Chapter 5: The Voice in the Dark
The recording ended with my father’s unfinished sentence.
“And Ethan… the person who saved you was…”
Then silence.
Not a normal silence.
A cruel one.
The kind that leaves a question hanging in the air and refuses to answer it.
I stared at Daniel’s phone.
“Play it again.””
Daniel pressed the button.
The same thing happened.
My father’s voice.
The same words.
The same cut.
Amanda stood near the kitchen counter, her hands trembling slightly.
For years, I had seen her angry.
I had seen her annoyed.
I had seen her cold.
But I had never seen fear on her face.
Not until that moment.
Daniel noticed it too.
“You know who he was talking about,” he said.
Amanda looked at him.
“You have no idea what you’re saying.””
“Actually, I do.””
Daniel opened the folder again.
“There are things your husband discovered before he left.””
Amanda laughed nervously.
“You’re accusing me based on a child’s toy?””
Daniel shook his head.
“No. I’m accusing you based on evidence your husband collected.””
My fingers tightened around the device.
I wanted answers.
I wanted my father back.
But more than anything, I wanted to know why everyone had lied to me.
“Daniel,” I asked quietly, “who saved me?””
He looked at me with sadness.
“I don’t know yet.””
Amanda immediately relaxed.
A little.
Just enough for me to notice.
“But I know your father trusted that person,” Daniel continued.
“Why?””
“Because he left instructions.””
Amanda’s face changed.
“What instructions?””
Daniel looked at her.
“None of your business.””
That answer made her angry.
“You walk into my house, accuse me of things, and refuse to explain?””
Daniel smiled slightly.
“This isn’t your house.””
The room became still.
Amanda stared at him.
Then she laughed.
“You really think Robert planned everything?””
Daniel didn’t answer.
He didn’t need to.
Because the truth was written all over her face.
She knew my father had planned something.
That night, after Daniel left, Amanda didn’t yell.
That scared me more.
She quietly made dinner.
She quietly washed dishes.
She quietly told Lily to go upstairs.
Then she came to my room.
I was sitting on my bed with the device hidden in my hand.
Amanda closed the door.
“Ethan.””
I didn’t answer.
She sat down.
For the first time in years, she looked almost human.
“I know you think I’m a monster.””
I looked at her.
“You took my food.””
Her expression changed.
“That wasn’t what happened.””
“It was.””
“You don’t understand adult problems.””
I almost laughed.
I was seven years old.
But I understood hunger.
I understood loneliness.
I understood watching another child eat while pretending I wasn’t starving.
“You told Lily I wasn’t her brother.””
Amanda looked away.
“I was angry.””
“You meant it.””
She didn’t answer.
That was enough.
Then she said something strange.
“Your father filled your head with lies.””
My stomach dropped.
“What?””
“He made you believe I was your enemy.””
I stared at her.
“Dad never said that.””
“Then why are you recording me?””
Because I needed proof.
Because Dad warned me.
Because I knew something was wrong.
But I didn’t say those things.
Amanda leaned closer.
“Give me the device.””
“No.””
Her face hardened.
“Ethan.””
“No.””
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then she whispered:
“You have no idea what your father did.””
A chill ran through me.
“What did he do?””
She stood.
“You’ll find out.””
She walked to the door.
Then stopped.
“One day, you’ll understand why he left.””
After she left, I pulled the device out.
The red light blinked.
I pressed the side button.
A hidden message appeared.
I had never seen it before.
A small screen lit up.
One sentence appeared:
*NEW FILE UNLOCKED: PLAY WHEN AMANDA KNOWS ABOUT THE DEVICE.*
My hands shook.
Dad had known.
He knew she would find out.
I pressed play.
His voice filled the room.
“Ethan, if you’re hearing this, Amanda has discovered the device.””
I held my breath.
“This means she’s scared.””
A pause.
“But there’s something you need to know.””
The recording became quieter.
“Your sister Lily knows more than she realizes.””
I looked toward Lily’s room.
My father continued.
“She saw something the night I left.””
My heart started racing.
“What did Lily see?””
May you like
Then Dad said the words that changed everything.
“She saw who really made me leave.””
