Chapter 6: What Really Happened to My Mother
Nobody spoke.
For several seconds, the only sound in the house was the rain hitting the windows.
I stared at Brandon.
“What do you mean?””
He looked at Victoria.
She shook her head.
“Don't.””
Brandon's face was pale.
“I can't keep doing this.””
Victoria stepped toward him.
“You don't know what you're talking about.””
“I do.””
“You were fifteen.””
“I was there.””
My stomach dropped.
“Where were you?””
Brandon looked at me.
“The night your mother died.””
I couldn't breathe.
Victoria immediately said, “He was nowhere near you.””
But Brandon shook his head.
“I was in the car.””
My fingers went numb.
“What car?””
“Mom's.””
Victoria's voice sharpened.
“Brandon, stop.””
“Your mother wasn't supposed to die that night.””
I stepped backward.
Mr. Harris stared at him.
“Choose your words carefully.””
Brandon nodded.
“I know.””
He looked at me.
“Your dad told you your mother died from a sudden medical emergency.””
I nodded slowly.
“That’s what the doctors said.””
“That's what Mom told everyone.””
I felt my heart pounding.
“What are you saying?””
Brandon looked at Victoria.
“She wasn't alone.””
Victoria's face had lost all color.
“Brandon.””
“You made me lie.””
“Enough.””
“You made me tell Dad I didn't remember.””
“Stop!””
“You made me tell the police I was asleep.””
Mr. Harris moved toward him.
“Brandon, what did you see?””
Victoria screamed.
“Nothing!””
The word echoed through the house.
Everyone froze.
Brandon stared at her.
Then he whispered,
“I saw you arguing with Emma's mother.””
My knees weakened.
“What?””
Brandon continued.
“It was outside the house.””
“Why were you there?””
“Mom told me to stay in the car.””
Victoria shook her head.
“No.””
“She was yelling at your mother.””
“About what?””
Brandon swallowed.
“Money.””
My chest tightened.
“What money?””
“The trust.””
I looked at Mr. Harris.
He was already reaching for his phone.
Brandon said, “Your mom knew about it.””
I whispered, “She knew?””
“Yes.””
“How?””
“Your dad had told her.””
Victoria's eyes filled with anger.
“She was going to take Emma and leave.””
I stared at her.
“She was going to take me?””
Brandon nodded.
“She told your mom she was going to expose everything.””
Victoria whispered, “She was going to ruin Daniel.””
“No,” Brandon said.
“She was going to protect Emma.””
I felt tears running down my face.
For years, I had believed my mother had simply disappeared from my life.
Now I was learning that she had been fighting for me.
“What happened?””
Brandon looked down.
“Your mother got into the car.””
Victoria followed her.
“They argued again.””
“What did Mom do?””
“I don't know exactly.””
“Tell me.””
“I heard a crash.””
My heart stopped.
“What kind of crash?””
“A glass breaking.””
Victoria closed her eyes.
Brandon continued.
“Then your mother screamed.””
Mr. Harris asked, “And then?””
“I got out.””
Victoria opened her eyes.
“Brandon.””
He ignored her.
“I saw your mother on the ground.””
I covered my mouth.
“Was she alive?””
“Yes.””
The room seemed to disappear around me.
“She was alive?””
“For a few minutes.””
“What happened?””
Brandon's voice broke.
“Mom told me to get back in the car.””
“Did you?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“I was scared.””
I nodded.
I understood.
He was a child too.
“What happened next?””
“I heard Mom call someone.””
“Who?””
“I don't know.””
“Then?””
“She drove away.””
“With my mother?””
“No.””
My heart clenched.
“Then who?””
“Your mother was taken to the hospital.””
I stared at him.
“But the hospital records…”
“That's where the story changed.””
Mr. Harris stepped forward.
“Who changed them?””
Brandon looked at Victoria.
She said nothing.
“You know,” he whispered.
Victoria suddenly turned toward the stairs.
“I'm leaving.””
Mr. Harris blocked her.
“No.””
“You can't keep me here.””
“You're not leaving.””
“You have no authority.””
“I have enough.””
She looked at me.
“Emma, you have no idea what these people are doing.””
I stared at her.
“Who are ‘these people’?””
“Your father.””
“Dad?””
“Yes.””
She smiled bitterly.
“He lied to you too.””
Mr. Harris frowned.
“What lie?””
Victoria looked directly at me.
“Your mother wasn't supposed to be in that car.””
I felt cold.
“What does that mean?””
“She had already signed something.””
“What?””
“A transfer.””
My heart raced.
“What transfer?””
Victoria's smile returned.
“She transferred everything to you.””
I looked at Mr. Harris.
“Is that true?””
He nodded slowly.
“Yes.””
Victoria laughed.
“And Daniel never told you.””
“Why?””
“Because after your mother died, the trust became complicated.””
“You're lying.””
“Am I?””
She turned toward Mr. Harris.
“Tell her what happened after the accident.””
He said nothing.
“Tell her.””
I looked at him.
“Mr. Harris?””
He sighed.
“Your mother survived the accident.””
My knees nearly gave out.
“What?””
“She survived the initial injury.””
I stared at him.
“Then how did she die?””
He looked down.
“Complications.””
Victoria interrupted.
“No.””
Everyone turned.
She shook her head.
“That isn't what happened.””
Mr. Harris's face hardened.
“Victoria.””
“You're finally going to tell her?””
I whispered, “Tell me what?””
Victoria looked at me.
“Your mother woke up.””
I couldn't breathe.
“She woke up?””
“Yes.””
“When?””
“Two days after the accident.””
“Why didn't Dad tell me?””
“Because she disappeared.””
“What?””
Victoria's voice became quieter.
“She left the hospital.””
“Why?””
“She was afraid.””
“Of what?””
Victoria looked at the front door.
Then at Mr. Harris.
“She was afraid of the person who had ordered her silence.””
My blood ran cold.
“Who?””
Victoria didn't answer.
Instead, she reached into her purse.
She pulled out an old photograph.
She placed it on the table.
I stepped closer.
It was a photograph of my mother.
Alive.
Standing outside a hospital.
And beside her was a man I had never seen before.
I picked it up with shaking fingers.
“Who is he?””
Victoria whispered,
“Your mother's first husband.””
I stared at her.
“My mother was married before Dad?””
“No.””
Victoria looked at me.
“That man wasn't her husband.””
She turned the photograph over.
There was a handwritten sentence on the back.
I recognized the handwriting immediately.
My mother's.
*If anything happens to me, tell Emma the truth about Daniel.*
My entire world went silent.
May you like
Because the handwriting was dated…
three days *after* the official date of my mother's death.
