Chapter 9: The Name That Should Be Impossible
I stared at the photograph.
Again.
And again.
My brain refused to accept what my eyes were seeing.
A man standing behind the kitchen window.
A man with the same gray jacket.
The same posture.
The same shape of his face.
My father.
Impossible.
“Lily?””
Rachel’s voice sounded far away.
I looked up.
“What?””
“You’re shaking.””
I locked my phone.
“Who sent this?””
“I don’t know.””
“Did you know someone was watching the house?””
“No.””
I looked at her.
“Did you know my father?””
Rachel went completely still.
That was when I knew.
“Rachel.””
She looked down.
“Lily…”
“Answer me.””
She swallowed.
“Yes.””
The room became silent.
“You knew my father?””
“Yes.””
“How?””
Rachel sat down.
“I met him before I met you.””
My heart pounded.
“That’s impossible.””
“No.””
Her voice was barely a whisper.
“It’s just something nobody told you.””
I stepped back.
“My father died six years ago.””
“Yes.””
“Then how did you meet him?””
Rachel looked at me.
“Because he wasn’t who you thought he was.””
I felt anger rise through the fear.
“Don’t do this.””
“I’m telling the truth.””
“You’re saying my dead father was involved in this?””
“No.””
“Then what are you saying?””
Rachel closed her eyes.
“He had secrets.””
I wanted to scream.
Everyone had secrets.
Everyone.
My husband.
My sister.
Now my father.
“What kind of secrets?””
Rachel hesitated.
“He worked with medical companies.””
“So?””
“He knew people.””
“What people?””
Rachel looked at the photograph.
“The same people Mark eventually became involved with.””
I felt sick.
“You’re telling me this started before Mark?””
“Yes.””
The room felt smaller.
“How much do you know?””
“Not enough.””
“That’s not good enough.””
Rachel looked at me.
“Lily, your father spent years trying to stop people from using medical supplies illegally.””
I stared at her.
“And then?””
“He disappeared.””
“He died.””
“Yes.””
“But?””
She looked away.
“But some people believed he took something with him.””
“What?””
“I don’t know.””
My phone buzzed.
Another message.
This time from the same unknown number.
*Ask Rachel about the blue notebook.*
I showed her.
The color drained from her face.
“What is it?””
She didn’t answer.
“Rachel.””
“Where did you get that?””
“Who sent it?””
She stood.
“Lily, you need to leave.””
“No.””
“Please.””
“No more secrets.””
Her hands trembled.
“The blue notebook belonged to your father.””
My heart stopped.
“What notebook?””
“Before he died, he gave it to me.””
I stared.
“You had something belonging to my father for six years?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because he told me if anything happened to him, I should protect it.””
“From who?””
Rachel whispered:
“Everyone.””
I couldn’t move.
“Where is it?””
She didn’t answer.
“Where is the notebook?””
“Hidden.””
“Where?””
She looked at me.
“Somewhere Mark can’t find it.””
That sentence scared me more than anything.
Because it meant she believed Mark was dangerous.
But she also knew something else.
Something she still wasn’t telling me.
“Rachel.””
She looked at me.
“If Emma’s birthday wasn’t supposed to hurt her…”
I stepped closer.
“Then what was supposed to happen?””
Rachel’s eyes filled with tears.
“Mark planned to use the party to get someone’s attention.””
“Whose?””
“I don’t know.””
“Stop saying that.””
“I don’t know!””
She shouted.
Then immediately covered her mouth.
“I don’t know because Mark never trusted me with everything.””
I stared at her.
“But you trusted him.””
She looked broken.
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Her answer was barely audible.
“Because I loved him.””
The words hit harder than I expected.
I didn’t know if she meant my husband.
Or something else.
Before I could ask, the lights in the house flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then went out.
Rachel froze.
“What happened?””
I looked toward the window.
Outside, a car engine started.
Someone was leaving.
Rachel whispered:
“He found us.””
“Who?””
She grabbed my arm.
“Take Emma and leave.””
My blood went cold.
“How do you know Emma is in danger?””
Rachel looked at me.
Because of the fear in her eyes, I knew the answer before she spoke.
“Because the person who changed the plan…”
She swallowed.
“…was never trying to scare Mark.””
A shadow moved outside the window.
May you like
Then my phone received one final message.
*You’re looking for the wrong villain, Lily. Ask Mark who really ordered Emma’s birthday surprise.*
