Chapter 2: What Dad Didn't Know
Dad’s suitcase hit the floor with a heavy thud.
Nobody moved.
Vanessa recovered first.
“Daniel, this looks terrible, but—”
“Don’t.””
Dad’s voice was quiet.
That frightened me more than shouting would have.
He crossed the room and crouched in front of me.
“Emma.””
I couldn’t look at him.
“Look at me, sweetheart.””
I raised my eyes.
The anger vanished from his face for half a second.
He saw the tears.
He saw the towel.
He saw how tightly I was gripping it.
Dad gently took it from my hands and threw it onto the floor.
“Stand up.””
I did.
My knees felt weak.
He put both hands on my shoulders.
“Did she make you kneel here?””
I nodded.
“Daniel,” Vanessa interrupted, “we were teaching her responsibility.””
Dad slowly turned his head.
“We?””
Rachel immediately lifted both hands.
“Leave me out of this.””
Vanessa stared at her.
“Rachel.””
“No.”” Rachel stepped away from the sofa.
“You told me Emma was spoiled. You never told me this was happening every time Daniel left.””
Vanessa’s eyes flashed.
“You sat there.””
Rachel’s face tightened.
“And I shouldn’t have.””
Dad stood.
“What else?””
Vanessa folded her arms.
“Nothing else.””
Dad looked at me.
“Emma?””
My stomach twisted.
For months, Vanessa had warned me what would happen if I complained.
Your father is stressed.
Your father doesn’t need more problems.
He’ll think you’re trying to destroy his marriage.
Eventually, I believed her.
“I don’t want you two to get divorced because of me,” I whispered.
Dad’s expression collapsed.
He pulled me against his chest.
“Oh, Emma.””
I started crying harder.
“I tried to be good.””
“You didn’t do anything wrong.””
“She said you were tired of me.””
Dad pulled back.
“What?””
Vanessa stepped forward.
“I never said that.””
“Yes, you did.””
“I said your father was under pressure.””
“You said he traveled because he didn’t want to come home to me.””
Dad stared at her.
Vanessa’s mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
Rachel looked at the floor.
Dad turned back to me.
“What else did she tell you?””
I wiped my cheeks.
“That Mom’s pictures made you sad.””
Dad glanced toward the side table.
“Where are the other pictures?””
I hesitated.
Vanessa answered too quickly.
“I redecorated.””
Dad walked toward the fireplace.
For years, there had been a photograph of Mom there.
Gone.
Another used to sit beside the piano.
Gone.
A third had been in the kitchen.
Gone.
Dad looked around as if he were seeing his own house for the first time.
“Where are they?””
“Daniel, we discussed moving forward.””
“No, Vanessa. You discussed it.””
She exhaled sharply.
“Your daughter lives in the past.””
“My daughter lost her mother.””
“And I have spent two years competing with a dead woman!””
The words exploded through the room.
Silence followed.
Even Vanessa seemed shocked she had said them.
Dad stared at her.
“There it is.””
Vanessa’s eyes filled with sudden tears.
“Daniel, please.””
He ignored her.
“Emma, where are Mom’s pictures?””
I pointed upstairs.
“Some are in a box in the guest-room closet.””
“Why?””
“Vanessa put them there.””
Dad closed his eyes.
Rachel whispered, “Jesus.””
Vanessa spun toward her.
“Stop acting innocent.””
“I’m not innocent,” Rachel replied.
“I sat here today. That’s already more than I can defend.””
Dad took out his phone.
Vanessa stiffened.
“Who are you calling?””
“No one yet.””
“Then put it away.””
Dad looked at her.
“You don’t give orders in this house anymore.””
Her face changed.
Fear.
Real fear.
Dad turned to me.
“Go upstairs and pack a bag.””
My heart dropped.
“What?””
Vanessa almost smiled.
“Daniel, finally—”
“Not Emma.””
The smile vanished.
Dad continued.
“Emma, pack enough clothes for two nights. We’re going to Grandma’s.””
“Why?””
“Because I need you somewhere you feel safe while I deal with this.””
Vanessa stepped between Dad and the stairs.
“You are not taking her anywhere based on one misunderstanding.””
Dad moved around her.
“One misunderstanding?””
“She was disrespectful.””
“She’s twelve.””
“She challenged me in my own home.””
Dad stopped.
“Your own home?””
Vanessa’s expression flickered.
“Yes. Our home.””
Dad stared at her for a long moment.
Then he said something strange.
“Interesting.””
Vanessa frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Dad didn’t answer.
I started upstairs.
“Emma.””
Vanessa’s voice stopped me halfway.
I turned.
Her face had softened instantly.
“Sweetheart, tell your father this has been exaggerated.””
I stared at her.
“What?””
“You know I love you.””
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
“You told me Mom was dead and nobody was coming to save me.””
Dad’s jaw tightened.
Vanessa looked at him.
“I was angry.””
“You made me hide her pictures.””
“I was trying to help you heal.””
“You threw away her blue scarf.””
“That thing was falling apart.””
“It smelled like her.””
My voice cracked.
Dad looked at me sharply.
“What blue scarf?””
The question changed everything.
I had never told him.
I ran upstairs.
Behind me, Vanessa called my name.
Dad told her to stay where she was.
I went straight into my bedroom, dropped beside my bed, and pulled out the shoebox where I kept the few things Vanessa hadn’t found.
Mom’s birthday card.
A silver bracelet.
Two photographs.
And an old tablet.
I stared at it.
Three months earlier, I had hidden it on my bookshelf after Vanessa started coming into my room without knocking.
One afternoon, I accidentally left the camera recording.
It captured nearly forty minutes.
Vanessa had entered my room believing I was downstairs.
She opened my drawers.
Searched my closet.
Then made a phone call.
At the time, I hadn’t understood what she was talking about.
Now I remembered one sentence.
“The house will be mine once Daniel signs.””
My hands started shaking.
Dad appeared in my doorway.
“Emma?””
I held up the tablet.
“There’s something else.””
He came closer.
“What is it?””
“I recorded Vanessa by accident.””
Dad sat beside me.
“What did she say?””
Before I could answer, Rachel screamed from downstairs.
“Daniel!””
Dad jumped up.
We rushed into the hallway.
Rachel stood at the bottom of the stairs holding a thick envelope she had pulled from Vanessa’s handbag.
Vanessa was trying to grab it from her.
“Give me that!””
Rachel backed away.
“Daniel, you need to see this.””
Vanessa’s face had lost all color.
Dad descended slowly.
“What is it?””
Rachel looked at the papers inside.
Then she looked at Vanessa.
“You told me these were insurance documents.””
Dad took the envelope.
His eyes moved across the first page.
Then the second.
His expression changed completely.
“Vanessa,” he said.
She backed toward the front door.
May you like
Dad lifted the document.
“Why is my signature on a property transfer I have never seen?””
