Chapter 4: The Person Who Knew Everything
The police took Marcus and Vanessa into separate rooms at the school while they gathered statements.
But I didn’t leave.
I couldn’t.
My entire life had become a puzzle, and every piece I picked up revealed something worse.
I sat backstage with my mother while paramedics checked her injuries.
The woman beside me looked older than she should have.
Three years of hiding.
Three years of surviving.
Three years without me.
I wanted to hug her.
I wanted to scream at her.
I wanted to ask why she didn’t fight harder to come home.
Instead, I whispered, “Why didn’t you tell me?””
My mother looked down.
“Because your father made sure you would never believe me.””
She touched the old scar near her wrist.
“He told me if I contacted you, he would make sure I never saw you again.””
My throat tightened.
“You should have tried.””
“I did.””
Her voice cracked.
“Every single day.””
She reached into her bag and pulled out a stack of photographs.
Pictures of me.
My school performances.
My soccer games.
My graduation announcement.
Things she should never have been able to see.
I stared at them.
“How did you get these?””
My mother looked away.
“Someone was helping me.””
“Who?””
Before she could answer, a voice interrupted us.
“Me.””
I turned.
A man stood at the entrance of the backstage room.
I didn’t recognize him.
He looked about fifty, wearing a plain jacket and holding a folder against his chest.
My mother immediately stood.
“You shouldn’t be here.””
The man looked nervous.
“I had to make sure she knew the truth.””
I stepped between them.
“Who are you?””
He looked at me.
“My name is Daniel Brooks.””
The name meant nothing.
Then he added:
“I was your father’s accountant.””
My stomach dropped.
“You worked for Marcus?””
He nodded.
“For twelve years.””
He opened the folder.
“And for twelve years, I watched him move money, hide evidence, and destroy anyone who got in his way.””
My mother looked at him.
“You said you destroyed the records.””
“I copied them first.””
He handed me several pages.
Bank transfers.
Insurance payments.
Private accounts.
Dates.
Names.
Everything connected.
I looked at one document.
Then another.
Then I saw a payment.
A large payment.
Sent three weeks before my mother’s accident.
The recipient name was hidden.
But the note was visible.
*Final arrangement.*
“Who received this?”” I asked.
Daniel hesitated.
My mother grabbed the paper.
“Daniel.””
He looked down.
“I didn’t want you to find out this way.””
My hands trembled.
“Find out what?””
Daniel swallowed.
“The person who helped Marcus plan your mother’s death…”
He looked at me.
“…was someone you trusted.””
A cold feeling moved through my body.
“Who?””
Nobody answered.
Then Daniel slowly pulled another photograph from the folder.
He placed it on the table.
The picture showed Marcus sitting in a restaurant.
Across from him was a person whose face I recognized instantly.
Someone who had hugged me.
Someone who had comforted me.
Someone who had stood beside me at my mother’s funeral.
I picked up the photo with shaking hands.
“No…”
My mother looked at me sadly.
“Lena.””
The room felt like it was spinning.
Because the person sitting across from my father wasn’t Vanessa.
It wasn’t a stranger.
May you like
It was the one person I never thought could betray me.
My own grandmother.
