Chapter 6: The Person Emma Feared Most
For several seconds, nobody moved.
The phone was still against my ear.
The call had ended.
But Daniel’s words remained.
Your mother.
I looked at Evelyn.
The woman who raised me.
The woman who helped me survive after Emma died.
The woman who had held Lily every night when she cried for her mother.
“No,” I said.
My mother’s face changed.
Not anger.
Pain.
“Mark…”
“No.””
I stepped back.
“This is impossible.””
Claire watched silently.
And somehow, that scared me most.
Because she looked like someone who had been waiting for this moment.
My mother sat down.
“Your brother is lying.””
I wanted to believe her.
I desperately wanted to.
But then I remembered something.
The night Emma died, my mother had taken Emma’s personal things from the hospital.
She told me she was protecting them.
I never questioned it.
“Why did Daniel say that?””
My mother looked away.
“I don’t know.””
“That’s not an answer.””
She closed her eyes.
And for the first time in my life, I saw fear on my mother’s face.
“Because there are things about Emma’s final months that you don’t know.””
My chest tightened.
“What things?””
Before she could answer, Claire spoke.
“I think we all need to stop pretending.””
Everyone looked at her.
Claire walked to the table.
“You think I was searching Lily’s room because I wanted money.””
I said nothing.
“But I was trying to find the truth.””
She looked at the notebook.
“I found out Emma wrote down names.””
My eyes narrowed.
“Names of who?””
“People she didn’t trust.””
My mother immediately stood.
“Claire.””
“No.””
Claire’s voice became stronger.
“I’m done protecting everyone.””
She looked at me.
“I found pages missing from Emma’s notebook.””
My stomach dropped.
“What pages?””
“The pages with the names.””
My mother went pale.
I noticed.
And that was when something inside me shifted.
Because my mother wasn’t shocked.
She was afraid.
“Mom?””
She looked at me.
“Tell me the truth.””
She didn’t answer.
The silence lasted too long.
Then she whispered:
“Emma was scared.””
“Of who?””
My mother looked at the notebook.
“Of Daniel.””
I froze.
Claire looked surprised.
My mother continued.
“Your brother knew about Emma’s financial plans. He knew about Lily’s trust. He knew Emma was leaving everything for your daughter.””
“Why would that matter?””
My mother’s eyes filled with tears.
“Because Daniel believed he deserved part of it.””
I felt sick.
“No.””
“He was angry, Mark.””
My mother’s voice broke.
“He thought Emma came into our family and changed everything.””
I remembered Daniel complaining years ago.
Small comments.
Little jokes.
I ignored them.
Everyone did.
Then my mother reached into her bag.
She pulled out a folded piece of paper.
“I found this after Emma died.””
I took it.
It was a note.
Not from Emma.
From Daniel.
The handwriting was unmistakable.
You can’t keep everything from me forever.
That was all it said.
But underneath was a date.
Three days before Emma passed away.
My hands started shaking.
My mother whispered:
“I should have told you.””
I looked at her.
“Why didn’t you?””
She began crying.
“Because Emma made me promise.””
The room froze.
“What promise?””
My mother looked toward the hallway where Lily’s bedroom was.
“She told me to protect Lily from everyone.””
I stared at her.
“Everyone?””
My mother nodded.
Then she said the one thing I never expected.
“Even you.””
The words cut deeper than anything.
I stepped back.
“What does that mean?””
My mother looked at the notebook.
Then at me.
“She wasn’t afraid you would hurt Lily.””
A tear fell down her cheek.
“She was afraid you would trust the wrong person when you were grieving.””
My phone buzzed.
Another message.
Another unknown number.
I opened it.
A photograph appeared.
My blood ran cold.
It was Lily.
Standing outside the old family storage unit.
Holding Emma’s locket.
And behind her was Daniel.
May you like
The message underneath said:
*“Your daughter found what Emma hid. You’re already too late.””*
