Chapter 6: The Woman Who Knew Sophie
The next morning, the mansion felt like a completely different place.
The same walls.
The same furniture.
The same photographs.
But nothing felt familiar anymore.
Every hallway seemed to hold another secret.
Grandma remained in the hospital under observation, but I refused to leave until I understood what happened twenty-two years ago.
My mother sat across from me in the kitchen, staring at the untouched coffee in front of her.
She looked exhausted.
“Your father lied to me,” she finally said.
I looked up.
“What do you mean?””
She ran her fingers around the edge of the cup.
“When I married Richard, he told me Sophie died before we met.””
My chest tightened.
“He told you she was dead?””
She nodded.
“He said it was a tragedy from his childhood. He said his family never talked about it because it was too painful.””
I stared at her.
“So you never questioned it?””
She shook her head.
“Why would I? Your father was the person everyone trusted.””
That sentence stayed with me.
Because it was true.
Richard had always been respected.
Successful.
Charming.
The kind of person strangers immediately believed.
Then my phone rang.
I looked at the screen.
It was an unknown number.
I answered.
“Hello?””
For several seconds, there was only silence.
Then a woman spoke.
“Is this Lucas Whitmore?””
My heart jumped.
“Yes. Who is this?””
“My name is Clara Bennett.””
The name meant nothing to me.
But my mother suddenly looked up.
Her face changed.
“Clara?””
I covered the phone.
“You know her?””
My mother slowly stood.
“Put it on speaker.””
I did.
The woman’s voice continued.
“Your grandmother told me this day might come.””
I froze.
“How do you know my grandmother?””
A pause.
Then:
“Because I was there the night Sophie disappeared.””
The kitchen went silent.
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“What happened that night?””
Clara took a shaky breath.
“I was the housekeeper’s daughter. I was sixteen. I saw what happened, but nobody listened to me.””
My mother sat down slowly.
“What did you see?””
“I saw Richard carrying a suitcase toward the old guest house.””
My heart started pounding.
“A suitcase?””
“Yes.””
“What was inside?””
Another pause.
“I don’t know.””
Her voice became quieter.
“But I heard Sophie crying.””
Nobody spoke.
The world seemed to stop.
My mother covered her mouth.
“Why didn’t you tell anyone?””
“I tried.””
Clara sounded like she was fighting tears.
“Your grandmother knew. She believed me. But Richard convinced everyone I was lying. He said I was trying to create a scandal.””
I looked toward the hallway.
Toward Room 9.
“Why call me now?””
The answer came immediately.
“Because your grandmother asked me to wait until you found the room.””
My heart sank.
“She planned all of this?””
“Yes.””
Clara lowered her voice.
“And there is something else you need to know.””
I stood.
“What?””
“Your sister didn’t disappear from the guest house.””
A chill moved through me.
“Then where did she go?””
Silence.
Then Clara said:
“She was taken away because someone was afraid she would tell the truth.””
My mother grabbed my hand.
“Lucas…”
Clara continued.
“And if Richard knows you opened Room 9, he will try to find something before you do.””
“What?””
Her next words came softly.
“The evidence Sophie found twenty-two years ago.””
The call ended.
I stared at the phone.
Then I noticed something sitting on the kitchen counter.
Something that had not been there before.
A small envelope.
With my name written across the front.
Lucas.
My hands shook as I picked it up.
Because underneath my name was another message.
May you like
Written in handwriting I recognized.
Sophie’s.
