Chapter 4: The Number My Father Feared
Dad stared at my phone as if the message had come from someone standing behind him.
For nearly ten seconds, he didn't speak.
Then he reached for the phone.
"Give me that.""
I pulled it away.
"Who sent it?""
"Nia, please.""
"Who is it?""
His jaw tightened.
"Someone you don't need to get involved with.""
I laughed bitterly.
"That's what everyone keeps telling me. Meanwhile, people are selling my mother's belongings, destroying her letters, and changing the ownership of our house. I think I'm already involved.""
Rebecca stood near the kitchen doorway.
She had stopped pretending to cry.
Her eyes were fixed on the phone.
"Marcus, delete that message.""
Dad slowly turned toward her.
"Why?""
"Because whoever sent it is trying to cause trouble.""
"How do you know?""
She looked away.
That was when I noticed something.
Her right hand was shaking.
Dad walked toward the living room, taking his phone with him.
I followed.
"You're not leaving me out of this.""
He stopped beside the fireplace.
Then he finally said the name.
"Daniel.""
I frowned.
"Who is Daniel?""
"Your mother's younger brother.""
I had seen him only twice in my life.
The last time was at Mom's funeral.
He had stood near the back of the church, wearing a dark suit, refusing to look at Dad.
After the funeral, he disappeared from our lives.
I remembered asking Mom about him once.
She had smiled sadly and told me that Daniel was stubborn but loved her more than anyone.
"What does Uncle Daniel have to do with the house?""
Dad rubbed his face.
"Your mother and Daniel had a disagreement before she died.""
"About what?""
"Money. The property. Her inheritance.""
Rebecca suddenly appeared behind us.
"Your father doesn't need to explain family arguments that happened years ago.""
I turned.
"Why are you so interested in stopping him from talking?""
"Because you're upset, and he's making things worse.""
Dad looked at her.
"No. I'm finally making things right.""
He dialed the number.
The call connected after three rings.
"Marcus?""
A man's voice came through.
Dad closed his eyes.
"Daniel.""
There was a long silence.
Then my uncle spoke again.
"Is Nia there?""
Dad glanced at me.
"Yes.""
"Put me on speaker.""
Dad did.
My uncle's voice filled the room.
"Nia, sweetheart, are you safe?""
The question confused me.
"Yes. Why wouldn't I be?""
"Because your stepmother called me last week.""
Rebecca went rigid.
Dad's eyes narrowed.
"What did she want?""
Daniel paused.
"She wanted to know whether I still had the original deed to the house.""
I looked at Dad.
"Original deed?""
My uncle continued.
"She said she was helping Marcus organize the estate documents. Then she asked whether I had any paperwork signed by your mother.""
Rebecca interrupted.
"That's a lie.""
Daniel laughed without humor.
"Hello, Rebecca. I was wondering how long it would take you to start shouting.""
Dad stepped closer to the phone.
"What happened the night Sarah died?""
The silence that followed was different.
Heavier.
My uncle took a breath.
"Marcus, I told you years ago that you needed to tell Nia the truth.""
My stomach tightened.
"What truth?""
Dad looked at the floor.
Daniel continued.
"Your mother didn't leave the house to you through a simple inheritance. She arranged a trust with me as the temporary custodian. The property was supposed to be transferred into your name when you turned eighteen.""
"Then why didn't it happen?""
"Because the original deed disappeared.""
I stared at Dad.
"How?""
Daniel answered before he could.
"Your father had it the night your mother died.""
Dad's face tightened.
"That's not the whole story.""
"Then tell her.""
Dad remained silent.
I stepped toward him.
"What happened?""
He sat down heavily.
"Your mother was very sick. The hospital called me that night because her condition had suddenly worsened. I left the house in a hurry.""
"Okay.""
"I took the documents because I was supposed to meet Daniel the following morning. Your mother wanted us to finalize the trust.""
"What happened to them?""
Dad looked at me.
"I left the folder in the truck.""
"And?""
"When I came back the next morning, the folder was gone.""
I felt cold.
"Did you report it?""
"I thought I had misplaced it. Daniel believed I had handed it to him. We argued. Your mother died before we could settle everything.""
My uncle's voice returned.
"I never received those documents, Nia. I searched for them for months.""
Rebecca folded her arms.
"Convenient story.""
Daniel ignored her.
"There's something else. Sarah called me two days before she died. She said someone in the house had been asking questions about the property.""
Dad stood.
"Who?""
"I don't know. She wouldn't say over the phone. But she sounded frightened.""
I looked toward Rebecca.
She was staring at the staircase.
"Did Mom tell you anything else?"" I asked.
Daniel hesitated.
"Yes. She said if anything happened to the original deed, there was a second set of instructions hidden somewhere only you would know.""
I looked at the wooden box.
"Inside the box?""
"No. She told me the hiding place was connected to something she gave you when you were little.""
I tried to remember.
A stuffed rabbit.
A music box.
The necklace.
Then I remembered.
My mother had given me a small brass key when I was seven.
She told me it was a key to a secret place, but I had never found the lock.
I still kept it in my desk drawer.
"I have something," I whispered.
Dad looked at me.
"What?""
"The little brass key Mom gave me.""
Daniel became silent.
Then he said something that made my blood run cold.
"Don't let Rebecca see it.""
I turned.
Rebecca was already walking toward the stairs.
"Where are you going?"" Dad demanded.
She stopped.
"Upstairs.""
"Why?""
"Because I have a headache.""
Dad stepped in front of her.
"Nobody leaves this room until we understand what's happening.""
Rebecca's expression hardened.
"You cannot keep treating me like a criminal.""
"Then stop behaving like one.""
Her eyes moved to me.
For a brief moment, I saw something I had never seen before.
Not anger.
Fear.
And then she said quietly:
"You should ask your uncle why he disappeared after your mother's funeral.""
The call disconnected.
I looked at Dad.
He looked exhausted.
My phone vibrated again.
This time, the message contained a photograph.
It showed my childhood bedroom.
May you like
The desk drawer was open.
And the little brass key was gone.
