Chapter 8: The Truth About Lily’s Past
I left Andrew’s office with a folder in my hands and a storm in my mind.
The entire drive home, I kept hearing the same sentence.
*They were searching for information about Lily’s biological mother.*
My first wife.
The woman who had loved Lily more than anything.
The woman whose death had broken our family apart.
Why would Vanessa’s family care about her?
When I arrived home, Ethan was waiting by the door.
He immediately noticed my expression.
“What happened?””
I placed the folder on the table.
“We need to talk.””
Lily came downstairs when she heard us.
Her face changed when she saw the papers.
“Is something wrong?””
I looked at my children.
I wanted to protect them.
That was my job.
But I had learned something painful.
Keeping secrets didn’t always protect people.
Sometimes secrets only gave someone else power.
I sat down.
“Your grandfather left documents.””
Ethan opened the folder.
“What kind of documents?””
“About Vanessa.””
Lily’s face tightened.
“More bad things?””
I hated that she asked that.
Because she was fifteen years old.
She shouldn’t have had to wonder if adults were secretly hurting her.
“There’s something about your mother.””
Lily froze.
“My mom?””
I nodded.
“Your biological mother.””
She slowly sat down.
“What about her?””
I took a breath.
“Vanessa’s family was looking into her records.””
Ethan frowned.
“Why?””
“I don’t know yet.””
Lily looked nervous.
“Did they know her?””
“No.””
At least I thought they didn’t.
Then I remembered the photograph.
The documents.
The years of planning.
Maybe they knew more than they admitted.
That evening, I called Rachel.
She arrived thirty minutes later.
The moment she saw the folder, her face changed.
“You found out.””
I stared at her.
“You knew about Lily’s mother?””
Rachel sat down.
“Only pieces.””
“Tell me.””
She looked uncomfortable.
“Vanessa’s mother believed your first wife knew something.””
“About what?””
Rachel shook her head.
“I don’t know.””
Ethan leaned forward.
“Then why would they care?””
Rachel looked at him.
“Because your father’s trust wasn’t the only thing connected to your family.””
I felt exhausted.
Every answer created more questions.
“What is everyone hiding from me?””
Nobody spoke.
Then Rachel said:
“Your first wife discovered something before she died.””
My entire body went still.
“What?””
Rachel looked at me.
“I don’t know exactly what.””
“You knew this and never told me?””
She looked down.
“I only heard rumors.””
“What rumors?””
Rachel whispered:
“That her death wasn’t as simple as everyone believed.””
The room went silent.
Lily covered her mouth.
Ethan looked at me.
Dad.
That was the only word in his expression.
I stood up.
“No.””
Rachel looked at me.
“Marcus—”
“No.””
I shook my head.
“My wife died in a car accident.””
Rachel didn’t argue.
She didn’t need to.
Because the doubt had already entered my mind.
That night, after my children went to bed, I searched through old boxes.
Photos.
Documents.
Memories I had avoided for years.
Then I found something.
A notebook.
My first wife’s handwriting.
I hadn’t opened it since the accident.
My hands shook as I turned the pages.
Most of it was normal.
Shopping lists.
Thoughts about Lily.
Little memories.
Then I reached the final entries.
The last page.
The handwriting was rushed.
*I think someone knows about the documents.*
My heart started racing.
The next sentence was worse.
*If anything happens to me, Marcus needs to know that Vanessa’s family is not who they claim to be.*
I dropped the notebook.
May you like
Because the date was written at the top.
Three days before she died.
