Chapter 5: The Letter My Father Left Behind
The room felt smaller after Marcus spoke those words.
Because suddenly, every memory I had of Vanessa felt different.
The late nights she said she was working.
The way she avoided talking about my father.
The way she always changed the subject whenever I mentioned that night.
I looked down at the letter in my hands.
My father’s handwriting stared back at me.
A piece of the past I thought I had lost forever.
“Read it,” Marcus said.
I ignored him.
My eyes stayed on Vanessa.
“Is it true?””
She looked like she wanted to disappear.
“Daniel…”
“Is it true that you were the last person who saw my father alive?””
Her lips parted.
No answer.
That was enough.
I opened the letter.
The paper was old, but my father’s words were clear.
Daniel, if you are reading this, something has happened to me.
My breathing stopped.
I need you to understand that the people closest to you are not always the people protecting you.
I looked up.
Vanessa’s face had gone pale.
Marcus watched me carefully.
I continued reading.
There is someone who has been taking everything I built. Someone I trusted. Someone I considered family.
My hands shook slightly.
My father had known.
He had known someone was betraying him.
I looked at Marcus.
“Why do you have this?””
Marcus leaned against the wall.
“Because your wife gave it to me.””
Vanessa immediately shook her head.
“No.””
Marcus smiled.
“Tell him.””
“I didn’t give it to you willingly.””
“But you gave it.””
I looked at her.
“Why?””
She covered her face.
“Because I thought I could use it against him.””
“Against who?””
She didn’t answer.
Marcus did.
“Your uncle.””
The name hit me again.
My uncle had been the person everyone trusted.
The person who stood beside my mother at the funeral.
The person who helped manage my father’s remaining affairs.
I looked back at the letter.
My father had written about someone close.
Someone family.
“Where is my uncle now?”” I asked.
Marcus smiled.
“Successful.””
That answer made my stomach turn.
“Successful?””
“He took control of everything your father left behind.””
I looked at Vanessa.
“And you knew?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Not at first.””
“When did you find out?””
She looked down.
“Months after we got married.””
The silence was unbearable.
“Eight years,” I whispered.
“I was scared.””
“You had eight years to tell me.””
“I wanted to.””
“But you didn’t.””
She had no answer.
Marcus walked toward the table.
“You want to know the worst part?””
I looked at him.
“What?””
“Your wife wasn’t the only person keeping secrets.””
Vanessa looked at him sharply.
“Stop.””
Marcus ignored her.
“Your uncle knew about the letter.””
My eyes narrowed.
“How?””
“Because he was the reason your father wrote it.””
I stared at him.
“What are you saying?””
Marcus reached into his jacket and pulled out a photograph.
He placed it on the table.
I picked it up.
It showed my father standing outside an office building.
Beside him was my uncle.
And beside my uncle was Marcus.
Years younger.
My heart dropped.
“You knew my father?””
Marcus nodded.
“Before you ever heard my name.””
“Why?””
“Because your father hired me.””
I stared at him.
“For what?””
“To investigate your uncle.””
Everything went quiet.
The man I thought was destroying my life had actually been connected to my father’s final days.
But that didn’t erase what he had done.
“You lied to Vanessa.””
“Yes.””
“You used her.””
“Yes.””
“You came into my home.””
“Yes.””
His honesty was unsettling.
“Why?””
Marcus looked at the letter.
“Because your father left something unfinished.””
“What?””
He looked directly at me.
“The evidence.””
My heart raced.
“What evidence?””
Marcus opened his mouth.
Then the sound of a car stopping outside interrupted him.
Everyone turned toward the window.
Vanessa’s face changed.
“What?””
She whispered.
“No…”
I looked outside.
A black SUV had stopped in front of the house.
The passenger door opened.
May you like
And the person who stepped out was someone I never expected to see.
My uncle.
