Chapter 8: The Woman My Mother Trusted
Dad took the letter from my hands.
“Where did you get this?”” he asked Victoria.
She didn't answer.
“Victoria.””
She folded her arms.
“You're asking the wrong person.””
Dad looked at Mr. Harris.
“Did you know about this?””
“No.””
“You're lying.””
“I swear I didn't.””
Dad slammed his palm against the table.
“Then how did she get it?””
Victoria smiled.
“Your wife gave it to me.””
The room went silent.
I stared at her.
“My mother gave you the letter?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because she trusted me.””
I shook my head.
“You hated her.””
Victoria's smile disappeared.
“No.””
“You removed her photograph.””
“Because I was jealous.””
“You called her a ghost.””
“I was angry.””
“You told me to stop living in the past.””
“I was trying to become your mother.””
“You were trying to replace her.””
Victoria looked at me.
“Yes.””
The honesty stunned me.
Dad whispered, “Victoria…”
She turned toward him.
“You want the truth?””
“Yes.””
“You married me because you couldn't stand being alone.””
“That isn't true.””
“You wanted someone to manage the house.””
“I loved you.””
“You loved what I made easier.””
Dad stared at her.
She laughed bitterly.
“You were always gone.””
“I was working.””
“You were grieving.””
“So were you?””
“No.””
Victoria looked at me.
“I wasn't grieving.””
Her voice softened.
“I was waiting.””
“For what?””
“For the life I thought I deserved.””
Mr. Harris said, “Where is the second trust?””
Victoria looked at him.
“I don't know.””
“Don't lie.””
“I don't know where the money is.””
“What money?””
She looked at me.
“Your mother moved it.””
My heart raced.
“How much?””
“Enough that your father couldn't touch it.””
Dad frowned.
“Why would she do that?””
“To protect Emma.””
I looked at him.
“From you?””
Victoria nodded.
“Your mother didn't trust you.””
Dad's face fell.
“That isn't true.””
“She knew about your debts.””
“I told her.””
“You told her only what you had to.””
Dad turned toward Mr. Harris.
“Is this true?””
Mr. Harris looked uncomfortable.
“Yes.””
Dad closed his eyes.
“I was trying to save the company.””
“With my money?”” I asked.
“No.””
“With Mom's money?””
“No.””
“But money was moved.””
“Yes.””
“Where?””
“I don't know.””
Victoria interrupted.
“Your mother created a private trust.””
“For me?””
“Yes.””
“Why didn't Dad know?””
“Because she didn't want him to.””
Dad looked at me.
“I didn't know.””
I believed him.
That somehow made everything worse.
“What happened to Mom?””
Victoria stared at the floor.
“She came to me after the accident.””
Dad stepped forward.
“You said she disappeared from the hospital.””
“She did.””
“Then what?””
“She called me.””
“Why?””
“Because she was afraid.””
“Of who?””
“Your father.””
Dad's face hardened.
“Why?””
Victoria's eyes filled with tears.
“She said someone was following her.””
“Who?””
“She didn't know.””
“Did you help her?””
“Yes.””
I stared at Victoria.
“Why?””
“Because she asked me to.””
Dad shook his head.
“Why would she trust you?””
“She didn't trust me.””
“Then why?””
“Because I was the only person she could reach.””
I looked at Mr. Harris.
“Is that possible?””
He nodded slowly.
“Possibly.””
Victoria continued.
“She gave me the photograph.””
“The one you showed me?””
“Yes.””
“And the letter?””
“Yes.””
“Then why did you keep them?””
“Because she told me not to give them to Daniel.””
Dad stared at her.
“Why?””
“Because she believed you would come after her.””
“I would never.””
“She didn't know that.””
“What did she say?””
Victoria hesitated.
“She said, ‘If Daniel finds me, he will bring Emma into this.’”
My heart broke.
“She was protecting me.””
“Yes.””
“Where did she go?””
“I don't know.””
“You have to know something.””
“She left me an address.””
Dad froze.
“What address?””
“I destroyed it.””
“Why?””
“Because I was afraid.””
“Afraid of what?””
Victoria looked at me.
“That someone would find me too.””
The front door suddenly rattled.
Everyone turned.
Someone knocked.
Three slow knocks.
Dad looked at Mr. Harris.
Mr. Harris shook his head.
Nobody moved.
Another knock.
Then a voice came through the door.
“Daniel?””
Dad went rigid.
I knew that voice.
I'd heard it once before.
On an old voicemail.
It belonged to a woman.
A woman Dad had never introduced to me.
Victoria whispered,
“No.””
The woman knocked again.
“Daniel, I know you're in there.””
Dad stared at the door.
“Who is that?”” I asked.
He didn't answer.
“Dad?””
His face had gone pale.
Mr. Harris whispered, “You know her.””
Dad nodded.
“Who?””
Before he could answer, the door opened.
An older woman stepped inside.
Her hair was soaked from the rain.
She looked at Dad.
Then at me.
Her eyes immediately filled with tears.
“Emma?””
I froze.
She walked toward me slowly.
“I’m sorry.””
“Who are you?””
She looked at Victoria.
Then at my father.
Finally, she said,
“I'm the woman your mother trusted with her life.””
Dad whispered her name.
“Marianne.””
My stomach dropped.
May you like
Because Marianne was my mother's sister.
The aunt I had been told died before I was born.
