Chapter 6: The Man Who Buried the Past
I didn’t open the door.
Not immediately.
For almost a full minute, nobody moved.
Me inside.
Daniel outside.
Gabriel standing beside me.
Three people connected by a past I never knew existed.
Finally, Gabriel spoke.
“Daniel.””
My uncle went silent.
“You need to leave.””
A bitter laugh came from the hallway.
“You still sound the same, Gabriel.””
Gabriel stiffened.
“You know me?””
“Yes.””
The air disappeared from the room.
I looked at him.
“You said you didn’t know him.””
“I don’t.””
Daniel answered from the other side.
“But I know him.””
I unlocked the door.
Gabriel grabbed my arm.
“Emily.””
“I need answers.””
He looked like he wanted to stop me.
But he didn’t.
I opened the door.
The man standing there looked nothing like the villain I imagined.
He wasn’t powerful.
He wasn’t threatening.
He looked broken.
He was older than my mother would have been.
Gray hair.
Tired eyes.
A face full of regret.
His eyes moved to me.
And immediately filled with tears.
“Oh my God.””
I stepped back.
“What?””
He covered his mouth.
“You look exactly like her.””
I hated that.
Everyone kept saying that.
Like I was a ghost carrying my mother’s face.
“Who are you?””
His lips trembled.
“I’m Daniel Carter.””
“My uncle.””
“Yes.””
“Why didn’t I know you existed?””
He looked down.
“Because Sarah wanted it that way.””
“Why?””
Daniel looked at Gabriel.
Then back at me.
“Because she knew someone was watching.””
My chest tightened.
“Who?””
He didn’t answer.
Instead, he stepped inside.
“I have proof.””
Gabriel remained cold.
“You expect us to trust you?””
“No.””
Daniel looked at him.
“I expect you to hate me.””
That surprised us both.
He placed an old folder on the table.
“I deserve that.””
I opened it.
Inside were photographs.
My mother.
Young.
Happy.
Standing beside Daniel.
Another picture showed Sarah holding baby me.
And another showed someone else.
A man standing outside the hospital.
Watching.
I looked closer.
“Who is that?””
Daniel’s face changed.
“That’s the man your mother was afraid of.””
“Who?””
He hesitated.
Then whispered:
“Richard Bennett.””
Gabriel went completely still.
I looked at him.
“Bennett?””
Daniel nodded.
“Gabriel’s father.””
The room became silent.
Gabriel stepped back.
“No.””
Daniel looked at him.
“You never knew.””
“What are you saying?””
“I’m saying your father wasn’t trying to find Sarah.””
Gabriel’s face went pale.
“He helped erase her.””
I looked between them.
“Why?””
Daniel opened the folder.
Inside was a newspaper clipping.
The headline was old.
But the name was clear.
Richard Bennett.
Chicago businessman.
Hospital board member.
I felt sick.
“My grandfather?””
Daniel nodded.
“He didn’t want Sarah marrying Gabriel.””
“Because?””
“Because she knew too much.””
Gabriel grabbed the paper.
“What did she know?””
Daniel looked at me.
Then said quietly:
“She discovered that Richard Bennett had been using the hospital to hide illegal activities.””
The room spun.
My father stared at the article.
“No.””
“Yes.””
Daniel’s voice cracked.
“Your mother found documents.””
“Then why didn’t she go to the police?””
“Because Richard found out first.””
I looked at the photographs.
“So he separated my parents.””
Daniel nodded.
“He paid people. He changed records. He made Sarah disappear.””
My hands shook.
“But she survived.””
“Yes.””
“Then why did she die?””
Daniel looked at the floor.
“I tried to protect her.””
“That’s not an answer.””
His eyes filled.
“Because twenty-three years ago, the night Sarah was supposed to meet Gabriel…”
He stopped.
I leaned forward.
“What happened?””
Daniel swallowed.
“She called me.””
“And?””
“She said someone had found her.””
The room went silent.
“She told me she was taking you and running.””
My heart pounded.
“But she didn’t.””
“No.””
“Why?””
Daniel looked at me.
“Because someone reached her first.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“Who?””
Daniel’s voice dropped.
“The same person who just tried to buy silence again.””
Gabriel frowned.
“What are you talking about?””
Daniel looked at the window.
Then whispered:
“Vivian wasn’t the only one who knew Emily existed.””
My phone suddenly buzzed.
A message.
Unknown number.
I opened it.
One sentence appeared.
*Stop digging into your mother’s death, or Gabriel Bennett will lose the only daughter he has left.*
I looked up.
Gabriel saw my face.
“What is it?””
I handed him the phone.
He read the message.
Then slowly looked toward Daniel.
Because Daniel was already staring at the screen.
Like he recognized the number.
“Who sent this?”” I asked.
Daniel’s face turned pale.
May you like
And he whispered:
“Your mother’s killer.””
