Chapter 7: The Truth Between Two Lies
I kept the phone pressed against my ear long after the caller hung up.
The silence afterward felt louder than the voice itself.
“Jessica?””
My mother’s voice came from behind me.
I turned slowly.
She was standing in the doorway.
And for the first time in my life, I wondered if I was looking at a stranger.
“Who called you?”” she asked.
I didn’t answer.
Her face changed.
A small movement.
A tiny reaction.
But I saw it.
Fear.
Not surprise.
Fear.
“You know something,” I said.
She shook her head immediately.
“No.””
“Mom.””
“I don’t know who called.””
“Then why do you look scared?””
She looked away.
That was enough.
I walked past her and grabbed my jacket.
“Where are you going?””
“To find the truth.””
“Jessica, please.””
I stopped at the door.
The old version of me would have turned around.
The daughter who wanted to protect her mother.
The daughter who believed every excuse.
But that version of me had crossed an ocean thinking she was coming home.
She had disappeared somewhere between a wet towel and a locked drawer.
“I don’t know who to believe anymore,” I said quietly.
My mother’s eyes filled with tears.
“I know.””
That answer surprised me.
She didn’t argue.
She didn’t defend herself.
She just looked tired.
“I know I did wrong.””
I looked at her.
“Then tell me everything.””
She swallowed.
“I will.””
“Now.””
She closed her eyes.
“Not here.””
I frowned.
“Why?””
“Because Ryan is still inside this house.””
My stomach tightened.
“Where is he?””
“He left.””
“When?””
“After you found the letter.””
I looked around.
“He left without saying anything?””
My mother nodded.
“That’s not like him.””
“No.””
Her voice was barely a whisper.
“It isn’t.””
I drove to Mr. Bennett’s office.
The entire way, my father’s words repeated in my head.
*The person you should fear is not the one who signs the papers. It is the one who convinces others to sign them.*
When I arrived, Mr. Bennett was already waiting.
“You found out,” he said.
I walked inside.
“My mother signed the papers.””
His expression changed.
“Yes.””
I stared at him.
“You knew.””
“I knew she had signed some documents.””
“And you didn’t tell me?””
“Your father asked me not to.””
I laughed.
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
Mr. Bennett removed his glasses.
“Jessica, your father was trying to protect your mother from herself.””
I sat down.
“What does that mean?””
“It means he knew Linda was being manipulated.””
“But she still did it.””
“Yes.””
The honesty hurt.
“She trusted the wrong person.””
I looked down.
“That doesn’t explain why someone called and said she killed my father.””
Mr. Bennett became very still.
“Who called?””
“I don’t know.””
“Male or female?””
“Male.””
He leaned back.
“Did he say anything else?””
“He said not to trust my mother.””
Mr. Bennett looked troubled.
“Jessica, there is something you need to understand.””
I waited.
“Your father’s death was originally ruled natural.””
“I know.””
“But three months later, new information appeared.””
I sat up.
“What information?””
He opened a file.
“Your father’s medical records.””
I looked at the pages.
“What am I seeing?””
“His medication.””
I frowned.
“He was sick.””
“Yes.””
“Heart condition.””
“Yes.””
“Then what?””
Mr. Bennett pointed to a highlighted section.
“His dosage was changed.””
My hands went cold.
“Changed by who?””
He looked at me.
“That is what we never proved.””
I stared.
“Ryan?””
“Possibly.””
“But you said you didn’t know.””
“I don’t.””
He closed the folder.
“But your father suspected.””
I remembered the letter.
The fear.
The warnings.
“Why didn’t anyone investigate?””
“Because your mother refused.””
I froze.
“What?””
“She told authorities it was a mistake.””
My chest tightened.
“Why?””
Mr. Bennett looked away.
“Because she was afraid.””
“Of Ryan?””
“Yes.””
I stood.
“I need to talk to her.””
When I returned home, the lights were off.
My mother’s car was in the driveway.
But the front door was unlocked.
“Mom?””
No answer.
I walked inside.
The house felt wrong.
Not quiet.
Empty.
Like someone had left in a hurry.
Then I saw it.
A broken picture frame on the floor.
My father’s photo.
The glass was shattered.
“Mom?””
I ran upstairs.
Her bedroom door was open.
The closet was empty.
Almost.
On the bed was a note.
My hands shook as I picked it up.
*Jessica, I’m sorry. I should have told you everything. I’m going to fix this before he hurts anyone else.*
I read the last line again.
*Don’t look for me.*
My heart raced.
Because I knew my mother.
She would never leave like this.
Not without saying goodbye.
I grabbed my phone.
Before I could call anyone, it rang.
Unknown number.
I answered immediately.
“Where is my mother?””
A pause.
Then Ryan’s voice.
“Jessica.””
My blood turned cold.
“Where is she?””
“You need to stop digging.””
“Where is she?””
“You don’t understand what you’re doing.””
“I asked where she is.””
His voice became quieter.
“You’re making the same mistake your father made.””
I froze.
“What does that mean?””
Then he said:
“Your father thought he could expose me.””
A pause.
“He was wrong.””
The call ended.
And for the first time, I realized something terrifying.
Ryan wasn’t running from the truth.
May you like
He was confident.
Because he believed he still had control.
