Chapter 6: The Woman Who Knew The Truth
I couldn't move.
Nia's words stayed in the air.
My father wasn't the only person who lied that night.
I wanted to ask what she meant.
I wanted to demand every answer immediately.
But something stopped me.
Because for the first time, I saw fear in my wife's face.
Not guilt.
Fear.
"Nia.""
She wiped her tears.
"I should have told you.""
"Yes.""
"I know.""
"Then why didn't you?""
She looked at my mother.
Then back at me.
"Because I was afraid of what it would do to us.""
I laughed quietly.
"What do you think it's doing now?""
She flinched.
That hurt.
But not enough.
Not yet.
"Show me the letter.""
Her face went pale.
"I don't have it anymore.""
"What?""
"I gave it away.""
"To who?""
She looked down.
"My father.""
I stared.
"Your father was dead.""
"No.""
The word came out barely above a whisper.
And somehow that scared me more.
"No?""
She shook her head.
"Not when I found it.""
The room went completely silent.
My mother stepped closer.
"Nia, what are you saying?""
Nia looked like she had been carrying this alone for years.
"When my father died, everyone said he was sick.""
She paused.
"But he wasn't always sick.""
I frowned.
"What does that mean?""
"He had been hiding.""
"From who?""
She looked at me.
"Your father.""
I felt a chill.
"My father was dead.""
"Yes.""
"Then why would he hide?""
Nia looked at the floor.
"Because your father knew the truth.""
"What truth?""
She took a deep breath.
"The accident wasn't an accident.""
Nobody spoke.
My mother covered her mouth.
I felt like the room tilted.
"What?""
Nia looked at me.
"My father was driving that night.""
I stared.
"No.""
"I'm sorry.""
"No.""
My voice became louder.
"No, because the police report said Dad was driving.""
"I know.""
"Then you're lying.""
Nia shook her head.
"I wish I was.""
I looked at my mother.
She wasn't shocked.
She was crying.
Which meant she knew.
"Mom.""
She closed her eyes.
"Marcus...""
"Did you know?""
Her silence answered before her words did.
"I knew Daniel was involved.""
My heart broke.
"You knew?""
"I didn't know everything.""
"But you knew enough.""
She started crying.
"I was scared.""
I stepped back.
Everyone had been scared.
Everyone had a reason.
Everyone had hidden something.
And I was the only person who lived inside a story that wasn't real.
Nia came closer.
"My father caused the accident.""
I looked at her.
"Why?""
She shook her head.
"I don't know.""
"You expect me to believe that?""
"I don't know everything.""
"Then what do you know?""
She wiped her face.
"I know my father regretted it.""
I almost laughed.
"Regretted it?""
She nodded.
"Before he died, he tried to fix what he did.""
"How?""
"He left evidence.""
"Where?""
She looked at me.
"With someone he trusted.""
My phone buzzed.
Another message from Robert.
I opened it.
"Marcus, I found something. Do not confront Daniel Carter's family until you know who has the missing evidence.""
I looked at Nia.
Too late.
The evidence was already inside this house.
Or it had been.
"Who has it now?""
Nia looked confused.
"Who has what?""
"The evidence.""
She shook her head.
"I don't know.""
Then my mother suddenly stood.
Her face had changed.
"What?""
She looked toward the staircase.
"The room.""
I followed her eyes.
"What about it?""
She whispered:
"When the person broke in...""
She walked upstairs slowly.
We followed.
She stopped beside the closet.
"There was something they didn't take.""
She reached behind a loose piece of wood.
My breath caught.
She pulled out a small metal box.
"I hid this twenty years ago.""
I stared.
"Mom...""
She handed it to me.
"Your father wanted you to have it one day.""
My hands shook as I opened it.
Inside were photographs.
Documents.
And one final envelope.
I picked it up.
My name was written on it.
But this time, the handwriting wasn't my father's.
It was Daniel Carter's.
I looked at Nia.
Her face drained of color.
"Why would my father write to me?""
She whispered:
"Because he knew one day you would find out the truth.""
I opened the envelope.
The first sentence made my blood run cold.
Marcus,
If Evelyn ever gives you this letter, it means she finally stopped protecting the wrong person.
I looked at my mother.
She stepped back.
And for the first time in my life...
May you like
I wondered if my mother had been protecting me.
Or protecting someone else.
