Chapter 7: The Woman Behind the Photograph
The photograph stayed on Diane's phone screen for only a second.
But it was enough.
Enough for me to recognize the rain-soaked sidewalk outside St. Mary's Hospital.
Enough to recognize my seventeen-year-old self standing there, wearing the same gray hoodie Silas had described.
Enough to understand one terrifying thing.
Someone had been watching that night.
Not just Silas.
Not just me.
Someone had been there.
"Who sent that?"" my father asked.
Diane quickly turned off her phone.
"Nobody.""
The answer was automatic.
Too automatic.
Silas stepped forward.
"That was not a normal message.""
Diane looked at him.
"You have no idea what you're talking about.""
Silas's expression didn't change.
"I know enough to know that someone has spent years trying to hide Jenna's involvement in something important.""
My heart pounded.
"Something important?""
Nobody answered.
I looked at my father.
"How much don't I know?""
His face tightened.
"Jenna...""
"No.""
My voice surprised everyone, including myself.
"No more half-truths.""
I looked around the room.
"No more people deciding what information I can handle.""
My father swallowed.
Then Diane spoke.
"You really think you're entitled to every secret?""
I stared at her.
"About my own life?""
She didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
Silas took the phone from his pocket.
"I have access to the original foundation records. The hospital documentation. Everything connected to that night.""
Diane's face changed.
"You don't understand.""
"Then explain.""
She looked around.
At the guests.
At the people watching.
At the family members who had always protected her.
And for the first time, she looked trapped.
"I was trying to protect Felicity.""
I felt something inside me go cold.
Of course.
Of course it was about Felicity.
It always was.
"What does that mean?"" I asked.
Diane looked at me.
"You were always the one people praised.""
I almost laughed.
"People praised me because I helped someone.""
"You don't understand.""
Her voice sharpened.
"You don't understand what it was like raising two girls who were completely different.""
I stared at her.
"Felicity was confident. Beautiful. Social.""
She pointed slightly toward the wedding decorations.
"She knew how to build a life.""
Then she looked at me.
"You were always the one people felt sorry for.""
The words hurt.
Not because they were true.
Because she believed them.
"I wasn't asking anyone to feel sorry for me.""
"No," Diane said.
"You weren't.""
She paused.
"That's what made it worse.""
The room went silent.
"What?""
Diane looked away.
"That night changed everything.""
Silas's voice became colder.
"What exactly changed?""
Diane hesitated.
Then she said:
"After Jenna saved you, people started talking about her differently.""
I looked at Silas.
"They said she had something special.""
Diane laughed bitterly.
"Teachers. Neighbors. Everyone.""
She looked at me.
"Felicity hated it.""
My sister's eyes filled with tears.
"I was sixteen," Felicity whispered.
Diane ignored her.
"You were becoming the person everyone noticed.""
I shook my head.
"So you decided to make sure nobody noticed me.""
"No.""
Diane's answer was immediate.
"I decided to balance things.""
I felt sick.
"Balance?""
She stepped closer.
"Your father was obsessed with making sure you knew how proud he was.""
My father looked ashamed.
"He wasn't there for Felicity.""
Felicity looked shocked.
"Diane...""
"I watched my daughter feel invisible.""
I looked at Felicity.
And for the first time, I saw something complicated in her expression.
Not just jealousy.
Pain.
But pain didn't excuse cruelty.
Diane continued.
"When Silas tried to contact Jenna, I thought it would make everything worse.""
"You thought?""
Silas interrupted.
"You made a decision that was not yours to make.""
Diane looked at him.
"I protected my family.""
"No.""
His voice was calm.
"You protected an image.""
That landed.
Because it was true.
The perfect family.
The perfect wedding.
The perfect daughter.
Everything except reality.
My father's phone rang.
Again.
This time, he answered.
"Hello?""
A few seconds passed.
Then his face changed.
"What do you mean she's here?""
Everyone looked at him.
He slowly lowered the phone.
"What?""
Silas stepped closer.
"Who is there?""
My father looked at me.
And I knew before he spoke.
Something was coming.
"Jenna...""
His voice was barely audible.
"The woman who took the photograph.""
My heart stopped.
"What woman?""
My father looked toward the entrance of the ballroom.
The doors were closed.
But everyone suddenly turned toward them.
Because someone was standing outside.
Waiting.
The doors opened slowly.
And an older woman walked in holding a folder against her chest.
Her eyes immediately found mine.
May you like
Then she whispered the words that made my entire body freeze.
"I've been trying to find you for seventeen years.""
