Chapter 10: The Mother Who Knew Too Much
I drove back to my mother’s house with one thought repeating in my head.
How did she know?
Not what happened.
Not why Thomas was attacked.
Not even who was behind everything.
Just one question.
How did my mother know where I was?
The streets were empty, but my mind was louder than ever.
Every memory I had of my childhood suddenly felt different.
Every conversation.
Every family dinner.
Every moment my mother told me she was protecting me.
Protecting me from what?
The truth?
Or from herself?
When I arrived, the porch light was on.
She was waiting outside.
That alone told me everything.
My mother never waited outside.
Not unless she was afraid.
I stepped out of the car.
She looked at me.
“You went to see Thomas.””
I didn’t answer.
Her face fell.
“He told you.””
“What did he tell me?””
She looked away.
“Daniel…”
“No.””
I walked closer.
“You don’t get to do that anymore.””
She swallowed.
“Do what?””
“Act like you know what’s best for me.””
The words hurt her.
I saw it.
But I couldn’t stop.
“Thomas was attacked tonight.””
Her eyes widened.
“What?””
“You knew where I was.””
“No, I didn’t.””
“You texted me while I was there.””
She froze.
A second.
That was all.
But it was enough.
“How?””
She looked down.
“I was worried.””
“That’s not an answer.””
“Daniel.””
“How did you know?””
The silence stretched.
Finally, she whispered:
“Because I followed you.””
I felt my chest tighten.
“You followed me?””
“I needed to know what you were doing.””
“You put someone behind me?””
“No.””
“Then what?””
She looked exhausted.
“I drove there myself.””
I stared at her.
“You were there?””
She didn’t answer.
That was the answer.
My own mother had been at the same building.
Watching.
Waiting.
“You knew Thomas would talk.””
She shook her head.
“I knew he would lie.””
“Why?””
“Because he was the reason your father died.””
The words hit me harder than I expected.
I stepped back.
“What?””
My mother looked at the ground.
“Your father wasn’t the man you thought he was.””
I almost laughed.
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
“Because it’s true.””
“No.””
My voice cracked.
“No, Mom. You don’t get to rewrite my entire life overnight.””
She looked at me.
“I’m not rewriting it.””
“Then explain.””
She closed her eyes.
“Your father made mistakes.””
“What kind of mistakes?””
“The kind that hurt people.””
“Who?””
She hesitated.
Then:
“Emily.””
The name broke through everything.
My anger.
My confusion.
My exhaustion.
“What does Emily have to do with my father?””
My mother looked toward the house.
“Come inside.””
“No.””
“Daniel.””
“No.””
I needed the truth outside.
Where nobody could close a door.
Where nobody could lower their voice.
“Tell me.””
She took a deep breath.
“Emily found out your father had been involved in something illegal.””
My stomach dropped.
“The company?””
“Yes.””
“And you knew?””
“Yes.””
The honesty shocked me.
“You knew?””
She nodded.
“I found out after your father died.””
“Then why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because Emily asked me not to.””
I stared at her.
“That doesn’t make sense.””
“It does.””
She looked at me.
“Your father had powerful people around him.””
“And?””
“And when Emily started investigating, she became a problem.””
My heart stopped.
“You’re saying Emily was killed?””
My mother’s face changed.
“I’m saying I don’t know.””
“You don’t know?””
“No.””
She looked broken.
“But I know someone wanted her to stop.””
The wind moved through the trees.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then my mother whispered:
“Emily came to me three weeks before she died.””
I froze.
“What?””
“She was scared.””
“What did she say?””
My mother’s eyes filled with tears.
“She said she had found proof that someone close to you was involved.””
I thought of the letter.
Someone close.
“Who?””
My mother looked at me.
“I don’t know.””
Another lie.
I saw it immediately.
“You do.””
She looked away.
“Mom.””
“I thought I was protecting you.””
“You were protecting someone else.””
Her face collapsed.
And that was when I realized.
My mother wasn’t hiding the truth because she didn’t know it.
She was hiding it because she did.
My phone buzzed.
A message.
From Vanessa.
Daniel, I found something in Emily’s old files.
I opened the attachment.
A photograph.
A document.
And a handwritten note.
My blood turned cold.
Because the note was from Emily.
And it said:
The person helping me is the person I’m most afraid to lose.
I looked at my mother.
Then at the phone.
Because suddenly I wondered…
May you like
Was Emily talking about Vanessa?
Or was she talking about my mother?
