Chapter 5: The Lie Written in Ink
I stared at Malik's signature.
My mind refused to accept it.
The note claimed I was angry.
Unstable.
Absent.
It said the children were afraid of me.
But I knew my son.
I knew his handwriting.
And something felt wrong.
Vanessa watched my face carefully.
"You see?""
She said softly.
"They don't want to be with you.""
I looked up.
"Where did you get this?""
She smiled.
"Ask Malik.""
I found him upstairs.
He was sitting on his bed.
The moment he saw my expression, his face changed.
"What happened?""
I held up the paper.
"Did you write this?""
His eyes widened.
"No.""
I watched him carefully.
"Malik.""
"I'm serious.""
His voice shook.
"I didn't write that.""
"Your signature is here.""
He looked at it.
Then his face turned pale.
"She took my notebook.""
"What?""
"Mom took my notebook last week.""
My stomach dropped.
"Why?""
"I don't know.""
He stood.
"Dad, I swear.""
I believed him.
Because fear looked different from lying.
Fear looked exactly like what I saw.
I went downstairs.
Vanessa was waiting.
"You used his notebook.""
Her expression changed.
"Excuse me?""
"You copied his handwriting.""
She laughed.
"You think I'm a criminal now?""
"I think you're someone who has been lying to me for a long time.""
Her eyes became cold.
"You want the truth?""
"Yes.""
She stepped closer.
"You were never home.""
The words surprised me.
"You think this is because of food?""
"No.""
She pointed at me.
"It's because you left me alone.""
I stared.
"That doesn't justify hurting them.""
For the first time, her expression cracked.
A small crack.
A moment of honesty.
"I was overwhelmed.""
I lowered my voice.
"Then you should have asked for help.""
She looked away.
"I didn't know how.""
That sentence almost made me feel sorry for her.
Almost.
Then I remembered Nia's empty plate.
I remembered Malik flinching.
"Where is Nia?""
Vanessa didn't answer.
"Nia?""
Silence.
I walked upstairs.
Her room was empty.
My heart stopped.
"Vanessa.""
No answer.
I ran back down.
"Where is my daughter?""
Vanessa looked nervous.
"She went with my mother.""
"Without telling me?""
She didn't respond.
I grabbed my phone.
No messages.
No calls.
Nothing.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered immediately.
A woman's voice.
"Daniel?""
"Who is this?""
"This is Officer Harris.""
My stomach dropped.
"Why are you calling me?""
A pause.
Then:
"We found your daughter outside a bus station.""
Everything stopped.
"What?""
"She's safe.""
I closed my eyes.
Relief came first.
Then anger.
"Why was she there?""
The officer hesitated.
"She said she was running away.""
My hand tightened around the phone.
"Running away from what?""
Another pause.
Then the officer said:
"She said she heard your wife talking to someone.""
I looked at Vanessa.
She was watching me.
Terrified.
"What did she hear?""
The officer's voice became quieter.
"She said your wife told someone that once the custody case was approved, she would make sure you never saw your children again.""
I slowly lowered the phone.
Vanessa whispered:
"Daniel...""
I looked at the woman I had loved for twelve years.
The woman who had smiled across the dinner table while my daughter went hungry.
Then I noticed something on the counter.
A second phone.
Not Vanessa's regular phone.
A hidden one.
I picked it up.
The screen lit up.
One new message.
From a number saved as:
"Rebecca - Attorney.""
May you like
The message read:
*"The children are the only witnesses. Make sure they stay quiet until court.""*
