Chapter 6: The Person Who Tried to Erase Me
Nobody moved.
Nobody even whispered.
Because suddenly the question wasn't whether my family had hurt me.
It was who had tried to erase the one thing they couldn't control.
My name.
My achievement.
My moment.
Silas looked around the room.
"I don't know who made the request yet.""
Everyone relaxed slightly.
Only slightly.
"But I know the request was made using information from someone connected to Jenna.""
My father's face tightened.
"Diane?""
My stepmother froze.
The reaction was instant.
Too instant.
I turned toward her.
"Why would you look at her?""
My father didn't answer.
Diane placed her glass down carefully.
"I don't appreciate being accused.""
Silas studied her.
"I didn't accuse anyone.""
The calmness in his voice made it worse.
"I simply stated a fact.""
Diane smiled.
The same smile she had worn all night.
The one that looked polite until you saw what was underneath.
"This is ridiculous.""
She turned toward the guests.
"Everyone is emotional. It's a wedding. Things are getting exaggerated.""
I watched her.
For years, I had wondered why Felicity learned to dismiss me so easily.
Standing there, watching Diane defend herself without once asking if I was okay, I finally understood.
She had been watching.
Learning.
My father rubbed his face.
"Diane, did you contact anyone?""
She looked offended.
"Robert, seriously?""
"Just answer.""
Her expression changed.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
She had.
Silas noticed too.
"I think we should continue this conversation somewhere private.""
"No.""
The word came from me.
Everyone looked at me.
I surprised myself too.
"No.""
I took a breath.
"I spent my entire life having private conversations where everyone decided what I was allowed to know.""
I looked at my family.
"I'm done with that.""
The room stayed quiet.
Because for the first time, I wasn't asking permission.
I wasn't apologizing.
I wasn't shrinking.
Silas gave me a small nod.
Like he understood exactly what this moment meant.
Diane crossed her arms.
"You really want to do this in front of all these people?""
I looked at her.
"I think you do.""
Her eyebrows lifted.
"What?""
"You've spent years telling everyone who I am.""
My voice grew steadier.
"Maybe everyone should hear the truth.""
My father looked uncomfortable.
But he didn't stop me.
That mattered.
Even if it was seventeen years too late.
Diane sighed.
"Fine.""
She looked around.
"Let's talk.""
Silas nodded.
"Good.""
Then he turned to me.
"Jenna, before we continue, there is something else you should know.""
My heart sank.
There was always something else.
Always another secret.
"What?""
He hesitated.
"When I created the award, I didn't just submit your name.""
I frowned.
"What does that mean?""
"I included the original hospital report from that night.""
I felt confused.
"Why?""
"Because it documented everything.""
He looked at my father.
"Including the fact that someone attempted to alter the report afterward.""
My blood ran cold.
"What?""
My father looked up sharply.
"I didn't know about that.""
Silas's expression hardened.
"But someone did.""
The room changed.
Again.
Because this was no longer about jealousy.
No longer about family embarrassment.
Someone had gone beyond making me feel small.
Someone had tried to rewrite history.
To make sure nobody knew what I had done.
I looked at Felicity.
She shook her head immediately.
"No.""
Her voice cracked.
"Jenna, I swear, I didn't touch any records.""
I believed her.
And that scared me.
Because if it wasn't Felicity...
Then who?
Diane looked away.
Just for a moment.
But it was enough.
Silas saw it.
So did I.
"Diane," I said quietly.
She looked back.
"Why did you try to remove my name?""
Her face hardened.
"I didn't.""
"Then why won't you look at me?""
Silence.
The kind of silence that answers before words do.
Then her phone buzzed.
Everyone heard it.
She looked down.
And her face changed.
I stepped closer.
"Diane?""
She locked the screen.
Too late.
Because I had already seen the preview.
A message from an unknown number.
Three words.
*"She remembers everything.""*
And underneath it was a photograph.
A photograph of me.
Taken seventeen years ago.
Outside St. Mary's Hospital.
Standing beside Silas Montgomery.
But what terrified me wasn't the picture.
It was the date.
May you like
The photo had been taken the same night I saved his life.
And someone had been watching us the entire time.
