Chapter 8: The Lie About My Daughter
I drove home without remembering the drive.
My father’s name kept replaying in my head.
Daniel Carter.
The man who had always supported me.
The man who loved Lily.
The man Vanessa had somehow contacted.
When I arrived, Lily was sitting at the kitchen table coloring.
She looked up.
“Daddy.””
Her smile disappeared when she saw my face.
“What happened?””
I forced myself to smile.
“Nothing, sweetheart.””
But children notice things adults try to hide.
Especially children who have learned to watch every expression.
She put down her pencil.
“Is Vanessa mad?””
I sat beside her.
“No.””
That was the first lie.
And I hated saying it.
“She won’t be coming back.””
Lily looked down.
“Because of me?””
I immediately shook my head.
“No.””
“Are you sure?””
I held her hands.
“Lily, listen to me.””
She looked up.
“You are not a problem.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I tried to make her like me.””
Those words broke me.
“What?””
“I tried.””
She wiped her face.
“I cleaned my room. I stopped talking about Mommy. I didn’t ask for things.””
I couldn’t breathe.
“You should never have had to do that.””
“But she still didn’t like me.””
I pulled her into my arms.
“No.””
I whispered.
“She was the one who failed you.””
That evening, my father came over.
I showed him the email.
He read it silently.
Then he placed it on the table.
“I need to tell you something.””
My heart sank.
“What?””
“Vanessa came to see me.””
“When?””
“Two months ago.””
I stared at him.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
He looked ashamed.
“Because I thought she was trying to be a better stepmother.””
I closed my eyes.
Everyone thought they were helping.
Everyone thought they understood.
And meanwhile, Lily was suffering.
“What did she ask you?””
My father looked at Lily.
Then lowered his voice.
“She asked about your relationship with your daughter.””
“What exactly?””
“She said Lily was becoming too dependent on you.””
My hands tightened.
“And what did you say?””
“I told her that was normal.””
“Then?””
“She asked if I thought you would ever consider sending Lily to live with someone else.””
The room became silent.
Lily was still coloring.
Unaware.
My father shook his head.
“I told her no.””
“Did she say why she wanted to know?””
He hesitated.
“She said she was worried Lily was preventing you from having a normal marriage.””
I stood up.
“She blamed my daughter.””
My father looked devastated.
“I’m sorry.””
I believed him.
But sorry didn’t change anything.
My phone rang.
Rachel.
I answered.
“James, we found something.””
“What?””
“The trust documents.””
My heart jumped.
“Where?””
“Your lawyer’s office sent copies.””
“And?””
A pause.
“Vanessa tried to access them.””
My stomach dropped.
“When?””
“Three months ago.””
The same time.
The same period she started asking questions.
“How?””
“She claimed she was your future spouse and needed financial information.””
I closed my eyes.
“She wasn’t trying to become Lily’s mother.””
Rachel was quiet.
“No.””
Her voice was serious.
“She was trying to position herself.””
After the call ended, my father looked at me.
“James.””
I turned.
“There’s something else.””
“What?””
He reached into his coat pocket.
He pulled out a small flash drive.
“I found this in my office.””
I stared at it.
“What is it?””
“Vanessa left it behind.””
“Why?””
My father looked nervous.
“I don’t know.””
I plugged it into my laptop.
One folder appeared.
No name.
Only a date.
The date of my wedding.
I opened it.
Inside were documents.
Photos.
Messages.
Then one file caught my attention.
A video.
The title:
*Final Conversation With James.*
My blood ran cold.
“Why would she record this?””
My father didn’t answer.
I clicked play.
The screen went black.
Then Vanessa’s voice appeared.
“If you’re watching this, it means James finally found out.””
I froze.
She continued.
“And if he found out, it means Lily told him.””
I looked at my daughter.
She was still coloring.
May you like
Then Vanessa said the sentence that made my entire body go numb.
“Now it’s time for James to learn the truth about Lily’s mother.””
