Chapter 8: The Person Behind Everything
The hospital hallway smelled like disinfectant and fear.
I hated that smell.
It reminded me of my father.
The last place where I saw him alive.
The last place where I believed I understood my own life.
Now I was standing in the same kind of hallway, wondering if my mother would become another unanswered question.
A doctor approached us.
“Family of Linda Collins?””
I stepped forward.
“Yes.””
“She’s stable.””
I exhaled.
“What happened?””
“She experienced extreme stress. Her blood pressure became dangerously high.””
I looked at Ethan.
Stress.
That word meant nothing anymore.
Everyone in my family had been under stress.
Everyone had been hiding something.
“Can we see her?””
The doctor nodded.
“Only briefly.””
My mother looked smaller than I had ever seen her.
Not powerful.
Not intimidating.
Just old.
And scared.
When she saw me, tears filled her eyes.
“I’m sorry.””
I didn’t respond.
Because I wasn’t ready to forgive.
Not yet.
“Tell me the truth.””
She closed her eyes.
“I was afraid.””
“Afraid of what?””
“Your father.””
The answer shocked me.
“My father?””
She nodded.
“Not because he was cruel. Because he was determined.””
I moved closer.
“Explain.””
She looked at Ethan.
“He knows.””
Ethan shook his head.
“No. I know pieces.””
My mother took a deep breath.
“Your father discovered money missing from his accounts.””
“How much?””
“Millions.””
The room went silent.
“And he thought Vanessa did it?””
“No.””
My mother looked at me.
“He thought it was someone else.””
“Who?””
She looked away.
“Someone you protected your entire life.””
I felt my chest tighten.
My mind immediately went to Ethan.
But Ethan looked just as confused.
“Who?””
My mother whispered:
“Your uncle Richard.””
I froze.
My father’s younger brother.
The man who gave speeches at my father’s funeral.
The man who told everyone how proud he was of our family.
Another person I trusted.
Another person who smiled while hiding something.
“Where is he now?””
My mother looked terrified.
“He disappeared.””
“When?””
“Yesterday.””
The same day Toby interrupted my wedding.
Everything connected.
The timing.
The panic.
The desperate attempts to stop us.
I pulled out my phone.
I searched for Richard’s name.
A news alert appeared.
*Local businessman questioned regarding financial investigation.*
Below the headline was a photo.
Richard.
But the article had one detail that made my blood freeze.
The investigation started because of evidence submitted by…
Vanessa Reed.
I stared at the screen.
That didn’t make sense.
Vanessa had been exposed.
But now she was the one giving evidence?
“What is this?””
Ethan looked over my shoulder.
“I don’t understand.””
Neither did I.
Then my phone rang.
Vanessa.
I almost ignored it.
But I answered.
“What do you want?””
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
“Mark, you finally know.””
“Know what?””
“The truth.””
“You poisoned my father.””
“No.””
The answer was immediate.
“I was trying to stop the person who did.””
I laughed bitterly.
“After everything?””
“You still think I’m the villain.””
“You lied to me.””
“Yes.””
The honesty surprised me.
“I lied because your father asked me to.””
My hand tightened around the phone.
“What?””
Vanessa continued.
“Your father knew someone was stealing from him. He hired me to get close enough to find out who.””
I looked at Ethan.
The same story my mother told.
But why would Vanessa admit it now?
“Then why did you try to control his estate?””
“Because I needed access to the records.””
“And why did you hide it?””
“Because if the wrong person knew what I was doing, your father would die.””
Silence.
The hallway suddenly felt colder.
“Who is the wrong person?””
Vanessa paused.
Then whispered:
“The person who has been playing all of us from the beginning.””
My heart raced.
“Who?””
Her answer came softly.
May you like
And it changed everything.
“Your father’s lawyer.””
