Chapter 6: The Sister Who Knew Too Much
The note sat on my kitchen table for ten minutes.
Nobody touched it.
Nobody spoke.
Because sometimes the scariest things aren’t the threats.
It’s the possibility that they might be true.
I looked at Olivia.
My sister.
The person who had protected me my entire life.
The person who taught me how to drive.
The person who held me together after Dad died.
And now there was a question sitting between us.
What did she do?
“Olivia.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I didn’t want you to find out this way.””
My heart sank.
“Find out what?””
She looked away.
Marcus stepped forward.
“Olivia.””
She closed her eyes.
Then whispered:
“The night your father died…”
I waited.
“He wasn’t supposed to meet Daniel.””
I frowned.
“What?””
She looked at me.
“He was supposed to meet me.””
The room became silent.
I felt like I couldn’t breathe.
“You?””
She nodded.
“Dad called me that night.””
“Why?””
“Because he found out something.””
I looked at the documents.
“About Daniel?””
“Yes.””
She wiped her face.
“He wanted me to take copies of his records.””
My voice became smaller.
“Why didn’t he ask me?””
“Because you were pregnant.””
I froze.
I wasn’t.
Not anymore.
But eight years ago…
I was.
I had forgotten.
I had lost the baby two months before Dad died.
A loss I never talked about.
A loss that still hurt.
Olivia reached across the table.
“He didn’t want you carrying more pain.””
I looked away.
Everyone always decided for me.
Everyone always thought they knew what I needed.
“What happened?””
Olivia swallowed.
“I was late.””
“Late?””
“I got stuck at work.””
She looked down.
“When I arrived, Dad was already gone.””
My eyes narrowed.
“And Daniel?””
“He was there.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“Did you see him?””
“Yes.””
“Why didn’t you tell the police?””
Olivia started crying.
“Because he told me not to.””
I stared at her.
“What?””
“He said if I talked, he would make sure nobody believed me.””
Marcus’s expression changed.
“He threatened you.””
She nodded.
“He said he had proof that I was involved in Dad’s financial problems.””
“That’s impossible.””
“I know.””
Her voice broke.
“But I was twenty-seven. I was scared.””
I sat down.
The anger inside me fought with the sadness.
Because suddenly I understood.
My sister had been living with this secret for eight years.
But I also understood something else.
She had lied to me.
And that hurt.
“You should have told me.””
“I know.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“You don’t know.””
Tears filled my eyes.
“You watched me mourn him while you knew there was more.””
Olivia covered her face.
“I was ashamed.””
The room went quiet.
Then Marcus’s phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
His face changed.
“Who is it?””
He didn’t answer.
He showed me.
Daniel Carter.
Calling.
Nobody moved.
Finally, Marcus answered.
“Hello?””
We heard Daniel’s voice through the speaker.
“Marcus.””
His tone was calm.
Almost friendly.
“You found the files.””
Marcus looked at me.
“How do you know that?””
Daniel laughed quietly.
“Because you’ve never been good at hiding your emotions.””
My hands clenched.
“You threw a rock through my window.””
Daniel ignored me.
“Nia.””
Hearing my name from him made my skin crawl.
“You should really stop trusting people who lie to you.””
I stepped closer to the phone.
“You mean like you?””
A pause.
Then:
“You have no idea what your sister did.””
Olivia’s face changed.
Daniel continued.
“She never told you the truth because she was protecting herself.””
“That’s not true.””
But my voice lacked confidence.
Daniel smiled through the phone.
I could hear it.
“Ask her about the envelope.””
My eyes moved to the documents.
“What envelope?””
Daniel said nothing.
Then the call ended.
I looked at Olivia.
“What envelope?””
She didn’t answer.
Marcus looked at her.
“Olivia.””
Her hands began shaking.
“I…”
I stood.
“What did you give Dad?””
She looked at me.
And I saw the truth before she spoke.
“I gave him something.””
“What?””
Her voice barely came out.
“Evidence.””
My heart raced.
“Evidence of what?””
She looked at the floor.
“Proof that Daniel had been stealing money.””
I waited.
“But?””
She cried.
“But I didn’t know he already knew.””
I felt a chill.
“What do you mean?””
Olivia looked up.
And the fear in her eyes told me this was bigger than money.
Bigger than Daniel.
Bigger than Vanessa.
“I didn’t give Dad the evidence.””
She whispered.
“I gave it to someone else.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“Who?””
Olivia looked at me.
And then she said a name.
May you like
A name that made my entire body freeze.
“Your mother.””
