Chapter 17: The Father Who Came Back
We escaped through the back exit.
Daniel drove without speaking.
Neither did I.
My mind was trapped on one sentence.
The person who helped me disappear.
My father wasn’t just hidden.
Someone helped him.
Someone close.
Someone trusted.
Nia sat in the back seat, staring out the window.
Finally, she spoke.
“Marcus.””
I looked at her through the mirror.
“What?””
“I’m sorry.””
The words surprised me.
Not because I didn’t believe she meant them.
Because I didn’t know what to do with them.
“You lied to me.””
“I know.””
“You almost married me because of this.””
“I know.””
Her voice cracked.
“But I need you to believe one thing.””
“What?””
“I did love you.””
I stayed silent.
She looked down.
“I was manipulated. But that doesn’t excuse what I did.””
For the first time, Nia wasn’t asking for forgiveness.
She was accepting blame.
That mattered.
But it didn’t erase the damage.
Daniel stopped the car outside an old motel.
“We stay here until we know who followed us.””
I looked at him.
“You have a lot of safe places.””
He didn’t respond.
That told me enough.
Inside the motel room, Daniel finally opened up.
“There is something I never told you.””
I almost laughed.
“Of course there is.””
He accepted the criticism.
“When your father disappeared, I searched for him.””
“And?””
“I found him.””
The room went silent.
“You found him?””
“Yes.””
“Where?””
Daniel looked down.
“Somewhere he chose to be.””
I frowned.
“He was hiding?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because he believed the person behind everything would hurt you if they knew he was alive.””
I felt anger rising.
“He let me mourn him.””
“I know.””
“He let my mother suffer.””
“I know.””
“He let me grow up thinking he abandoned me.””
Daniel looked at me.
“He hated that.””
“Then why?””
“Because your father believed a painful truth was better than a deadly one.””
I looked away.
I didn’t know whether to hate my father or understand him.
Maybe both.
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
Everyone froze.
I answered.
“Hello?””
No voice.
Just silence.
Then a sound.
A recording.
My father’s voice.
“Marcus.””
I stood.
The room went cold.
“Dad?””
Daniel looked shocked.
The recording continued.
“If you are hearing this, I am either unable to reach you…”
A pause.
“Or I am already gone.””
My heart broke.
“Your mother knows more than she has told you.””
I looked at Daniel.
Then the recording continued.
“Victoria knows more than she admits.””
Another pause.
“But the person you should fear most…”
Static.
The message distorted.
Then returned.
“…is the person who raised you.””
The recording ended.
Nobody moved.
My mother.
The person who raised me.
I felt sick.
“That’s impossible.””
Daniel looked at me.
“Marcus.””
“No.””
I stood.
“My mother protected me.””
“Maybe.””
“Don’t.””
Daniel stopped.
Because he saw the anger in my face.
I grabbed my phone.
I called my mother.
She answered immediately.
“Marcus?””
Her voice sounded scared.
“Did Dad ever tell you about the founder’s account?””
Silence.
Too long.
“Mom.””
She whispered:
“Yes.””
My heart sank.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because I promised him.””
“To protect me?””
“Yes.””
I closed my eyes.
“From who?””
My mother started crying.
“Marcus…”
“From who?””
A long pause.
Then she said:
“From me.””
I froze.
“What?””
Her voice broke.
“I need to tell you the truth before someone else does.””
The call ended.
I stared at the screen.
Then my phone received one final message.
From my mother.
An address.
May you like
And one sentence.
*Come alone if you want to know what I did.*
