Chapter 14: The Night My Mother Died
I couldn’t read the sentence again.
What happened the night I died.
Those words weren’t supposed to exist.
My mother died because of an illness.
That was the story.
The story I had been told my entire life.
I looked at Daniel.
“What does this mean?””
He didn’t answer immediately.
That scared me.
“Daniel.””
He took a breath.
“Your mother’s death was complicated.””
I felt anger rising.
“No.””
My voice shook.
“Don’t give me another complicated answer.””
He nodded.
“You deserve the truth.””
“Then tell me.””
He looked down.
“Your mother discovered what David was doing.””
The room became quiet.
“She found the missing money.””
“Yes.””
“And?””
“She confronted him.””
I remembered my father’s reaction when I mentioned the trust.
The fear.
The guilt.
“What happened?””
Daniel rubbed his hands together.
“The night before she went to the hospital, she called me.””
I froze.
“She called you?””
“Yes.””
“What did she say?””
Daniel looked away.
“She said if anything happened to her, I needed to protect you.””
My heart pounded.
“Why would she think something would happen?””
Daniel was silent.
Then:
“Because she was scared.””
I felt tears burning my eyes.
My mother.
The strongest person I knew.
Was scared.
“What did David do?””
Daniel hesitated.
“I don’t know everything.””
I stared.
“You said you knew the truth.””
“I know pieces.””
I hated that answer.
Pieces.
Everyone had pieces of my life except me.
Daniel continued.
“But I know your mother changed her legal documents days before she died.””
“The trust?””
“Yes.””
“She added protection.””
“For you.””
I looked down.
The letter shook in my hand.
“What else?””
Daniel looked at me.
“She recorded a conversation.””
My breath caught.
“With David?””
“Yes.””
“Where is it?””
“I don’t know.””
I stood.
“Then how do you know it exists?””
“Because she told me.””
I walked away from the table.
The café suddenly felt too small.
Too many secrets.
Too many people knowing things about my life.
“Everyone keeps saying my mother left evidence.””
Daniel nodded.
“She did.””
“Where?””
“That’s what we need to find.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Of course.””
He looked confused.
“What?””
“Another search.””
I looked at him.
“Another hidden file. Another secret room. Another person telling me my life isn’t what I thought.””
He accepted the anger.
“I deserve that.””
That stopped me.
Most people defended themselves.
Daniel didn’t.
He just accepted the blame.
My phone buzzed.
A message from Rachel.
I opened it.
“Emily, I heard you met Daniel.””
I stared.
How did she know?
Before I could reply, another message came.
“Ask him about the hospital security footage.””
My heart skipped.
I looked at Daniel.
“What happened at the hospital?””
His expression changed.
“What did Rachel tell you?””
“Security footage.””
Daniel went quiet.
Then he whispered:
“She found it.””
“Found what?””
“The footage showing David entering your mother’s hospital room.””
I froze.
My mother’s room.
The night she died.
“Why didn’t I know this?””
“Because David removed the records.””
My hands went cold.
“Can they be recovered?””
Daniel nodded slowly.
“Yes.””
“How?””
He looked at me.
“Your mother made a copy.””
Another copy.
Another secret.
“Where?””
Daniel looked toward the window.
“At the same place where she kept everything else.””
I knew before he said it.
The house.
“My mother’s house.””
He nodded.
“There is a hidden room.””
I closed my eyes.
Of course.
Another hidden room.
That night, Marcus, Daniel, and I returned to the old house.
The three of us searched until midnight.
Then Marcus noticed something.
A small symbol carved into the wall.
The same symbol from my mother’s documents.
He pressed it.
A section of the wall moved.
Behind it was a narrow staircase.
Leading underground.
I stared into the darkness.
My mother had hidden an entire room beneath her house.
Daniel whispered:
“She wanted the truth buried.””
I grabbed a flashlight.
“No.””
I looked down the stairs.
“She wanted it protected.””
We walked below.
At the bottom was a small room.
Inside were boxes.
Documents.
Photographs.
And one old video camera.
I picked it up.
A label was attached.
“David Carter — Final Conversation.””
My heart stopped.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A familiar voice spoke.
My father.
“Emily.””
I froze.
“How did you get this number?””
A pause.
Then:
“Because I know where you are.””
My blood ran cold.
He continued.
“Please leave that room.””
“Why?””
His voice cracked.
“Because if you watch that recording, you’ll never see me the same way again.””
I looked at the camera.
May you like
At the label.
And pressed the power button.
