Chapter 9: The Person My Mother Trusted
Nobody moved.
My father’s words hung in the air.
Someone my mother trusted.
More than anyone.
I tried to think.
A relative?
A friend?
Someone from the hospital?
Someone who had been around during those final months?
But my mind kept returning to one person.
The person who always had answers.
The person who had been there through every appointment.
The person who sat beside my mother when my father was “handling business.””
Dr. Samuel Reed.
My stomach tightened.
“Was it him?””
My father looked surprised.
Not because I guessed.
Because he knew I was close.
“You already know.””
I looked at Evelyn.
She didn’t speak.
That was enough.
“Tell me.””
My father sat down.
“I don’t know everything.””
I stared at him.
“You expect me to believe that?””
“I don’t.””
His voice was broken.
“But it’s true.””
Diane crossed her arms.
“Richard, don’t pretend you’re innocent now.””
He looked at her.
“I’m not.””
That answer surprised everyone.
He continued.
“I made mistakes.””
“Mistakes?””
I laughed quietly.
“You betrayed Mom.””
“Yes.””
He lowered his head.
“I did.””
The honesty hurt more than another lie would have.
“Why?””
He looked at the floor.
“Because I was scared.””
I waited.
“When your mother got sick, everything changed. The bills. The business. The future.””
“So you had an affair?””
His eyes closed.
“Yes.””
“While she was dying?””
A tear rolled down his face.
“I know.””
“No, Dad.””
My voice became sharper.
“You don’t know.””
He looked at me.
“You don’t know what it was like watching her fight while you were building another life.””
He had no answer.
Evelyn quietly placed the notebook on the table.
“Nia, your mother’s notes suggest there was more than an affair.””
I looked at her.
“What else?””
She opened the notebook to another page.
“She believed someone was manipulating the medical information she received.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
“Your mother wrote that certain test results were delayed.””
I felt cold.
“Delayed?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Evelyn looked at the screen.
“Your mother suspected someone wanted to control what information reached her.””
The room became silent.
My father looked sick.
“What are you saying?””
“I’m saying your wife believed someone may have influenced her medical decisions.””
My heart stopped.
“No.””
The word came out automatically.
I didn’t want to believe it.
My mother’s death had already been painful enough.
I couldn’t imagine someone making it worse.
Chloe whispered:
“Mom…”
Diane looked at her.
“What?””
Chloe shook her head.
“I remember something.””
Everyone turned.
She looked terrified.
“What?””
She swallowed.
“Before my aunt—”
She stopped.
“My mom used to visit the hospital.””
I stared.
“What?””
Diane’s face changed.
“Chloe.””
“No.””
Chloe stepped away.
“I remember.””
Her voice broke.
“She told me she was helping Uncle Richard.””
My father went pale.
“What did she say?””
“She said your mother couldn’t know everything.””
Nobody spoke.
My hands curled into fists.
“So Diane was involved.””
Diane immediately shook her head.
“No.””
“Then explain.””
“I was confused.””
“About what?””
She looked desperate.
“I thought I was helping.””
“With what?””
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Evelyn looked at me.
“There’s one more thing in the box.””
I turned.
I had forgotten.
The last envelope.
The one underneath everything else.
My name was written on it.
But this time, there was something different.
A warning.
In my mother’s handwriting:
Open only when you know who you can trust.
I stared at the words.
My father noticed.
“What does it say?””
I didn’t answer.
Because suddenly I understood something.
My mother wasn’t just protecting me from my father.
She wasn’t just protecting me from Diane.
She was warning me about everyone.
I opened the envelope.
Inside was a single page.
The first sentence made my blood run cold.
Nia, if they tell you I died because my cancer was too advanced, don’t believe them.
I stopped breathing.
May you like
The next line was even worse.
Because the person who caused the delay in my treatment is someone you still call family.
