Chapter 12: The Missing Pages

I ran my fingers over the torn edges of the journal.

Carefully.

Almost like the missing pages could somehow return if I touched them gently enough.

They couldn’t.

Someone had ripped them out.

Not by accident.

Not because they were old.

Someone had wanted those words gone.

My mother stood beside me.

“I don’t know anything about those pages.””

I looked at her.

The old me would have believed her immediately.

The old me would have searched for reasons to defend her.

But that person disappeared somewhere between the hospital room and the wedding aisle.

“How convenient.””

My mother flinched.

The reaction hurt me.

Because I knew I had changed.

But I didn’t know if I should apologize.

Not this time.

“What did Grandma tell you?”” I asked.

My mother sat down.

“She said the truth would come out when you were ready.””

I laughed softly.

“Was I ever ready?””

She looked down.

“No.””

I closed the journal.

“Who knew?””

My mother hesitated.

Then she whispered:

“Your father.””

My heart sank.

“Of course.””

“He knew your grandmother was keeping records.””

“Records?””

My mother nodded.

“She collected everything.””

“Why?””

“Because she didn’t trust us.””

That sentence was painful.

But understandable.

I looked at the journal again.

My grandmother knew.

She saw what everyone else ignored.

She saw a child being sacrificed to protect another child.

My phone rang.

I looked at the screen.

Unknown number.

I answered.

“Hello?””

A man’s voice spoke.

“Lily?””

I froze.

“Who is this?””

A pause.

Then:

“My name is Michael.””

I didn’t recognize the name.

“I found something that belongs to you.””

My eyebrows tightened.

“What?””

“Your grandmother gave it to me before she died.””

My heart started beating faster.

“How did you know my number?””

“She left instructions.””

I stood.

“What instructions?””

The man’s voice lowered.

“She told me to contact you only when you discovered the truth about the fire.””

I looked at my mother.

She looked terrified.

“What is it?”” I asked.

A long silence.

Then he said:

“The missing pages from your grandmother’s journal.””

My entire body went still.

“You have them?””

“Yes.””

“Why?””

“Because your grandmother knew someone would try to destroy them.””

I gripped the phone.

“Who?””

The man hesitated.

Then answered:

“Someone in your immediate family.””

My mother covered her mouth.

I walked away from her.

“Where are you?””

“I can meet you tomorrow.””

“No.””

My voice was firm.

“Tonight.””

Another pause.

“Lily, are you sure?””

I looked at the journal.

At my scars.

At everything I had lost.

“Yes.””

“I’ll send you the location.””

The call ended.

For several seconds, nobody spoke.

Then my mother whispered:

“Please be careful.””

I looked at her.

“Why?””

She looked terrified.

“Because if those pages say what I think they say…”

I waited.

She swallowed.

“…then the person who caused the fire was not the only person who betrayed you.””

My blood ran cold.

“What does that mean?””

She looked at the floor.

“I think your grandmother discovered who really wanted that fire to happen.””

The room went silent.

My phone buzzed.

A location appeared.

And beneath it was one message.

From Michael.

“Come alone. Your grandmother wanted you to hear this without anyone else controlling the story.””

I stared at the screen.

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