Chapter 7: The Call From the Man Who Was Supposed to Be Gone
The phone continued ringing.
No one moved.
It was as if the entire house had forgotten how to breathe.
Daniel stared at the screen.
The name burned into his mind.
*Marcus Hale.*
For two years, that name had meant nothing.
Now it felt like the missing piece of a nightmare he had unknowingly been living inside.
Sofia clung to his jacket.
"Daddy...""
He looked down.
Her face was pale.
She was afraid.
Not because of the ringing phone.
Because she knew something Daniel didn't.
Children always knew more than adults believed.
"Who is he?"" Daniel asked softly.
Nobody answered.
The phone kept ringing.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Renata finally moved.
"Don't answer it.""
Her voice was different.
Not angry.
Not controlling.
Afraid.
Daniel noticed.
And that fear told him everything.
He picked up the phone.
Renata stepped forward.
"Daniel, don't.""
He looked directly at her.
"Why?""
She stopped.
Because there was no good answer.
Because every answer led back to the same truth.
She knew something.
Daniel pressed the button.
"Hello?""
For several seconds, there was only silence.
Then a man's voice came through.
Older.
Rough.
Careful.
"Daniel Mercer?""
Daniel tightened his grip on the phone.
"Who is this?""
A quiet breath came through the speaker.
Then:
"I've been waiting a long time for you to ask that.""
Daniel looked around the room.
At Sofia.
At Dolores.
At Renata.
"How do you know my name?""
The man didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he said something that made Daniel's stomach drop.
"Because I knew your wife.""
Silence.
Daniel turned away from everyone.
"What do you want?""
"I want to tell you the truth.""
A bitter laugh escaped Daniel.
"People keep saying that.""
"I know.""
The voice became quieter.
"And that's why you shouldn't trust me easily.""
Daniel said nothing.
At least this man admitted it.
That made him more dangerous.
"What happened to my wife?""
Another pause.
Longer this time.
Then Marcus said:
"She found out what Renata was hiding.""
Daniel looked at Renata.
Her face had gone completely still.
"You're lying.""
"I expected you to say that.""
"Then why call?""
"Because she left something behind.""
Daniel glanced at the blue box.
"What?""
"Proof.""
The word hung in the air.
"Proof of what?""
Before Marcus could answer, Renata stepped closer.
"Give me the phone.""
Daniel looked at her.
"No.""
"Daniel, you don't understand.""
"No.""
His voice hardened.
"You've said that too many times.""
Marcus heard her.
"She's there, isn't she?""
Daniel froze.
"How do you know?""
"Because she always stays close to whatever she wants to control.""
Renata's expression changed.
"You don't know anything about me.""
Marcus laughed quietly.
"I know exactly who you are.""
The anger on Renata's face was immediate.
"Don't listen to him.""
Daniel ignored her.
"Where are you?""
The line went quiet.
Then Marcus answered:
"Not far.""
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
"What does that mean?""
"It means I can show you what happened.""
"Where?""
Marcus gave him an address.
Daniel wrote it down.
Then Marcus added:
"But bring your daughter.""
Daniel looked at Sofia.
"No.""
The answer came instantly.
Marcus was silent.
Then:
"She remembers more than you think.""
Daniel's heart sank.
"What does that mean?""
"It means the truth started the night your wife died.""
The call ended.
Daniel stood frozen.
The silence afterward felt heavier than the ringing.
Then Renata spoke.
"You cannot go.""
Daniel looked at her.
"Why?""
"Because he's dangerous.""
Daniel almost smiled.
The irony was impossible to ignore.
"You knew him.""
"No.""
"You knew about him.""
She said nothing.
"Didn't you?""
Renata looked away.
That was enough.
Daniel turned to Dolores.
"Take Sofia upstairs.""
Sofia immediately grabbed his hand.
"No.""
"Sweetheart.""
"No.""
Her voice shook.
"I don't want to be away from you.""
Daniel knelt.
He looked into her eyes.
"I know.""
"But every time people tell me to wait somewhere, something bad happens.""
The sentence broke him.
Because it was not the fear of a child.
It was the memory of one.
Daniel pulled her into his arms.
"I'm not leaving you.""
She whispered:
"You promise?""
"I promise.""
And for the first time in years, Daniel meant it.
Not as a comforting father.
As a man who had finally realized what he had almost lost.
The address Marcus gave him led to an abandoned warehouse outside the city.
Daniel arrived with Dolores and Sofia.
He didn't want Sofia there.
But after everything, he understood something.
Keeping her away from the truth had only made her more vulnerable.
The warehouse looked forgotten.
Broken windows.
Rusting metal.
A place where secrets could disappear.
Daniel stepped inside.
"Marcus?""
A figure emerged from the shadows.
Older than Daniel expected.
Tired.
Carrying the weight of years.
Marcus Hale stopped several feet away.
His eyes went directly to Sofia.
And the sadness in them surprised Daniel.
"I knew she would look like her.""
Daniel's expression hardened.
"Don't talk about my wife.""
Marcus nodded.
"You have every right to hate me.""
"Do I?""
The man looked down.
"Yes.""
That answer caught Daniel off guard.
Marcus reached into his coat.
Daniel immediately moved in front of Sofia.
But Marcus only pulled out a small envelope.
"Your wife gave this to me.""
Daniel stared.
"My wife knew you?""
"Yes.""
"Who are you?""
Marcus looked at the envelope.
"Someone who made a mistake.""
He handed it over.
Daniel didn't take it immediately.
"What mistake?""
Marcus swallowed.
"I trusted the wrong person.""
A cold wind moved through the broken windows.
Then Marcus said the words Daniel never expected.
"Renata didn't cause your wife's accident.""
Daniel exhaled.
Relief almost came.
Almost.
Then Marcus continued.
"But she knew it was going to happen.""
The world went silent.
Daniel stared at him.
"What?""
Marcus looked at Sofia.
"And your daughter saw the person who made it happen.""
Sofia froze.
"No...""
Daniel turned.
"Sofia?""
The little girl backed away.
"No, I don't want to remember.""
Daniel immediately knelt.
"You don't have to.""
But Marcus whispered:
"She already does.""
May you like
And Sofia began crying.
Because the memory she had buried for two years was finally trying to come back.
