Chapter 4: Dad’s Final Message
The man introduced himself as Daniel.
He was my father’s lawyer.
I had never met him before.
But Amanda had.
The moment she saw him, she looked terrified.
“Why are you here?”” Amanda asked.
Daniel placed the folder on the table.
“Because Robert requested that I come if certain conditions were met.””
My father’s name sounded strange in that house.
Like something forbidden.
Amanda crossed her arms.
“This is ridiculous.””
Daniel ignored her.
He looked at me.
“Ethan, your father wanted you to have this when you were old enough to understand.””
He handed me a small envelope.
My name was written on it.
Ethan.
Dad’s handwriting.
My hands shook.
Amanda stepped forward.
“Don’t open that.””
Daniel looked at her.
“Actually, Amanda, you don’t get to decide anymore.””
The room went silent.
I opened the envelope.
Inside was a letter.
And one sentence made my heart stop.
“Ethan, if Amanda is still in your life, it means she never told you the truth.””
I looked up.
Amanda looked away.
Daniel continued.
“Your father suspected someone was hiding money and information from him.””
“What information?”” I asked.
Daniel opened the folder.
Inside were documents.
Bank records.
Messages.
Photos.
And one picture of Amanda meeting someone.
Someone I recognized.
A man from the neighborhood.
Amanda immediately grabbed the papers.
“Enough.””
Daniel pulled them back.
“No.””
His voice became firm.
“Your husband left evidence that you were manipulating his accounts before he disappeared.””
I stared at Amanda.
She wasn’t angry anymore.
She was afraid.
“You lied to everyone,” I whispered.
Amanda looked at me.
Then she said something I would never forget.
“Your father was supposed to leave you behind.””
The words hung in the air.
Lily gasped.
“Mom…”
Amanda covered her mouth.
She had said too much.
Daniel slowly turned toward me.
“Ethan, there’s one more thing.””
He pointed at the device in my hand.
“The recorder your father gave you isn’t just a recorder.””
I looked down.
The red light blinked.
“What is it?””
Daniel opened another document.
“It automatically uploaded everything it recorded to a secure account.””
My heart raced.
“So Dad heard everything?””
Daniel nodded.
“Everything.””
Amanda took a step back.
“No…”
Daniel looked at her.
“And the final recording was made the night your father left.””
He pressed a button on his phone.
A familiar voice filled the room.
My father.
“If you are hearing this, Amanda finally knows about the device.””
Amanda froze.
Dad’s voice continued.
“Ethan, I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you myself.””
My eyes filled with tears.
“But I made sure someone would.””
A pause.
Then my father said the one thing that changed my entire life.
“The person who helped me expose Amanda was someone living inside that house.””
Everyone looked around.
Amanda.
Daniel.
Lily.
Then the recording continued.
“And Ethan… the person who saved you was…”
The audio suddenly cut out.
Daniel stared at the screen.
Amanda smiled.
A cold, relieved smile.
Because she knew something I didn’t.
May you like
The recording wasn’t finished.
And the missing name was about to reveal everything.
