Chapter 10: The Secret My Father Buried For Years
I stared at the papers in the investigator’s hands.
My father.
The name at the bottom of those documents belonged to the man who taught me how to ride a bike.
The man who stood beside me on my wedding day.
The man who held Maya the night she was born and whispered that she was the greatest gift our family had ever received.
My father.
Paying Emily.
My first thought was that there had to be another explanation.
There had to be.
Because the alternative meant that my entire family was built on lies.
“What are you saying?”” I asked.
The investigator looked at me carefully.
“We’re saying your father has been financially supporting Emily Carter while everyone believed she was dead.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
The word came out automatically.
“He wouldn’t.””
The investigator didn’t argue.
He simply placed the documents on the table.
“These transfers began shortly after Emily disappeared.””
I looked down.
The dates were real.
The amounts were real.
The account numbers were real.
My hands started trembling.
“Why?””
Nobody answered.
I looked at Claire.
She looked like she was about to collapse.
“You knew?””
She shook her head.
“No.””
“Claire.””
“I swear.””
I wanted to believe her.
But believing Claire had become dangerous.
Believing anyone had become dangerous.
The investigator turned to her.
“Mrs. Carter, did your mother ever mention Daniel’s father?””
Claire wiped her face.
“No.””
“Think carefully.””
She closed her eyes.
Then slowly opened them.
“She hated him.””
I frowned.
“My father?””
Claire nodded.
“She said he was the reason everything went wrong.””
“What does that mean?””
“I don’t know.””
The investigator looked at me.
“We need to speak with your father.””
I looked at the hospital room.
At Maya sleeping.
At my daughter, who had been carrying the weight of adults’ secrets.
“I need to understand something first.””
The investigator waited.
“Why would my father hide Emily?””
He didn’t answer immediately.
Because he didn’t know.
But I did.
Deep down, I knew.
There was another secret.
There was always another secret.
My father lived forty minutes away.
When I arrived at his house, he was sitting on the front porch.
Like he had been expecting me.
That was the first thing that scared me.
“Daniel.””
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
I stepped out of the car.
“Dad.””
He looked at my face.
Then sighed.
“You found out.””
My stomach dropped.
Not “What happened?””
Not “Why are you here?””
You found out.
“What did you do?””
He looked away.
“I was trying to protect someone.””
That sentence was becoming a nightmare.
Everyone used it.
Everyone hid behind it.
“Who?””
He didn’t answer.
I walked closer.
“Dad.””
He looked older suddenly.
“Telling you the truth is going to hurt.””
“Everything already hurts.””
He nodded.
Then he said:
“Your wife’s sister is alive because of me.””
The words landed like a punch.
“Why?””
“Because I found her.””
“Where?””
“After the accident.””
I froze.
“Accident?””
My father looked down.
“That’s what I thought it was.””
“Thought?””
He sighed.
“Until I learned the truth.””
My chest tightened.
“What truth?””
He looked at me.
“Your mother-in-law was involved.””
I stared.
“My mother-in-law?””
He nodded.
“She called me the night Emily disappeared.””
My blood ran cold.
“What did she say?””
“She said there had been a tragedy.””
“And?””
“She asked me to help.””
“Help with what?””
My father’s eyes filled with regret.
“Making sure nobody looked too closely.””
I stepped back.
“You helped cover it up?””
His silence answered.
I felt sick.
“Why?””
“Because of you.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Don’t say that.””
“It’s true.””
“No.””
“I thought I was protecting your life.””
“You protected a lie.””
He looked down.
“Yes.””
For the first time in years, I saw my father as something other than my father.
I saw him as a man who had made a terrible choice.
“Where is Emily?””
“I don’t know.””
“You paid her.””
“I helped her survive.””
“Where is she?””
He shook his head.
“She contacts me when she needs help.””
I stared.
“Then call her.””
“I can’t.””
“Why?””
“Because she told me not to.””
I stepped closer.
“Dad.””
His eyes met mine.
“She said if Claire ever found out she was alive, Maya would be in danger.””
My entire body went cold.
“Maya?””
He nodded.
“She wasn’t worried about herself.””
A silence passed.
“She was worried about your daughter.””
I thought about Maya.
Her fear.
The backpack.
The envelope.
The recordings.
Everything pointed to one thing.
Maya had known the truth long before I did.
“Why didn’t anyone tell me?””
My father looked away.
“Because we were afraid of what would happen if you knew.””
“What would happen?””
He whispered:
“You would choose Maya.””
The words made me angry.
Of course I would choose Maya.
She was my daughter.
But then I understood.
That was exactly why they hid it.
Because they knew.
They knew I would tear everything apart.
When I returned to the hospital, Claire was gone.
At first, I thought she was visiting Maya.
Then I saw the empty chair.
Her coat was missing.
My heart sank.
“Where is my wife?””
The nurse looked confused.
“She left about twenty minutes ago.””
“Did she say where?””
The nurse shook her head.
I immediately grabbed my phone.
No answer.
Again.
No answer.
Then a message appeared.
From Claire.
Daniel, I need to fix this before it destroys Maya.
I called.
Straight to voicemail.
Another message came.
I know you hate me. I understand. But please believe one thing. I never wanted her hurt.
I stared at the words.
Then another message.
Meet me at Grandma’s house.
I knew exactly what she meant.
May you like
The house where Emily fell.
The house where everything started.
