Her eyes filled with frustration.
"You want to know why I kept the box?""
Finally.
The truth.
I stayed silent.
Vanessa slowly stepped aside.
"Because Emily asked me to.""
I froze.
"What?""
"She gave it to me.""
I stared at her.
"You're lying.""
"I'm not.""
She opened the closet.
Behind a row of clothes was a small wooden box.
My breath caught.
The flowers carved into the lid.
The same box Emily had shown me years ago.
The same box Nia thought was gone forever.
I reached for it.
But Vanessa grabbed my wrist.
"Wait.""
I looked at her.
"Why?""
Her voice trembled.
"Because once you open it, there is no going back.""
I pulled my hand away.
"You already made that choice.""
I opened the box.
Inside were letters.
Photos.
A necklace.
And a small envelope with my name written on it.
Marcus.
My hands shook.
Emily had written my name.
Not Vanessa's.
Not Nia's.
Mine.
I opened the envelope.
The first line made my knees weak.
Marcus,
If you are reading this, then Vanessa failed to keep her promise.
I looked up slowly.
Vanessa's face changed.
"What promise?""
I continued.
I promised Emily I would protect Nia.
But I made a mistake.
I trusted the wrong person.
My heart started racing.
There was more.
Emily had written about the months before her death.
About Vanessa offering to help.
About Vanessa becoming closer to the family.
And about something Emily discovered afterward.
Something that frightened her.
A secret involving Nia's birth.
I stopped reading.
I looked at Vanessa.
"What did you do?""
She didn't answer.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message.
From an unknown number.
I opened it.
There was only one sentence.
Don't believe Vanessa. She wasn't the only person Emily was afraid of.
And below it was a photo.
A photo of Emily.
Standing outside a hospital.
Holding a document.
With a man beside her.
May you like
A man I recognized.
Emily's brother.
