Chapter 5: The Call That Changed Everything
"Mom!""
I called again.
No answer.
I tried a second time.
Straight to voicemail.
Michael was already grabbing his jacket.
"We're going to her house.""
Daniel caught my arm.
"Emily, wait. We need to call the police.""
I shook my head.
"She's alone. Something happened.""
"Then we call them now.""
He took out his phone and dialed emergency services.
Vanessa stood near the window, watching us.
For the first time, she wasn't smiling.
Michael turned toward her.
"You're coming with us.""
Vanessa shook her head.
"I have nothing to do with this.""
"You knew my father was alive. You knew about Ethan. And you somehow had footage from a private investigation. You're not walking away.""
Vanessa grabbed her handbag.
"You're not going to intimidate me.""
Jessica moved toward the door.
"Vanessa, just tell them everything.""
Vanessa turned sharply.
"Shut up!""
Jessica flinched.
I stepped forward.
"Don't speak to her like that.""
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
"After everything I've done for you, this is how you treat me?""
I almost laughed.
"Everything you've done? You tried to destroy my wedding.""
"I loved Daniel!""
"And that gives you the right to destroy my family?""
Her face changed.
"You don't know what your family did to mine.""
The words stopped me.
"What?""
Vanessa looked away.
Michael moved closer.
"Explain.""
She shook her head.
"Not here.""
"Then where?""
Vanessa swallowed.
"Ask Robert Mitchell why my mother died.""
Nobody spoke.
Daniel slowly lowered his phone.
"Your mother?""
Vanessa looked at me.
"Your father ruined her life. He stole money from her, destroyed her business, and left her with debts she couldn't repay.""
I stared at her.
"My father was an accountant. He never owned a business.""
"Exactly. That's what he wanted everyone to believe.""
Vanessa pulled a photograph from her handbag.
It showed a younger Robert standing beside a woman outside a restaurant.
The woman was Vanessa's mother.
On the back was a handwritten date from twenty years earlier.
"Your father promised my mother an investment partnership," Vanessa said.
"He took her savings and disappeared. She spent the rest of her life trying to recover what he stole.""
I looked at the photograph.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
"Would you have believed me?""
"Yes, if you'd given me a chance.""
"No, Emily. You would've defended him. Just like you defend everyone who hurts me.""
Michael interrupted.
"Whatever happened between your mother and our father, it doesn't justify what you're doing.""
Vanessa's eyes flashed.
"I didn't make Ethan disappear.""
My entire body went cold.
"What did you just say?""
She looked at me.
"I said I didn't make him disappear.""
Daniel stepped forward.
"Vanessa, that's not what she asked.""
Vanessa shook her head.
"You're wasting time. Your mother knows more than I do.""
Michael took my hand.
"We're leaving.""
As we walked toward the door, Vanessa called after us.
"Emily!""
I turned.
She held up her phone.
"You still don't understand. I didn't send Daniel that video because I wanted to steal him.""
"Then why?""
"Because I wanted him to stop you from marrying him.""
I stared at her.
"Why?""
Her voice dropped.
"Because Ethan was investigating Daniel before he died.""
The room went completely silent.
Daniel's face changed.
"What?""
Vanessa nodded.
"Your brother discovered something about him. Something he was planning to expose.""
I looked at Daniel.
He looked genuinely shocked.
"Emily, I never knew Ethan was investigating me.""
"Then why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I didn't know!""
Vanessa laughed.
"Of course you didn't.""
Michael opened the door.
"Enough. We're going.""
We hurried down the hotel corridor.
As the elevator doors closed, Daniel reached for my hand.
"Emily, I swear I have never hurt your brother.""
I wanted to believe him.
I desperately wanted to believe him.
But there was something about the way he had reacted when Vanessa mentioned Ethan's investigation.
It wasn't simply confusion.
It looked like fear.
When we reached the parking garage, Michael received a call.
He answered on speaker.
A man's voice came through.
"Mr. Mitchell? This is Officer Reynolds. We've been dispatched to your mother's residence.""
Michael froze.
"Is she okay?""
"We found the front door open. There's evidence of a struggle, but your mother isn't here.""
I covered my mouth.
"Was anyone else inside?""
The officer hesitated.
"We found something you should know about.""
"What?"" Michael demanded.
"A photograph of a man who appears to be your deceased brother.""
My legs nearly collapsed.
The officer continued.
"And there's a handwritten note beside it.""
"What does it say?"" I whispered.
A brief silence followed.
Then the officer read the words.
Tell Emily the truth about the wedding.
I looked at Daniel.
He was staring at the floor.
May you like
And suddenly, I understood that whatever had happened three years ago had never really ended.
It had only been waiting for my wedding day.
