Chapter 6: The Stranger From My Past
I stared at the photograph for several minutes.
My brain refused to process it.
Nicole and my mother.
Together.
Not fighting.
Not arguing.
Standing side by side.
Like they knew each other.
Like they had planned something.
I called the number back.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
I ran downstairs.
Dad was in the living room, sitting with his head in his hands.
He looked up when he saw my face.
"What happened?""
I held out my phone.
"Mom called me.""
The color disappeared from his face.
"What?""
"She said she's been trying to find me.""
Dad stood quickly.
"Emma, listen to me.""
"No.""
I stepped back.
"I need answers.""
His voice shook.
"Your mother could be confused.""
"She knew my name.""
"That doesn't mean—"
"She sent me a picture.""
I showed him.
The moment he saw it, he stopped talking.
Because he recognized it.
"You know this picture.""
It wasn't a question.
Dad looked away.
"Marcus.""
His shoulders dropped.
"I took that picture.""
My heart sank.
"You took it?""
"Yes.""
"Then explain.""
He sat down.
Slowly.
Like he suddenly looked ten years older.
"Your mother and Nicole knew each other before I met Nicole.""
I felt the room spinning.
"What?""
"They worked together.""
"Where?""
"At a law office.""
I thought about the document.
The lawyer.
The lies.
Everything started connecting.
"Then why did everyone act like they hated each other?""
Dad rubbed his face.
"Because they did.""
"That doesn't make sense.""
He looked at me.
"Your mother discovered Nicole was stealing money from clients.""
I froze.
"What?""
"Nicole begged her not to report it.""
"And Mom refused?""
He nodded.
"After that, Nicole blamed her.""
I whispered.
"So Nicole framed her.""
Dad didn't answer.
But he didn't need to.
Lily appeared at the doorway.
She had heard everything.
"Then Mom was telling the truth.""
Dad looked at her.
"I think so.""
The sentence hurt.
Because my father wasn't saying he knew.
He was admitting he was finally accepting it.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message.
From my mother.
I opened it.
"Meet me at the old Riverside Park. Come alone.""
Below it was another message.
"Bring the document Nicole and your father signed.""
I looked up.
Dad saw my expression.
"What?""
I locked my phone.
"Nothing.""
But it wasn't nothing.
Because I suddenly understood.
My mother wasn't just returning to my life.
She was returning because she needed something.
Something Nicole had spent years hiding.
That evening, I stood at Riverside Park beneath the old oak trees.
The same place where Dad once told me my mother had left.
The same place where I cried for hours as a child.
Then someone stepped out from behind the trees.
Older.
Tired.
But familiar.
My mother.
She looked at me like she was afraid I would disappear.
"Emma.""
I couldn't move.
She took one step forward.
"I know you have questions.""
I swallowed.
"Why didn't you come back?""
Her eyes filled with tears.
"Because I tried.""
"Then why didn't I know?""
She looked past me.
At the empty path behind me.
Then she whispered:
"Because every letter I sent you was intercepted by someone in your own house.""
My blood went cold.
"Who?""
My mother looked directly into my eyes.
May you like
And answered with a name I wasn't prepared to hear.
"Your father.""
