Chapter 8: The Man Emma Never Talked About
The name on the document felt impossible.
Richard Hayes.
Emma’s father.
A man I had never met.
A man whose name Emma never mentioned.
Not once.
I looked at my mother.
“Why is her father involved?””
Nobody answered.
Daniel looked uncomfortable.
Claire looked confused.
And that scared me.
Because Claire had searched for secrets.
But even she didn’t know this one.
I picked up the document.
It was a custody agreement.
A backup guardianship plan.
Emma had listed her father as someone who should be contacted if anything happened to me.
I felt a strange mix of emotions.
Confusion.
Anger.
Betrayal.
“Why didn’t Emma tell me about him?””
Daniel looked away.
“Because she was ashamed.””
“Of what?””
He didn’t answer.
My mother did.
“Richard abandoned her.””
The words came quietly.
I looked at her.
“What?””
“When Emma was twelve, he left.””
I stared at the paper.
“Then why would she put him here?””
My mother sighed.
“Because people can change.””
That sentence bothered me.
Because Emma was not someone who forgave easily.
Not when it came to Lily.
Not when it came to protecting our family.
I turned toward Daniel.
“What else do you know?””
He rubbed his face.
“A lot.””
“Then start talking.””
Daniel looked at Lily.
“Not in front of her.””
I nodded.
My mother took Lily outside with her.
For the first time, Daniel and I were alone.
“Emma contacted Richard six months before she died.””
I felt like I had been hit.
“Why?””
“She thought someone was trying to access Lily’s trust.””
“Who?””
Daniel looked at me.
“That’s the problem.””
“Daniel.””
“She didn’t know.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“She suspected everyone.””
The words hurt.
Because they sounded exactly like the person Emma became near the end.
Always watching.
Always worried.
Always afraid.
“She asked me to help her investigate,” Daniel continued.
“Why you?””
“Because I wasn’t close to you.””
I almost laughed.
“You’re my brother.””
“Exactly.””
He looked at me.
“And Emma knew I loved you, but she also knew I wasn’t dependent on you.””
That made no sense.
Then he continued.
“Mark, when you were in the hospital with Lily after Emma collapsed, someone accessed her financial records.””
My blood went cold.
“What?””
“Someone tried to move money.””
“Did they succeed?””
“No.””
“Why?””
“Because Emma had already changed everything.””
I looked down.
The trust.
The documents.
The hidden notes.
Everything suddenly connected.
Emma wasn’t hiding things because she didn’t trust me.
She was preparing for a battle.
A battle she knew she might not survive.
“Then why did Claire have the locket?””
Daniel was silent.
Finally, he said:
“Because she found something before any of us did.””
“What?””
“The reason Emma was investigating.””
I stared at him.
“What reason?””
Daniel looked toward the door.
“Your new wife wasn’t searching for Emma’s money.””
“Then what was she searching for?””
He hesitated.
“She was searching for proof that Emma had a secret child.””
The words were so absurd that I almost laughed.
Almost.
“What?””
Daniel nodded.
“I thought it was impossible too.””
“No.””
“Mark—”
“No.””
I stepped back.
“Emma had Lily.””
“I know.””
“She would have told me.””
“I know.””
“Then why?””
Daniel reached into his pocket.
He pulled out a photograph.
A photograph I had never seen.
It showed Emma.
Pregnant.
Standing beside a man.
A man I recognized.
But not from my memories.
From somewhere else.
My face went numb.
Because the man standing beside my late wife was not me.
May you like
Daniel whispered:
“That’s why Claire was searching Lily’s room.””
