Chapter 7: The Call From the Past
My fingers froze around the phone.
The screen kept glowing.
The name stayed there.
*Mom.*
For six years, that name had been nothing but a memory.
A contact I never deleted because some part of me couldn’t accept that I would never see it again.
Nobody in the room spoke.
Even Daniel looked confused.
Amanda stared at the phone like she had seen a ghost.
Michael slowly stood.
“Answer it.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
“Answer it.””
My heart was pounding.
“This isn’t possible.””
Michael’s eyes stayed fixed on the screen.
“I know.””
The phone continued ringing.
Finally, I pressed accept.
For a moment, there was only silence.
Then a woman’s voice came through.
“Ethan?””
I stopped breathing.
It was her.
Older.
Softer.
But unmistakably her.
“Mom?””
Everyone watched me.
The hallway disappeared.
The wedding disappeared.
For one impossible second, I was a child again, waiting for her to come home from work.
“Ethan, listen carefully,” she said.
My hand shook.
“Where are you?””
A pause.
Then she whispered:
“I don’t have much time.””
My chest tightened.
“What does that mean?””
“Your father was right. They know.””
I looked at Michael.
He immediately understood.
“Who knows?””
My mother ignored the question.
“Do not sign anything. Do not trust anyone who says they are protecting you.””
My eyes moved toward Amanda.
She looked down.
“Mom, you’re dead.””
Silence.
Then her voice became quieter.
“I know what you were told.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“What does that mean?””
Before she could answer, another voice interrupted.
A man.
“Martha, give me the phone.””
My blood ran cold.
My mother’s voice disappeared.
I stood frozen.
“Who is that?””
No answer.
Then the call ended.
I stared at the screen.
Nobody moved.
Finally, Michael spoke.
“Her name was Martha?””
I looked at him.
“You knew that.””
He shook his head.
“No.””
I turned toward Amanda.
“You knew my mother was alive.””
She looked horrified.
“No.””
“Then why did you react like that?””
Amanda looked away.
“I knew someone was using her name.””
The room went silent again.
I stepped closer.
“Explain.””
She swallowed.
“Daniel found information about your family before we met.””
Daniel immediately interrupted.
“That is not true.””
Amanda looked at him.
“You contacted me first.””
Daniel’s expression hardened.
“And you agreed.””
I looked between them.
Enough secrets.
Enough half-truths.
“I want everything.””
Nobody spoke.
I pointed at the phone.
“My mother is alive. Someone is using her name. There is a plan involving my house.
My daughter was targeted. I want the truth now.””
Michael opened his mouth.
Then stopped.
Finally, he said:
“Your father discovered something before he died.””
“What?””
“He discovered that the house wasn’t just a house.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
“It means your father built something underneath it.””
I stared at him.
“Under the house?””
Michael nodded.
“A private archive.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“Records. Documents. Evidence.””
“Evidence of what?””
Michael looked at the floor.
“Your grandfather’s business.””
I waited.
Nothing.
Then he continued.
“Your family built its wealth through a company that had a hidden ownership dispute.””
I shook my head.
“I don’t understand.””
“Someone lost control of that company decades ago.””
“And?””
Michael looked at Amanda.
“And that person believes your family stole it.””
Amanda whispered:
“They want revenge.””
The words hung in the air.
A revenge plan.
A fake relationship.
A wedding.
A house.
My daughter.
All connected.
Then the lights in the bridal suite flickered.
Everyone looked up.
Daniel immediately checked his phone.
“What is it?””
He didn’t answer.
“What?””
His face changed.
“They’re here.””
Michael stood.
“Who?””
Daniel looked at me.
“The people who were supposed to take the house after you signed the documents.””
My phone vibrated again.
A message appeared.
Not from my mother.
Not from Amanda.
From the unknown number.
*“You should have listened to her, Ethan.””*
Another message appeared seconds later.
*“Now you’ll find out why your father hid the truth.””*
I looked toward the hallway.
The wedding venue suddenly felt smaller.
Like the walls were closing in.
Then Sophie’s voice came from behind me.
“Daddy.””
I turned.
She was holding something.
A small wooden box.
My heart stopped.
“Where did you get that?””
She looked toward the bridal suite.
“A man gave it to me.””
Everyone froze.
“What man?””
May you like
Sophie pointed toward the door.
“The one who said he knew you.””
