Chapter 8: The Woman Who Was Supposed To Be Dead
Nobody moved.
Linda stared at her phone.
The screen kept glowing.
Melissa Carter.
Calling.
The woman everyone believed had died eight months earlier.
Daniel stepped forward.
“Answer it.””
Linda didn’t.
“Mom.””
Her hand tightened around the phone.
“It’s not possible.””
Daniel’s voice became colder.
“Answer the phone.””
Slowly, Linda pressed the button.
“Hello?””
For several seconds, there was only static.
Then a woman spoke.
“Linda.””
Claire covered her mouth.
Daniel went completely still.
Because he knew that voice.
Even after all this time.
“Melissa?””
The woman on the phone went silent.
Then:
“Daniel?””
He grabbed the phone from his mother.
“Who is this?””
A shaky breath came through the speaker.
“Daniel, I’m sorry.””
His face changed.
Not anger.
Not disbelief.
Pain.
“Where are you?””
“I can’t tell you.””
“Melissa, you’re alive.””
“I know.””
The cemetery suddenly felt unreal.
A place for people who were gone.
And now someone who was supposed to be buried was speaking.
“You let everyone think you died,” Daniel said.
“I didn’t have a choice.””
“Where is your son?””
Silence.
Then Melissa whispered:
“That’s why I called.””
Claire started crying.
“No.””
Everyone looked at her.
She shook her head.
“No, no, no.””
Daniel looked at her.
“You knew?””
Claire didn’t answer.
“Claire.””
She looked broken.
“I thought she was dead.””
The phone remained between them.
Melissa heard.
“You thought?””
Claire covered her face.
“I was told you didn’t survive.””
A long silence followed.
Then Melissa said:
“Who told you?””
Nobody spoke.
Slowly, all eyes turned toward Linda.
Linda took a step back.
“This is ridiculous.””
Daniel looked at his mother.
“Did you know?””
“I knew Melissa was unstable.””
Melissa’s voice came through the phone.
“Stop lying.””
Linda froze.
“You abandoned me after I gave birth.””
Daniel looked shocked.
“What?””
Melissa continued.
“You told everyone I died.””
Claire looked at Linda.
“Why?””
Linda’s face hardened.
“Because Melissa wasn’t fit to raise a child.””
Daniel stared.
“You decided that?””
“She was struggling.””
Melissa laughed bitterly through the phone.
“You mean I was grieving.””
Nobody moved.
Melissa continued.
“After my husband died, I had nowhere to go. Linda told me she would help me.””
Daniel looked at his mother.
“What did you do?””
Linda said nothing.
Melissa answered.
“She took my baby.””
The words echoed.
Daniel stepped backward.
“No.””
“I tried to fight.””
Melissa’s voice cracked.
“But she had connections. She had money. She had people who believed her.””
Claire whispered:
“Then why did you come back?””
The phone was quiet.
Then Melissa said:
“Because I saw the baby shower photos.””
Everyone froze.
“What?””
Melissa continued.
“I saw my son’s picture online.””
Daniel looked confused.
“My son?””
Melissa’s voice became emotional.
“The baby Claire was pretending was hers.””
Claire collapsed onto the bench beside the grave.
“I didn’t know.””
Melissa replied softly.
“I know.””
That somehow made it worse.
Because Melissa wasn’t angry at Claire.
She was hurt.
Daniel looked at Linda.
“You made us believe she was dead.””
Linda’s expression remained cold.
“I protected this family.””
“No.””
Daniel shook his head.
“You destroyed it.””
Then Melissa spoke again.
“There’s something else you need to know.””
Daniel lifted the phone.
“What?””
“I didn’t call because I wanted my son back.””
A pause.
“I called because your mother wasn’t the only person involved.””
Daniel frowned.
“What are you talking about?””
Melissa’s voice dropped.
“The person who signed those papers…”
May you like
A long silence.
“…was someone inside your family.””
