Chapter 8: What My Mother Knew
I couldn't stop staring at Michael.
"My mother knew you?""
"Yes.""
"Before I met Daniel?""
"Yes.""
"She knew you were alive?""
"Yes.""
I looked at my father.
"And you?""
He nodded.
"Yes.""
I felt betrayed by ghosts.
My mother had spent years telling me my father had abandoned us.
My father had spent decades hiding.
Michael had existed somewhere in the middle of my life without me knowing.
And Daniel—
Daniel had known pieces of all of it.
"Why did she keep me away from you?""
Michael looked at Lily.
"Because your mother was afraid.""
"Of what?""
"Of your grandfather.""
I frowned.
"Daniel's father.""
"Yes.""
Michael sat down.
"He was obsessed with controlling the patent rights. When your mother discovered what he had done to my family, she tried to expose him.""
"What did he do?""
"He threatened her.""
My father interrupted.
"He threatened everyone.""
Michael nodded.
"Your mother realized she couldn't protect both you and herself.""
"So she sent me away?""
"No.""
He looked at me.
"She sent me toward Daniel.""
My heart stopped.
"What?""
Michael's voice softened.
"She believed Daniel was different from his father.""
Daniel looked at him.
"She was right.""
Michael shook his head.
"Not entirely.""
Daniel flinched.
I looked between them.
"Why me?""
Michael took a breath.
"Because your mother believed if you married Daniel, the Hayes family would stop hunting you.""
I laughed in disbelief.
"She thought marrying into the family would protect me from the family?""
"She thought Daniel could break the cycle.""
I looked at my husband.
"And did he?""
Michael's expression said everything.
Daniel sat down.
"I tried.""
I turned toward him.
"Did you love me?""
"Yes.""
"Then why did you betray me?""
His eyes filled.
"Because I was terrified.""
"Of what?""
"Of becoming my father.""
"You became him.""
He lowered his head.
"I know.""
The room was quiet.
Lily slept against my chest.
Michael looked at her.
"I didn't know she was mine until recently.""
"Why?""
"Because your mother made me promise never to contact you.""
"When did you break that promise?""
"After she died.""
"Then why didn't you come?""
"I tried.""
My father looked away.
Michael continued.
"Your father's enemies were still looking for you. Richard's people had money, lawyers, investigators. They monitored everyone connected to your mother.""
"Then how did you find me?""
He looked at Daniel.
"Because he found me first.""
I stared at Daniel.
"What did you do?""
Daniel swallowed.
"I went looking for Michael.""
"Why?""
"Because I found your mother's records.""
"And?""
"I realized my father had lied about him.""
"So you found my daughter's father.""
"I didn't know Lily was yours.""
"But you knew Michael was alive.""
"Yes.""
"How long?""
"Since before Lily was born.""
I felt sick.
"Then why didn't you tell me?""
"Because Michael was threatening to expose the trust.""
Michael shook his head.
"I wasn't threatening anything.""
"You were going to tell Mara.""
"She had a right to know.""
"I was trying to protect her.""
Michael laughed.
"You were trying to protect the money.""
Daniel stood.
"You don't know what I sacrificed.""
Michael stepped closer.
"You married her.""
Daniel froze.
"You slept beside her knowing your family had stolen her inheritance.""
"I loved her.""
"You used her.""
"I loved her.""
Michael's voice softened.
"Those things can both be true.""
Daniel looked away.
I felt tears running down my cheeks.
I hated that Michael was right.
Love didn't erase exploitation.
It made it worse.
Because it meant the person hurting you knew exactly where your heart was.
My phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
A photograph appeared.
Lily.
Sleeping in my arms.
Taken from inside the house.
I screamed.
Everyone froze.
Another message arrived.
*Bring the original trust documents to the old Hayes factory by midnight. Come alone.*
I looked around.
"Someone was inside.""
Michael took my phone.
"When was this taken?""
"Seconds ago.""
My father checked the windows.
Daniel moved upstairs.
I followed.
The nursery window was open.
The curtain moved in the night air.
On Lily's changing table sat a small black envelope.
Daniel picked it up.
I stopped him.
"Don't.""
Michael took a pair of gloves from his pocket.
He opened it.
Inside was a key.
And a note.
*Ask Daniel what happened on the night your mother died.*
I looked at my husband.
He went pale.
"What happened?""
"Nothing.""
Michael stared at him.
"Daniel.""
Daniel closed his eyes.
"I was there.""
My heart stopped.
"You were where?""
"At the hospital.""
"When my mother died?""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"I was nineteen.""
"You knew her?""
"Yes.""
I stared.
"How?""
"My father sent me.""
"To do what?""
Daniel looked at me.
"I was supposed to find the trust documents.""
I felt the floor disappear.
"You searched my mother's room while she was dying.""
"I didn't know she was dying.""
"Did you take anything?""
He didn't answer.
"Daniel.""
"I took a file.""
"What file?""
"The original trust.""
I stared at him.
"Where is it?""
He looked at Michael.
Michael whispered,
"Your father never destroyed it.""
I turned toward Daniel.
"You still have it.""
He nodded.
"Where?""
"In a safety deposit box.""
"Which bank?""
He hesitated.
Then my phone buzzed again.
Another message.
*Daniel knows where it is. Michael knows why it matters. Your father knows who killed Rebecca.*
I looked at Michael.
"What does that mean?""
He didn't answer.
My father did.
"Rebecca wasn't killed.""
I turned.
"Then what happened?""
My father looked at Daniel.
"She disappeared.""
Daniel's face went white.
My father continued.
"Three days ago, I learned where she is.""
I stared at him.
"Where?""
He took out his phone.
On the screen was a photograph of a woman sitting in a hospital bed.
Older.
Thin.
But unmistakably the woman from my mother's photograph.
Rebecca.
Alive.
I looked at Vanessa.
She had been silent near the doorway.
She covered her mouth.
"That's my mother.""
My father nodded.
"Yes.""
Vanessa began crying.
Then the front door slammed downstairs.
Michael grabbed my arm.
"Nobody move.""
Footsteps entered the house.
Slow.
Measured.
Someone walked through the living room.
Daniel whispered,
"How did they get inside?""
Michael looked at the key in his hand.
The same key we'd found upstairs.
His face changed.
"They didn't break in.""
"What?""
He stared at Daniel.
"Someone gave them a key.""
We heard footsteps climbing the stairs.
One step.
Then another.
Then a man's voice.
"Daniel?""
Daniel froze.
The voice came again.
"You promised me she would never find out.""
I looked at my husband.
"Who is that?""
Daniel didn't answer.
May you like
A shadow appeared beneath the bedroom door.
Then the handle began to turn.
