Chapter 4: The Secret Buried After Elena’s Funeral
I left the room.
Not because I wanted to run.
Because I needed space to breathe.
I walked into my office and closed the door.
My hands were shaking as I opened the messages again.
Elena’s sister, Claire, had never liked confrontation.
That was why her message scared me.
Claire was the person who held Elena’s hand during her final days.
The person who helped choose the flowers at her funeral.
The person who knew every detail of the life I had before Tara.
I typed.
*What are you talking about?*
The reply came quickly.
*I should have told you earlier. I thought Maya would tell you when she was ready.*
I stared at the screen.
*Tell me now.*
Three dots appeared.
Disappeared.
Then appeared again.
Finally:
*After Elena died, Tara contacted me.*
I frowned.
Why would Tara contact Claire?
*Why?*
The answer came.
*She asked me to stop sending Maya things that belonged to Elena.*
I sat down.
*What things?*
*Letters. Photos. A necklace Elena wanted Maya to have someday.*
My stomach dropped.
The necklace.
I remembered it.
Elena wore it almost every day.
A small silver necklace with a tiny moon pendant.
She had once told me:
“When Maya is older, I want her to have this.””
I thought it was packed away safely.
I had never checked.
I typed:
*Where is it?*
Claire answered:
*I don’t know. Tara told me Maya needed to move forward.*
I closed my eyes.
Move forward.
Everyone said those words after death.
But moving forward was never supposed to mean leaving someone behind.
A knock came.
I looked up.
Maya stood in the doorway.
“Dad?””
I quickly locked my phone.
“Hey.””
She walked in.
“Are you mad at me?””
The question broke me.
“No.””
“You looked really angry.””
“I’m angry because I should have listened.””
She sat across from me.
“I didn’t want to ruin your birthday.””
“You didn’t ruin anything.””
“Yes, I did.””
“No.””
I leaned forward.
“Maya, listen to me. A family doesn’t break because someone tells the truth.””
She looked at the floor.
“I thought you’d say I was trying to destroy your marriage.””
I swallowed.
“Did I make you feel that way?””
A tear rolled down her cheek.
“Sometimes.””
That hurt more than anything Tara had said.
Because Maya wasn’t blaming me.
She was telling me.
And I needed to hear it.
“I’m sorry.””
She looked up.
“For what?””
“For asking you to be patient when I should have been paying attention.””
She wiped her face.
“I tried to tell you.””
“I know.””
“I told you Tara made me eat in the kitchen when her friends came over.””
I froze.
“When?””
“Three months ago.””
“What?””
“She said teenagers were awkward around adults.””
I felt sick.
“And I believed that?””
Maya didn’t answer.
She didn’t have to.
A few minutes later, I walked back into the living room.
Everyone was still outside except Tara.
She was standing by the window.
Waiting.
“We need to talk,” I said.
She turned.
“About what?””
“About Elena’s things.””
Her face changed.
Only for a second.
But it was enough.
“What about them?””
“Where is the necklace?””
Silence.
“What necklace?””
“The moon necklace.””
Her eyes narrowed.
“Why are you asking me?””
“Because Claire says you asked her not to send Elena’s belongings to Maya.””
Tara’s expression hardened.
“She told you?””
“Yes.””
She laughed once.
“So this is what this is.””
“What?””
“Everyone coming together to prove I’m the outsider.””
“No.””
“Yes.””
Her voice rose.
“I knew this would happen eventually.””
“What?””
“You would all choose Elena.””
I stared at her.
“No one is choosing Elena.””
“She’s everywhere.””
“She’s Maya’s mother.””
“And I’m never going to be.””
The sadness in her voice almost made me feel sorry for her.
Almost.
Then I remembered the paper.
The rules.
My daughter hiding upstairs on my birthday.
“Tara, where is the necklace?””
She looked away.
That was answer enough.
“Where is it?””
Finally, she whispered:
“I put it somewhere safe.””
“Where?””
“I don’t know.””
“You don’t know?””
“I moved it.””
“When?””
“Two years ago.””
My heart sank.
“Why?””
She looked at me.
And said the one sentence I never expected to hear.
“Because Maya was becoming too much like Elena.””
The room went completely silent.
Then my phone buzzed again.
Another message from Claire.
This time, there was a photo attached.
I opened it.
And my blood ran cold.
Because in the picture was Elena’s necklace.
But it wasn’t in Tara’s possession.
It was hanging around someone else’s neck.
May you like
And the caption under the photo said:
*I found this in Tara’s storage box today. Marcus, you need to see who she gave it to.*
