Chapter 9: The Woman In The Photograph
I didn’t sleep that night.
How could I?
The person I had spent my entire life mourning was suddenly surrounded by questions.
My mother.
The woman whose perfume I barely remembered.
The woman whose voice existed only in old videos.
The woman my father always described as kind.
Gentle.
Honest.
And now Daniel was telling me she was part of the mystery surrounding my father’s death.
I sat in my daughter’s nursery until sunrise.
Watching her sleep.
Thinking about family.
About blood.
About how easily people could hide things from the ones who loved them.
At 8 a.m., Daniel came back.
This time, he didn’t knock.
He stood outside the nursery door.
"I know you hate me.""
I didn't turn around.
"I don't know what I feel.""
That was the truth.
Hate was simple.
This wasn't.
He stepped inside.
"I should have told you years ago.""
"Yes.""
He nodded.
"I know.""
I looked at him.
"So tell me now.""
Daniel sat down.
"The night your father died, I followed Richard.""
"Why?""
"Because your father asked me to.""
I listened.
"I knew Richard was planning something. Your father wanted evidence.""
"And my mother?""
Daniel looked down.
"She was already there.""
"Why?""
"Because she knew Richard.""
I frowned.
"My mother knew him?""
"Yes.""
The room felt colder.
"How?""
Daniel hesitated.
"Because Richard wasn't just your father's business partner.""
I waited.
"He was your mother's first husband.""
I stared.
"What?""
Daniel nodded.
"They divorced before you were born.""
My mind raced.
My father had known.
Everyone had known.
Except me.
"Why didn't anyone tell me?""
Daniel looked away.
"Because your father wanted to protect you.""
I laughed bitterly.
"Everyone keeps saying that.""
I stood.
"Everyone protected me by lying.""
Daniel had no answer.
Because he knew.
That was exactly what happened.
My phone buzzed.
A message from Claire.
*I found something. Come to the office. Alone.*
I looked at Daniel.
"I need to go.""
He stood.
"I'll come.""
"No.""
He stopped.
"I need to do this myself.""
For once, he didn't argue.
Claire was waiting when I arrived.
She had a file open.
"I found the missing piece.""
"What piece?""
She turned the document around.
A birth certificate.
Not mine.
Richard’s.
I frowned.
"What am I looking at?""
Claire pointed.
"His mother.""
I read the name.
Then froze.
Because I recognized it.
My grandmother’s name.
I looked up.
"That's impossible.""
Claire shook her head.
"It's not.""
I felt dizzy.
"Richard is related to me?""
"Yes.""
The room went silent.
"He is your uncle.""
I stared at the papers.
My entire life rearranged itself.
Richard wasn't just someone who betrayed my father.
He was family.
Claire continued.
"Your father discovered Richard had been hiding his identity.""
"Why?""
"Because Richard believed he deserved what your father inherited.""
I sat down.
The pieces were finally connecting.
The money.
The company.
The secrets.
The obsession.
Richard wasn't chasing a business.
He was chasing a family legacy.
My family.
Claire opened another file.
"And there is one more thing.""
I looked at her.
"What?""
She pushed a document toward me.
A legal transfer.
Signed two days before my father's death.
I read the name.
My hands went numb.
The transfer wasn't to Richard.
It wasn't to Daniel.
It wasn't to Vanessa.
It was to me.
But the signature at the bottom wasn't my father's.
It was mine.
Except I had never signed it.
I looked at Claire.
"Someone forged my signature.""
She nodded.
"And whoever did it knew exactly what they were doing.""
My phone rang.
Daniel.
I almost ignored it.
But I answered.
"What?""
His breathing was heavy.
"Mara, you need to leave.""
"What happened?""
"I found Vanessa.""
My heart stopped.
"Where?""
A pause.
Then:
"At Richard's house.""
I stood.
"Why is that a problem?""
Daniel's voice dropped.
"Because she wasn't hiding from him.""
Silence.
"She was working with him.""
I looked at Claire.
She understood immediately.
"What are you saying?""
Daniel whispered:
"Mara, Vanessa didn't betray Richard.""
A chill moved through me.
"Then who did she betray?""
Daniel answered:
"Us.""
Before I could respond, I heard a crash on his end.
"Daniel?""
No answer.
"Daniel!""
The call stayed connected.
Then a man's voice came through.
A voice I knew.
Richard.
"Your husband always did have a weakness.""
My blood ran cold.
"What did you do?""
He laughed.
"Nothing yet.""
A pause.
Then:
"But if you want Daniel alive, come to the place where this all started.""
My grip tightened around the phone.
"Where?""
Richard whispered:
May you like
"Your father's old house.""
The line went dead.
