Chapter 6: The People Who Wanted Me Gone
The drive home was silent.
Not peaceful silence.
The kind that felt like everyone was afraid to speak because one wrong word might destroy what was left.
My father kept both hands on the steering wheel.
He hadn’t said much since Daniel revealed Mark’s name.
I sat in the passenger seat staring out the window.
Everything I believed about my family was changing.
Victoria wasn’t just someone who disliked me.
She had been planning.
And she hadn’t been alone.
When we arrived home, Lily was waiting by the front door.
The second she saw our faces, she knew something had happened.
“What did you find?””
My father stepped inside.
“We need to talk.””
Lily looked nervous.
“About Mom?””
Nobody answered.
That was answer enough.
We sat in the living room.
The same room where Victoria had accused me of breaking the tablet.
The same room where I had spent years feeling like an outsider.
But this time, I wasn’t alone.
My father placed the documents on the table.
“Lily, there are things you need to know.””
She looked at the papers.
Then at me.
“Is this because of me?””
“No,” I said immediately.
She looked surprised.
“You don’t hate me?””
I paused.
Because the truth was complicated.
I was hurt.
I was angry.
But I also knew Lily had been trapped too.
“You were scared.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I should have helped you sooner.””
“Yes,” I admitted.
She nodded.
“I know.””
That honesty mattered.
Then my father looked at both of us.
“Victoria and Mark may have been trying to control Emily’s inheritance.””
Lily covered her mouth.
“Mark?””
“You know him?””
She nodded slowly.
“He used to come over when Mom and Dad were talking about business.””
My father frowned.
“Did he ever talk to you?””
Lily hesitated.
That hesitation made my stomach drop.
“Lily?””
She looked down.
“Once.””
“What did he say?””
She whispered:
“He asked me if I wanted to help Mom.””
My father leaned forward.
“Help her do what?””
Lily’s hands started shaking.
“He said if Emily didn’t live here anymore, everyone would be happier.””
The room went silent.
I felt cold.
“They wanted me gone.””
Lily looked at me.
“I’m sorry.””
My father stood up.
“No.””
His voice was quiet.
But there was anger underneath.
“No one is touching my daughter again.””
The next morning, everything changed.
My father confronted Victoria.
I watched from the hallway.
Not because I wanted drama.
Because I needed to know the truth.
Victoria was standing in the kitchen when he placed the documents in front of her.
“Tell me about Mark.””
Her face immediately changed.
“You went through my things?””
“No.””
My father’s voice was different.
Stronger.
“Emily’s mother left evidence.””
Victoria’s expression hardened.
“She was always suspicious.””
“No.””
He shook his head.
“She was right.””
That hurt her more than anger would have.
“You’re choosing her over me?””
My father stared at her.
“I’m choosing the truth.””
Victoria laughed bitterly.
“After everything I did for you?””
“There it is again.””
“What?””
“You always talk about what you did.””
She looked confused.
“What are you saying?””
“I’m saying you treated love like a transaction.””
Her face turned red.
“You ungrateful—”
“Stop.””
The word came from Lily.
Victoria froze.
Even I was surprised.
Lily stepped into the kitchen.
“I’m tired of being scared of you.””
Victoria stared at her daughter.
“You’re really doing this?””
“Yes.””
Lily’s voice shook.
“But I’m still doing it.””
For the first time, Victoria looked powerless.
Then her phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
And immediately rejected the call.
My father noticed.
“Who was that?””
“No one.””
A few seconds later, it rang again.
This time, I saw the name.
Mark.
My father reached for the phone.
Victoria grabbed it first.
Too quickly.
Too desperately.
And that reaction told us everything.
My father’s eyes narrowed.
“Give me the phone.””
“No.””
“Victoria.””
“No!””
The anger in her voice turned into panic.
And then something unexpected happened.
Lily walked forward.
“Mom.””
Victoria looked at her.
“What?””
Lily pointed at the phone.
“Why is Mark calling you?””
Nobody spoke.
Victoria’s face went completely still.
Then my father said:
“Because I think it’s time we hear what he has to say.””
He took out his own phone.
And before anyone could stop him, he called the number from the documents.
The call connected.
One ring.
Two rings.
Three.
Then a man answered.
“Victoria? Is something wrong?””
My father put the phone on speaker.
The man continued.
“I thought we agreed the girl would never find out about the account.””
My entire body went cold.
Victoria closed her eyes.
Because she knew.
The truth was finally out.
But then Mark said something else.
Something none of us expected.
“And after what happened to Sarah, we can’t afford another mistake.””
My father froze.
“What did you just say?””
Silence.
A long, terrifying silence.
Then Mark asked:
“Who is this?””
My father’s voice became barely recognizable.
“This is Sarah’s husband.””
Another pause.
And then Mark whispered:
“Oh my God.””
My father looked at me.
Because suddenly, the conversation wasn’t just about money.
May you like
It was about my mother’s death.
And the secret they had buried with her.
