Chapter 13: The Truth About Madison’s Father
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
The name hung in the air.
Madison’s father.
A man I barely remembered.
A man who had disappeared from our lives years ago.
A man whose name was suddenly connected to my mother’s death.
I looked at Patricia.
“Who was he?””
She looked down.
“His name was Victor.””
“Victor what?””
Her silence told me everything.
“Patricia.””
She closed her eyes.
“Victor Hale.””
The name sounded familiar.
Not because I knew him.
Because I had heard Madison mention it once.
Years ago.
A birthday card.
A phone call.
A person she never talked about afterward.
I looked at Madison.
“You knew?””
Her face went pale.
“No.””
Daniel looked at her.
“You knew your father was involved.””
Madison shook her head quickly.
“No. I swear.””
For the first time, I believed her.
Not completely.
But enough.
She looked terrified.
“My dad left when I was little. Mom always said he was a bad person.””
Patricia whispered:
“He was.””
I stared.
“Then why were you connected to him?””
Patricia looked like she had been waiting years for someone to ask.
“Because before I married Robert, I was married to Victor.””
The room went silent.
My father looked shocked.
“You never told me that.””
Patricia nodded.
“I was afraid.””
“Afraid of what?””
“That if you knew who he really was, you would never forgive me.””
My father looked away.
Maybe because he realized she was right.
I looked at Daniel.
“How does Victor connect to my mother?””
Daniel opened another file.
“Your mother discovered Victor was involved in illegal deals.””
My eyebrows pulled together.
“What kind of deals?””
“Financial fraud. Blackmail. Manipulation.””
Patricia whispered:
“He was always looking for leverage.””
Daniel nodded.
“Your mother found documents proving what he was doing.””
I looked at the papers.
“So he wanted her silent.””
“Yes.””
My stomach twisted.
“And the accident…”
Daniel looked at me.
“Wasn’t an accident.””
Nobody moved.
I had suspected it.
But hearing it made it real.
My mother hadn’t just died.
Someone had taken her from me.
I looked at Patricia.
“Why didn’t you tell anyone?””
She started crying.
“Because I was scared.””
“You knew?””
She nodded.
“The night before the accident, your mother called me.””
I froze.
“She called you?””
“Yes.””
“What did she say?””
Patricia wiped her tears.
“She said she knew Victor was dangerous.””
My hands tightened.
“What else?””
“She said she had proof.””
“Where was the proof?””
Patricia looked toward the folder.
“I don’t know.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“I do.””
Everyone looked at him.
“Your mother hid it.””
“Where?””
He looked at me.
“In the one place she knew nobody would search.””
My heart sank.
“Where?””
Daniel took out an old photograph.
It showed my mother standing in our backyard.
Holding me as a baby.
Behind us was the old oak tree.
Daniel pointed.
“She buried something there.””
My father looked confused.
“How do you know?””
“Because she told me.””
The room went quiet.
“When?””
“The last time I saw her.””
I stared.
“You saw my mother before she died?””
Daniel nodded.
“Yes.””
“When?””
“The night before the accident.””
My father stepped forward.
“You lied.””
Daniel looked at him.
“I was protecting Emily.””
“No. You disappeared.””
“Because Patricia told me to.””
Everyone turned.
My father looked at Patricia.
“What?””
Patricia went completely still.
“I…”
Daniel’s voice was calm.
“She came to me after the accident.””
I looked at Patricia.
“You told him to leave?””
She started crying.
“I thought I was protecting you.””
“From what?””
“From Victor.””
I didn’t understand.
“You knew he was dangerous.””
“Yes.””
“Then why didn’t you tell my father?””
Her face broke.
“Because Victor threatened Madison.””
The room went silent.
Madison looked at her mother.
“What?””
Patricia whispered:
“He said if I exposed him, he would take you away.””
Madison stepped back.
“So everything was because of me?””
“No.””
I looked at her.
“Madison, no.””
She looked at the destroyed dress lying in the corner.
At the mess she had created.
“I ruined your life because I was angry.””
Nobody spoke.
She wiped her face.
“I thought everyone loved you more.””
For the first time, I saw the little girl behind the cruelty.
A child who had grown up surrounded by secrets.
Then my father stood.
“Tomorrow morning, we go to the backyard.””
Daniel looked at him.
“And we find what your wife buried.””
I looked at my mother’s photograph.
The woman who had tried to protect me even after she was gone.
And I wondered what secret she had hidden beneath that tree.
May you like
Because whatever it was…
someone had killed to keep it buried.
