Chapter 3: The Account Nobody Knew About
The accusation followed me like a shadow.
Someone opened my father’s private account.
Someone with access.
Someone who knew about the documents.
And somehow, my mother had just pointed everyone toward me.
“I don’t understand,” I said.
My voice sounded small.
“I don’t have any account.””
My mother looked almost relieved.
“There. You see?””
Alexander looked at her.
“See what?””
“That she’s lying.””
I stared at my mother.
“Why would you say that?””
She sighed dramatically.
“As difficult as this is, I have always protected Emma.””
I almost couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
Protected me?
The woman who made me sleep in the smallest room.
The woman who gave my clothes away to my sisters.
The woman who made me clean after everyone.
She was pretending to be my protector.
Alexander’s expression became colder.
“Interesting choice of words.””
My mother ignored him.
“Emma has always been secretive. Maybe she found something after her father died.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
“Then explain it.””
“I can’t explain something I don’t know.””
Olivia crossed her arms.
“Maybe you thought nobody would notice.””
I looked at her.
“You think I stole something from my own father?””
She shrugged.
“You’ve always wanted more.””
That sentence hurt.
Because it wasn’t about money.
It was about how little they thought of me.
Alexander stepped between us.
“Enough.””
Everyone stopped.
He looked at Olivia.
“You know nothing about her.””
Olivia immediately looked embarrassed.
“But—”
“No.””
His voice was firm.
“You judged someone you never bothered to understand.””
For the first time in years, someone defended me.
And I didn’t know how to react.
Alexander turned back to me.
“Emma, I need to ask you something.””
I nodded.
“When your father died, did anyone take his belongings?””
I thought back.
The funeral.
The empty house.
My mother crying.
The boxes.
“I don’t know.””
My mother suddenly looked away.
I noticed.
“Mom?””
She didn’t answer.
Alexander noticed too.
“Victoria.””
Her shoulders stiffened.
“What?””
“Why did you look away?””
“I didn’t.””
“You did.””
The room became tense.
My mother’s perfect image was breaking piece by piece.
Finally, she said:
“Daniel had debts.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“He left things behind.””
“That’s not true.””
The words escaped before I could stop them.
My mother stared at me.
“You were young.””
“I was sixteen.””
“You don’t remember everything.””
But I did.
I remembered my father’s kindness.
I remembered him working late.
I remembered him telling me everything would be okay.
I remembered my mother telling everyone he left us with nothing.
Alexander studied her.
“Where are his belongings?””
My mother stayed silent.
That silence answered everything.
Alexander turned to his security guard.
“Find out.””
The guard nodded.
My mother stepped forward.
“You can’t just come into my home and accuse me.””
Alexander looked at her calmly.
“This home?””
He glanced around.
“Interesting.””
My mother froze.
“What does that mean?””
“It means I know Daniel Carter helped finance this property.””
Nobody spoke.
I felt dizzy.
The mansion.
The luxury.
The life my mother created.
It was connected to my father.
The same father she made me believe was worthless.
Alexander looked at me.
“Emma, I think your father left something for you.””
I shook my head.
“He never gave me anything.””
Alexander’s expression softened.
“Maybe he tried.””
A strange feeling moved through me.
A memory.
A locked wooden box.
I hadn’t thought about it in years.
My father gave it to me before he died.
He told me:
“Only open this when you need to know the truth.””
But after his funeral, my mother took everything.
Or almost everything.
“There was a box,” I whispered.
Everyone looked at me.
My mother’s face changed.
“What box?””
I looked at her.
And for the first time, I saw fear.
“You know.””
“No.””
“You know exactly what box I mean.””
She stepped toward me.
“Emma, don’t make things up.””
Alexander noticed her reaction.
“Where is it?””
My mother didn’t answer.
Because suddenly, her phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
And all the color disappeared from her face.
“What is it?”” Charlotte asked.
My mother slowly lowered the phone.
“It’s impossible.””
Alexander held out his hand.
“Give me the phone.””
She hesitated.
Then handed it over.
He read the message.
His expression changed.
“What does it say?”” I asked.
Alexander looked at me.
Then he turned the screen around.
There was only one sentence.
May you like
A sentence that made my entire body go cold.
“Your father’s missing box has been found… inside this house.””
