Chapter 13: The Father I Lost Twice
For seven years, I had mourned a man who was still alive.
My hand shook as I held the phone against my ear.
“Dad?””
There was silence.
Not the awkward kind.
The painful kind.
The kind filled with everything we had lost.
Then I heard his voice again.
“Chloe.””
My knees almost gave out.
I grabbed the edge of the table.
Zoe rushed toward me.
“What is it?””
I couldn’t answer.
I just stared at Ethan.
Because he already knew.
He knew exactly who was on the phone.
“You knew,” I whispered.
Ethan’s face collapsed.
“Chloe…”
“You knew my father was alive.””
“I found out recently.””
“Recently?””
My voice cracked.
“You expect me to believe that?””
The man on the phone heard everything.
“Chloe, please.””
I closed my eyes.
Hearing my father’s voice after years of believing he was gone felt impossible.
“Where are you?””
A long pause.
Then:
“I’m twenty minutes away.””
My heart pounded.
“Why didn’t you contact me?””
Another silence.
“I tried.””
“Don’t.””
My anger came faster than my grief.
“Don’t tell me you tried.””
“I did.””
“Seven years.””
“I know.””
“You let me believe you were dead.””
His voice broke.
“I thought it was the only way to protect you.””
I looked at Ethan.
That word again.
Protect.
Everyone used it.
Everyone hid behind it.
“I’m coming,” I said.
“Chloe—”
“I need to see you.””
I hung up.
Nobody spoke.
Then Zoe quietly asked:
“Are you sure?””
No.
I wasn’t sure about anything anymore.
But I needed answers.
The man waiting outside the old roadside diner looked nothing like the father I remembered.
The father in my childhood photos was strong.
Confident.
Always smiling.
This man looked tired.
Older than he should have been.
But when he saw me, his eyes filled with tears.
“Chloe.””
I stood there.
Frozen.
Then I slapped his shoulder.
Hard.
Not because I hated him.
Because I didn’t know what else to do.
“You were alive.””
He nodded.
“I was.””
“You watched me grieve you.””
“I know.””
“You let me think I lost my father.””
His eyes lowered.
“I’m sorry.””
I wanted him to explain.
I wanted him to make it make sense.
Instead, I just stood there staring at the person I had buried.
Finally, I asked:
“Why?””
He looked around the parking lot.
“Because Vanessa was dangerous.””
My anger sharpened.
“Everyone says that.””
“Because it’s true.””
“Then tell me what happened.””
He took a breath.
“Seven years ago, I discovered Vanessa was moving money from Ethan’s company.””
I frowned.
“Money?””
“Yes.””
“She was stealing?””
“She was hiding it.””
My father looked at me.
“And when I confronted her, she panicked.””
“What did she do?””
“She crashed my car.””
I stared.
“She tried to kill you?””
“I don’t know if she meant to.””
The answer made me angry.
“You don’t know?””
“She was drunk.””
I shook my head.
“That’s what Ethan said.””
My father looked surprised.
“Ethan told you?””
“Yes.””
“Then he finally admitted it.””
The way he said it bothered me.
“What does that mean?””
My father looked at the ground.
“Ethan was there.””
The world went silent.
“What?””
“He arrived after the crash.””
I stared.
“He helped me.””
“Then why hide it?””
“Because Vanessa convinced him I would destroy his life.””
I felt sick.
Again.
Ethan.
Fear.
Secrets.
Lies.
My entire marriage was built on a foundation of people being afraid.
“But why did everyone think you died?””
My father’s face changed.
“Because Vanessa paid someone to change the records.””
I stepped back.
“She did all of that?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
He looked at me.
“Because your father was the only person who knew what she had done.””
I swallowed.
“And my mother?””
“She knew.””
My heart dropped.
“No.””
“She knew after the crash.””
“Then why did she stay quiet?””
“Because Vanessa threatened you.””
I closed my eyes.
The same answer.
The same nightmare.
Everyone had been protecting me by lying to me.
My father reached into his jacket.
“I have something for you.””
He handed me an envelope.
“What is it?””
“The original evidence.””
I opened it.
Inside were photographs.
Documents.
And one handwritten letter.
The handwriting belonged to Vanessa.
I read the first line.
*“If Ethan refuses to leave Chloe, I will make sure everyone knows what he did.””*
My breathing stopped.
“What did Ethan do?””
May you like
My father looked at me sadly.
“That’s the part nobody told you.””
