Chapter 12: The Woman Who Wanted My Daughter
I couldn’t feel my hands.
“My mother?””
Olivia nodded.
“She took Emma.””
The cabin suddenly felt too small.
My father stood up.
“What?””
“You heard me.””
His face turned pale.
“No.””
I looked at him.
“You knew she might do this.””
He shook his head.
“I didn’t think she would.””
I stepped closer.
“You didn’t think?””
My voice broke.
“My daughter is gone.””
My father looked destroyed.
“I’ll help you.””
“No.””
I grabbed my keys.
“You’re going to help me tell the truth.””
We rushed back.
The drive felt endless.
Every second felt like another piece of my daughter’s childhood disappearing.
I kept seeing Emma’s face.
The way she held my neck.
The way she asked if she was leaving forever.
I promised her.
I promised I would never leave her again.
When we arrived home, Vanessa was gone.
Of course she was.
But on the kitchen table was a note.
My name.
Written in her handwriting.
I picked it up.
Daniel,
You think you know what happened.
You don’t.
You think I’m the villain.
Maybe I am.
But Sarah was never as innocent as you believe.
I stopped reading.
Olivia took the paper.
“What else?””
I continued.
Your daughter is safe.
For now.
My stomach dropped.
The final sentence was underlined.
If you want Emma back, stop searching for the past.
I crushed the paper.
“She has Emma.””
Michael looked at me.
“No.””
I turned.
“What?””
He looked at the note.
“This isn’t Vanessa.””
“What?””
He pointed.
“Look at the handwriting.””
I stared.
The letters were different.
The words sounded like Vanessa.
But the handwriting…
It wasn’t hers.
My father picked up the note.
His face went white.
“I know this writing.””
Everyone looked at him.
“Whose is it?””
He whispered:
“Your mother’s.””
Silence.
My mother.
The person who raised me.
The person who held Emma after Sarah died.
The person I trusted.
I grabbed my phone.
I called her.
Straight to voicemail.
Again.
Nothing.
Then a message appeared.
From her number.
A photo.
My heart stopped.
It was Emma.
Sitting on a couch.
Looking scared.
But alive.
Under the photo was one sentence.
*Come alone if you want your daughter back.*
I showed everyone.
Olivia immediately shook her head.
“No.””
“I’m going.””
“It’s a trap.””
“I know.””
Michael stepped forward.
“Then don’t go.””
I looked at him.
“She has my daughter.””
Nobody could argue with that.
I grabbed my jacket.
Then my phone buzzed again.
Another message.
This time it wasn’t from my mother.
It was from Sarah’s old number.
A number that had been disconnected three years ago.
The message contained only a video.
I pressed play.
Sarah appeared on the screen.
But this wasn’t an old recording.
The timestamp was from yesterday.
My heart stopped.
Because Sarah looked directly into the camera and said:
“Daniel, if you’re watching this…”
She paused.
May you like
Her eyes filled with tears.
“…then the person who told you I was dead lied.””
