Chapter 6: My Father's Secret
The ride home was silent.
That never happened with my father.
Usually he asked about my classes.
Or my lunch.
Or whether I wanted music.
This time, nothing.
Finally, I couldn't stand it.
"Why was your name in that complaint?""
His hands tightened on the steering wheel.
"I don't know.""
"You're lying.""
The car became quiet again.
I immediately regretted saying it.
Then my father surprised me.
"You're right.""
I turned toward his voice.
"Why?""
"Because I don't know how to explain it without frightening you.""
"I'm already frightened.""
He exhaled.
"Then you deserve the truth.""
We reached home twenty minutes later.
Instead of going upstairs, he led me into his study.
I had been inside hundreds of times.
It smelled like leather, coffee, and the cedarwood cologne he always wore.
He closed the door.
"Sit down.""
I did.
He remained standing.
"Before you were born, I made enemies.""
"I know.""
"You know rumors.""
His voice was heavy.
"You don't know everything.""
I gripped my cane.
"Are the rumors true?""
"Some.""
That answer frightened me.
My father knelt beside my chair.
"Emily, I have done things I am not proud of.""
I said nothing.
"I spent years convincing myself they were necessary.""
"For what?""
"Survival. Power. Family.""
He paused.
"Sometimes those words become excuses.""
I'd never heard him speak like that.
"Did you hurt people?""
He didn't lie.
"Yes.""
My throat tightened.
"Do you still?""
"No.""
"Why should I believe you?""
He became silent.
Then he answered,
"Because you shouldn't believe something merely because I'm your father.""
That wasn't the answer I expected.
"Judge me by what I do.""
Before I could respond, someone knocked.
Elena entered.
"We found the anonymous parent.""
My father stood.
"Who?""
"A woman named Rebecca Hayes.""
I didn't recognize the name.
My father did.
"Hayes?""
Elena nodded.
"Her son attended Bellmont three years ago.""
"What happened?""
"He left suddenly during his sophomore year.""
"Why?""
Elena hesitated.
"Officially? Family relocation.""
"And unofficially?""
"Bullying.""
I leaned forward.
"Was it the challenge?""
Elena looked at me.
"We believe so.""
My father asked, "Where is Rebecca?""
"On her way here.""
An hour later, a woman sat across from us.
Rebecca Hayes sounded exhausted.
"I'm sorry," she told me.
"For what?""
"For staying quiet.""
My father spoke gently.
"Tell us what happened.""
Rebecca took a breath.
"My son Ethan was fifteen.""
She paused.
"He had a stutter.""
My stomach tightened.
"They targeted him because of it.""
She described videos recorded secretly in classrooms.
Students deliberately making Ethan read aloud.
People interrupting him.
Laughing when he struggled.
Then it escalated.
"They locked him in a storage room during a school fundraiser.""
I whispered, "Why?""
"For points.""
My father looked toward Elena.
"Was Mrs. Whitmore involved?""
Rebecca's answer came immediately.
"Yes.""
"How?""
"I confronted her.""
The room went silent.
"She was chair of the parent fundraising committee. Chloe's older brother attended Bellmont then.""
Rebecca's voice hardened.
"When I showed her screenshots, she told me exposing the scandal would damage every student at Bellmont.""
My father asked, "And my name?""
Rebecca hesitated.
"She used it.""
His voice changed.
"Explain.""
"She told me the Moretti Foundation was negotiating a major donation to the school.""
My father stood.
"I never authorized a donation.""
"I know that now.""
Rebecca continued.
"But she told me you wanted the complaints buried.""
I heard my father take one slow breath.
"She said that?""
"Yes.""
"Exact words.""
Rebecca's voice shook.
"She said, 'Vincent Moretti doesn't invest in damaged institutions. Keep quiet, and everyone survives.''"
My father's fist struck the desk.
Not hard.
But enough to make me jump.
He immediately noticed.
"Sorry, sweetheart.""
I nodded.
Rebecca continued.
"I believed her.""
My father sounded furious with himself now.
"Why didn't you contact me?""
"Would you have answered?""
That question silenced him.
Three years ago, Vincent Moretti was a different man.
Maybe Rebecca knew that.
Maybe everyone did.
She opened her bag.
"I kept something.""
"What?""
"A recording.""
My father became still.
"Of your conversation with Mrs. Whitmore?""
"Part of it.""
She placed something on the desk.
Elena took it.
A moment later, Mrs. Whitmore's recorded voice filled the room.
"You have two choices, Rebecca. Protect your son quietly, or make enemies you cannot afford.""
Rebecca's recorded voice trembled.
"Are you threatening me?""
Then Mrs. Whitmore laughed.
"No.""
A pause.
"I'm explaining how Bellmont works.""
The recording stopped.
My father looked toward Elena.
"Make copies.""
Rebecca interrupted.
"There's another file.""
"What file?""
She swallowed.
"The one Ethan found before we pulled him from Bellmont.""
My father sat down again.
"What did he find?""
Rebecca's next words made every hair on my arms rise.
"A list of targets.""
I gripped my cane.
"From three years ago?""
"No, Emily.""
Rebecca turned toward me.
"The document had future names too.""
I felt cold.
My father asked the question I couldn't.
"Was Emily's name on it?""
Rebecca didn't answer immediately.
Then she whispered,
"Yes.""
My father's chair scraped violently backward.
"That's impossible.""
Rebecca began crying.
"I know.""
"Emily wasn't enrolled here.""
"I know.""
"She was nine years old.""
"I know.""
My father stepped closer.
"Then why was my daughter's name on that list three years before she ever entered Bellmont Academy?""
Rebecca's voice broke.
"That's what I've been trying to tell you.""
She reached into her bag again.
"When Ethan found the list, Emily wasn't identified as a student.""
My father went completely still.
"How was she identified?""
Rebecca unfolded the old copy.
May you like
Then she read the line aloud.
"Emily Moretti. Vincent Moretti's daughter. Priority target.""
