Chapter 3: The Name She Tried To Hide
Rebecca didn’t answer the phone.
She just stared at the screen.
The restaurant lights reflected off the glass of her phone, but I could still see the fear on her face.
“Who is calling you?”” Daniel asked.
She quickly locked the screen.
“Nobody.””
Daniel gave a small, humorless smile.
“Still lying after all these years.””
I looked between them.
I felt like I had walked into the middle of a story that started long before I was born.
“What is going on?””
Nobody answered.
So I asked again.
“What does my mother have to do with Rebecca?””
Daniel looked at me.
“Everything.””
The word hit harder than I expected.
My mother had died when I was nineteen.
She never talked much about her past.
Whenever I asked about my father, she would simply say:
“Some people leave because they’re afraid of what they feel.””
I always thought she was protecting me from disappointment.
Now I wondered if she was protecting someone else.
Daniel motioned toward a quiet corner of the restaurant.
“Can we sit?””
I hesitated.
Then I followed him.
Rebecca watched us with a nervous expression.
For the first time, she looked smaller.
Not powerful.
Not untouchable.
Just scared.
Daniel sat across from me.
“Your mother worked for me when I was building Harrison Industries.””
I listened carefully.
“She was brilliant. She remembered every detail. She could look at a contract once and notice mistakes nobody else saw.””
A faint smile crossed his face.
“She was also stubborn.””
That sounded exactly like my mother.
“She always said the truth mattered more than money.””
I looked down.
“She used to say that.””
Daniel’s expression softened.
“Because she believed it.””
He took a breath.
“Claire discovered something twenty-seven years ago.””
“What?””
“Financial fraud inside my company.””
I frowned.
“And Rebecca?””
Daniel glanced toward her.
“Rebecca was involved.””
Rebecca immediately stood.
“That’s a lie.””
The entire restaurant heard her.
Daniel didn’t react.
“Is it?””
“You have no proof.””
“I have enough.””
Rebecca’s husband looked confused.
“Rebecca, what is he talking about?””
She turned toward him.
“Don’t listen to him.””
But Michael didn’t look convinced anymore.
Daniel continued.
“Your mother found documents showing money was being moved through fake accounts.””
I stared at him.
“She found that?””
“Yes.””
“Then why didn’t she tell anyone?””
His silence answered before his words did.
“Because someone threatened her.””
My heart tightened.
“Who?””
Daniel looked directly at Rebecca.
“She was told that if she exposed the truth, you would lose everything.””
I felt cold.
“My mother was threatened because of me?””
“No.””
Daniel leaned forward.
“She was threatened because powerful people were afraid of her.””
Rebecca laughed nervously.
“This is ridiculous.””
Daniel turned toward her.
“You deleted emails. You destroyed records. You convinced people Claire was unstable.””
My mouth opened slightly.
“My mother wasn’t unstable.””
“No,” Daniel said.
“She was brave.””
Rebecca’s eyes narrowed.
“You don’t know what she was.””
Daniel’s expression hardened.
“I knew her better than you did.””
The silence afterward was painful.
I looked at Rebecca.
“Why did you hate my mother?””
Her face changed.
Just for a second.
But I saw it.
A flash of anger.
Then guilt.
“I didn’t hate her.””
“You knew her.””
Rebecca looked away.
Daniel noticed.
“She knew Claire very well.””
“How?””
Nobody spoke.
Then Rebecca’s phone rang again.
This time, everyone heard it.
The screen lit up.
A name appeared.
I couldn’t see the whole number.
But I saw the contact name.
Claire.
My mother’s name.
My entire body went still.
Rebecca immediately grabbed the phone.
“No.””
Her voice was barely a whisper.
I stood.
“Why is my dead mother calling you?””
Rebecca looked at me.
And for the first time since the wine spilled, she looked afraid of me.
Not angry.
Not superior.
Afraid.
Daniel slowly rose from his chair.
“Lily…”
I couldn’t take my eyes off Rebecca.
“My mother has been dead for seven years.””
Rebecca’s lips trembled.
“I know.””
“Then why is her name on your phone?””
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
Then Rebecca looked at Daniel.
And whispered the one sentence that changed everything.
May you like
“Because Claire isn’t dead.””
I felt the entire world disappear beneath my feet.
