Chapter 13: The Last Lie My Mother Told Me
For several seconds, nobody moved.
The abandoned Sterling property felt colder than before.
Not because of the broken windows.
Not because of the darkness.
Because every person in that room was carrying a different version of the truth.
And somehow, every version had my name attached to it.
I stared at Marcus.
“My mother killed Adrian Vale?””
The words felt impossible.
Marcus did not look away.
“Yes.””
Daniel immediately stepped forward.
“That’s a lie.””
Marcus looked at him.
“You don’t know that.””
“I know my wife’s mother.””
Marcus gave a humorless smile.
“Do you?””
The question hit harder than I expected.
Because that was the problem.
Nobody knew anyone.
Not completely.
Not in this family.
I turned toward my mother’s old life.
The woman who raised me.
The woman who taught me kindness.
The woman who told me secrets were dangerous.
And now I was surrounded by secrets she had created.
“Explain.””
My voice was calm.
Too calm.
Everyone looked at me.
I looked at Marcus.
“You came here because you wanted me to find the truth.””
“Yes.””
“Then explain.””
Marcus nodded.
“Adrian discovered someone was stealing from Sterling Holdings.””
I knew that part.
“He believed Richard was involved.””
Richard immediately reacted.
“That’s not true.””
Marcus ignored him.
“But Adrian was wrong.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“Richard wasn’t the person stealing.””
The room became silent.
“Then who was?””
Marcus looked at Eleanor.
Her face changed.
Only slightly.
But enough.
Daniel noticed.
“No.””
Eleanor’s eyes hardened.
“Don’t.””
Marcus continued.
“Margaret Vale.””
My heart stopped.
“The woman in the photograph?””
“Yes.””
Daniel looked confused.
“But she was Eleanor’s mother.””
Marcus nodded.
“She was.””
I looked between them.
“So Margaret was stealing from the company?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Marcus sighed.
“Because she believed the company belonged to her.””
“That doesn’t make sense.””
“It does if you know the history.””
He looked at me.
“Margaret invested everything into Sterling Holdings. But when the company became successful, she believed Adrian and Richard betrayed her.””
“So she took money.””
“Yes.””
“And my mother?””
Marcus’s expression changed.
“Your mother found out.””
I felt a chill.
“She knew?””
“Yes.””
Marcus looked at me.
“Claire Bennett was the only person Adrian trusted.””
I closed my eyes.
Another piece.
Another hidden truth.
“So why did everyone say she was involved?””
“Because Margaret needed someone to blame.””
I looked at Eleanor.
“You knew.””
Eleanor said nothing.
That was enough.
Daniel stared at his mother.
“Mom…”
Eleanor finally spoke.
“I was protecting my family.””
Daniel laughed quietly.
A painful sound.
“Again?””
Her expression softened.
“I lost everything because of Adrian.””
“No.””
Daniel shook his head.
“You lost everything because you chose revenge.””
The words clearly hurt her.
But she didn’t deny them.
I looked at Marcus.
“What happened the night Adrian died?””
Nobody answered.
Then Richard spoke.
“I know.””
Everyone turned.
Richard looked older than ever.
“I was there.””
My heart tightened.
“You were?””
“Yes.””
Daniel looked shocked.
“Dad?””
Richard closed his eyes.
“Adrian called me that night.””
“Why?””
“He wanted to confront Margaret.””
“About the theft?””
“Yes.””
Richard’s voice became quiet.
“But when I arrived…”
He stopped.
“What?””
Richard swallowed.
“Adrian was already dying.””
The room went silent.
“Who was there?””
Richard looked at me.
“Your mother.””
My body went cold.
“No.””
“She was holding him.””
“That doesn’t mean she killed him.””
Richard nodded.
“I know.””
I stared at him.
“Then why hide this?””
His face broke.
“Because I loved her.””
The answer stunned everyone.
“Your mother.””
Richard looked at me.
“Yes.””
A terrible silence followed.
“You loved my mother?””
“Yes.””
Daniel looked devastated.
His entire family tree had become a battlefield.
Richard continued.
“I believed Claire was innocent.””
“Then why did you let everyone believe otherwise?””
“Because Margaret threatened her.””
I looked at Eleanor.
Eleanor looked away.
The truth finally became clear.
Not one villain.
Not one victim.
A chain of fear.
A chain of choices.
And everyone had kept adding another link.
“My mother didn’t kill Adrian.””
Richard shook his head.
“No.””
“Then who did?””
Nobody spoke.
Until Eleanor whispered:
“I did.””
The room froze.
Daniel looked at his mother.
“What?””
Tears appeared in Eleanor’s eyes.
Not fake ones.
Real ones.
“I didn’t mean to.””
I stared at her.
“What did you do?””
She looked at the floor.
“I went there to confront Adrian.””
“Why?””
“Because I knew he planned to expose my mother.””
Her voice cracked.
“I wanted to stop him.””
“And?””
She closed her eyes.
“I pushed him.””
Silence.
A horrible, unbearable silence.
“He fell.””
Nobody breathed.
“I didn’t plan it.””
Eleanor looked at me.
“I just wanted him to listen.””
Daniel stepped backward.
“You killed him.””
“I made a mistake.””
“No.””
His voice shook.
“You made a choice.””
Eleanor started crying.
But I felt no satisfaction.
Because suddenly, everything made sense.
The stolen ring.
The accusations.
The threats.
She wasn’t protecting money.
She was protecting thirty years of guilt.
But then I noticed something.
Something important.
“You said you pushed him.””
Eleanor looked at me.
“Yes.””
“But Adrian was found dead because of a head injury.””
Her face changed.
“What?””
I stared.
“According to the original report, he died after falling down the stairs.””
Marcus looked confused.
“Yes.””
I looked at Eleanor.
“You said he fell.””
She nodded.
“Then why was there a second injury?””
Nobody spoke.
Because I knew.
Someone else had been there.
Someone had finished what Eleanor started.
The person who covered everything.
The person still hiding.
My phone suddenly rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A voice whispered:
“You’re finally close.””
My blood froze.
“Who is this?””
The voice laughed.
“You still don’t understand.””
The call ended.
I looked at Daniel.
“Someone else knows.””
And this time…
May you like
I knew we were not chasing the past anymore.
The past was chasing us.
