Chapter 11: The Person Who Was Watching Us
The message stayed on my father’s phone screen for several minutes.
Nobody touched it.
Nobody spoke.
Because we all understood the same thing.
Someone was watching.
Someone knew we were searching.
Dad stood up immediately.
“I’m calling the police.””
Vanessa looked terrified.
“David, wait.””
He turned toward her.
“Wait?””
His voice was sharp.
“Someone is sending my daughter messages about her dead mother.””
Vanessa lowered her eyes.
“I know.””
That made him stop.
“You know?””
She hesitated.
“I received one too.””
The room went silent.
I looked at her.
“When?””
“Two weeks ago.””
My chest tightened.
“And you didn’t tell anyone?””
Vanessa looked ashamed.
“I was scared.””
Dad laughed bitterly.
“Of course you were.””
“I didn’t know what to do.””
“You could have told me.””
“You hated me.””
The words came out broken.
Dad stared at her.
“I was angry.””
“Yes.””
She nodded.
“But I thought if I told you, you would think I was involved.””
I wanted to be angry.
I wanted to blame her.
But something about her fear felt real.
“What did the message say?””
Vanessa reached into her purse.
She pulled out her phone.
Her hands shook as she opened a conversation.
The number was unknown.
The message was simple.
You should have protected the secret better.
I felt cold.
Mia looked over my shoulder.
“Who would send that?””
Nobody answered.
Then my phone buzzed.
All four of us froze.
A new message.
Same unknown number.
I opened it.
You found the letters.
Good.
Now find the truth your mother took to the grave.
Below the message was a photo.
A recent photo.
Of our house.
Taken from across the street.
My breathing stopped.
“They were here.””
Dad grabbed the phone.
“When was this sent?””
“Just now.””
He looked out the window.
Immediately, his protective instincts returned.
“Stay away from the windows.””
Mia moved back.
Vanessa looked pale.
“Daniel.””
Everyone turned.
“What?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“It has to be Daniel.””
Dad’s face hardened.
“Daniel has been missing for years.””
“Missing doesn’t mean gone.””
I looked at her.
“You think he’s alive?””
Vanessa hesitated.
“I don’t know.””
Dad grabbed his jacket.
“I’m checking outside.””
“No.””
I stood.
“Dad.””
He looked at me.
“I’m not letting you go alone.””
He wanted to argue.
But he didn’t.
Because he knew I was right.
We stepped outside together.
The street was empty.
Too empty.
The wind moved through the trees.
A car passed at the end of the road.
Nothing.
No person.
No movement.
Then Dad stopped.
“What?””
He pointed.
Near the mailbox.
A small envelope.
My name written on it.
Aaliyah.
My heart sank.
Dad picked it up carefully.
“Don’t touch it.””
He opened it using a pen from his pocket.
Inside was a photograph.
Not a new one.
An old one.
My mother.
Daniel.
And me.
As a baby.
I stared.
I had never seen this picture.
On the back, there was writing.
“She chose him over me.””
I looked at Dad.
“What does that mean?””
He didn’t answer.
Because another piece of paper fell out.
A note.
Three words.
Ask your father.
My blood ran cold.
“Dad?””
He stared at the note.
His face changed.
“What?””
He looked at me.
Then at the picture.
“Aaliyah…”
“What?””
His voice was barely audible.
“I lied to you.””
Everything stopped.
I stepped back.
“What?””
He looked devastated.
“There is something your mother told me before she died.””
My heart started racing.
“What did she tell you?””
He looked away.
“She told me Daniel wasn’t the only person who knew the truth.””
I swallowed.
“Who else?””
He closed his eyes.
“I did.””
The world went silent.
“You knew?””
He nodded slowly.
“Not everything.””
“But something.””
“Yes.””
I couldn’t believe it.
My father.
The one person I trusted.
The one person who said secrets hurt families.
He had one too.
“Why?””
His voice broke.
“Because your mother made me promise.””
“A promise?””
“Yes.””
“What promise?””
He looked at me.
And the pain in his eyes was worse than anger.
“She made me promise I would never tell you that Daniel was your biological father.””
I stared.
“Why?””
Dad looked at the photograph again.
“Because she was afraid of what you would learn about him.””
I stepped closer.
“What did she know?””
My father looked at the house.
Then back at me.
“She knew Daniel had a reason for wanting you.””
I waited.
“What reason?””
His answer came quietly.
“Because you weren’t just his daughter.””
A chill ran through me.
“Then what was I?””
May you like
Dad looked at me.
“You were the only person who could expose what he did.””
