Chapter 3: The Name Behind the Cancellation
The next morning, I woke up hoping everything had been a nightmare.
I opened my eyes and saw the same ceiling.
The same posters.
The same room.
Then I remembered the document.
The fake signature.
Vanessa’s voice.
The way she said I was a problem.
It all came rushing back.
Downstairs, I heard voices.
My father.
And Vanessa.
I quietly walked toward the stairs.
“I need the truth,” Marcus said.
“You already decided I’m guilty,” Vanessa replied.
“No. I’m trying to understand how my wife could do this.””
I stepped into the kitchen.
They both stopped talking.
On the table were printed documents, my father’s laptop, and a cup of coffee that had gone cold.
Marcus looked at me.
“Morning, sweetheart.””
I nodded.
“Did you find out?””
He looked at Vanessa.
Then back at me.
“Yes.””
Vanessa looked nervous.
My father picked up a paper.
“The airline confirmed the request came from Vanessa’s email.””
I looked at her.
She didn’t deny it.
“You used your account?”” I asked.
She sighed.
“I didn’t think it would go this far.””
My father stared at her.
“You forged my signature.””
“I was desperate.””
“For what?””
Vanessa looked at me.
“For peace.””
Those two words made me angry.
Because she said them like I was a storm.
Like my existence was something she needed protection from.
“Peace without me,” I said.
She looked away.
My father placed the paper down.
“The airline also found something else.””
Vanessa became still.
“What?””
He looked at her.
“You changed the emergency contact information.””
My stomach tightened.
“Changed it to who?””
Nobody answered.
Then my father said,
“Your sister.””
I felt dizzy.
“You planned this.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“No.””
“Then why was your sister listed as my emergency contact?””
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
My father stood.
“I want the truth.””
For several seconds, Vanessa just stared at the floor.
Then she finally spoke.
“Because I knew you wouldn’t agree.””
“Agree to what?””
She swallowed.
“I wanted you to send Maya away.””
The words felt like a slap.
“Why?””
Vanessa’s eyes filled with frustration.
“Because everything changed after she came back into your life.””
I blinked.
“What?””
“You became a different person.””
My father looked confused.
“I became a father.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“No. You became obsessed with fixing your guilt.””
I felt my chest tighten.
“My guilt?””
She pointed at me.
“After your mother died, you spent years trying to make up for what Maya lost.””
My father’s face hardened.
“And?””
“And I got tired of living in the shadow of someone who isn’t here.””
The kitchen became silent.
I understood then.
This was never about the vacation.
The ticket.
The house.
The dog.
It was about my mother.
Vanessa didn’t hate chores.
She hated the reminder that my father had loved someone before her.
My father slowly shook his head.
“You were jealous of a memory.””
Vanessa looked away.
“I wanted a family with you.””
“You had one.””
She looked at me.
“No. I had you, Marcus, and her.””
The cruelty of it made my hands shake.
I wanted to leave.
I wanted to scream.
Instead, I asked,
“What did you think would happen when Dad came home?””
Vanessa didn’t answer.
My father did.
“She thought she could control the story.””
He picked up his phone.
“I’m calling the police.””
Vanessa’s eyes widened.
“Marcus, don’t.””
“You created fake legal documents.””
“I didn’t hurt anyone.””
My father looked at me.
“Yes, you did.””
For the first time, Vanessa looked scared.
Not angry.
Not annoyed.
Scared.
Then her phone buzzed.
She quickly grabbed it.
One glance at the screen changed her entire expression.
“What is it?”” Marcus asked.
She didn’t respond.
I watched as the color drained from her face.
“Vanessa?””
Slowly, she placed the phone on the table.
My father picked it up.
The message was from an unknown number.
It contained only one sentence.
*“She knows about the second document. Get out before Marcus finds it.””*
My father looked at Vanessa.
“Second document?””
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
May you like
Then his eyes lifted to hers.
“Vanessa… what second document?””
