Chapter 8: The Secret Behind The Locked Door
Three days later, Marcus made a decision.
He needed answers from someone who had been there.
Someone who had seen what happened when he wasn’t home.
He called Elena’s sister, Rachel.
They had not spoken much since Elena’s death.
Not because of anger.
Life had simply moved forward.
But now Marcus needed the truth.
When Rachel arrived, she hugged him tightly.
Then she saw Nia.
And her expression changed.
“Oh, sweetheart.””
Nia smiled.
“Hi, Aunt Rachel.””
Rachel looked at Marcus.
“You finally know?””
Marcus felt a chill.
“Know what?””
Rachel became quiet.
“You really didn’t know.””
The words hurt.
“What should I have known?””
Rachel looked at Nia.
“Maybe we should talk privately.””
“No.””
Marcus shook his head.
“Nia stays.””
Rachel nodded.
“Okay.””
They sat in the living room.
Rachel took a deep breath.
“After Elena died, everyone was worried about you.””
Marcus looked down.
“I know.””
“No. You don’t.””
She looked at him.
“You disappeared into grief.””
He didn’t argue.
Because it was true.
“You were trying to survive,” Rachel continued.
“And Vanessa stepped in.””
Marcus nodded.
“She helped.””
Rachel’s expression was complicated.
“She appeared to.””
That word bothered him.
“Explain.””
Rachel looked at Nia.
“I visited several times.””
“And?””
“She always made sure Vanessa was nearby.””
Marcus frowned.
“Why?””
“Because Nia seemed afraid to speak.””
Nia looked down.
Rachel noticed.
“I never understood it.””
Marcus’s jaw tightened.
“What happened during those visits?””
Rachel hesitated.
“One time, Nia asked me if she could keep a picture of Elena.””
Marcus waited.
“What did Vanessa say?””
“She told Nia that constantly looking at old pictures was unhealthy.””
Marcus closed his eyes.
Another piece.
Another moment he missed.
Rachel continued.
“She told me she wanted Nia to move on.””
Marcus looked at Vanessa.
But she wasn’t there.
For once, she wasn’t able to interrupt.
“What else?””
Rachel sighed.
“There was one thing that always bothered me.””
“What?””
“Your house.””
Marcus frowned.
“What about it?””
“After Elena died, Nia’s room had pictures everywhere.””
He remembered.
“Yes.””
“Then months later, they were gone.””
Marcus looked at the floor.
“I thought you removed them.””
Rachel looked shocked.
“Why would I?””
That question hurt.
Because Marcus had assumed.
He had filled in the blanks with explanations that made life easier.
Rachel leaned forward.
“Marcus, Elena loved that room.””
His voice became quiet.
“I know.””
“She spent weeks decorating it.””
“I know.””
“She told me she wanted Nia to always have a place where she felt safe.””
Marcus looked toward the hallway.
Because suddenly he realized.
Nia’s room had changed.
Not slowly.
Completely.
Elena’s touch had disappeared.
And he had allowed it.
That evening, Marcus walked toward Vanessa’s office.
The door was locked.
He stopped.
Vanessa had never locked that room before.
He tried the handle.
Nothing.
“Nia?””
She appeared behind him.
“Dad?””
“Do you know what’s in there?””
She looked uncomfortable.
“No.””
“Has it always been locked?””
She nodded.
“Since Mom’s things disappeared.””
Marcus felt a wave of anger.
Not because of the locked door.
Because of what it represented.
Secrets.
He waited until Vanessa left for errands.
Then he called a locksmith.
When the door opened, Marcus expected paperwork.
Instead, he found boxes.
More boxes.
Inside were items he had never seen.
Nia’s old drawings.
Elena’s journals.
School awards.
Birthday decorations.
A childhood blanket.
Everything Vanessa had removed.
Everything she had hidden.
Then Marcus found a small notebook.
It wasn’t Elena’s.
It was Vanessa’s.
He opened it.
The first page had a title.
“Family Reset.””
The entries were dated.
Marcus read.
Need to stop Nia from depending so much on old memories.
Another page.
Marcus needs to focus on our family now.
Another.
She needs to understand Elena is gone.
Marcus stopped.
Then he saw the sentence that made his hands shake.
If Nia had less connection to Elena, maybe she would accept me.
Marcus closed the notebook.
Because now he knew.
May you like
Vanessa had not accidentally hurt Nia.
She had been trying to replace someone who could never be replaced.
