Chapter 3: The Secret Inside Daniel’s Phone
I read the message again.
And again.
Don’t trust my brother, Mark.
My first reaction was denial.
Mark was Daniel’s older brother.
He had stood beside me at the funeral.
He had hugged Maya.
He had cried when they carried Daniel away.
But now Daniel’s handwriting was staring back at me.
A warning from a man who should never have been able to write anything again.
Maya looked up at me.
“What does it say?””
I quickly folded the paper.
“Nothing, sweetheart.””
She frowned.
“You’re doing the face.””
“What face?””
“The face you make when something is wrong.””
I almost smiled.
Even in the middle of chaos, she was still my daughter.
“I’m okay.””
“No, you’re not.””
Her honesty broke me.
I sat beside her.
“Sometimes grown-ups get scared too.””
She reached for my hand.
“Daddy isn’t scared.””
I looked at her.
“How do you know?””
“Because Daddy always fights.””
Those words stayed with me.
Later that night, while Daniel remained unconscious, I sat alone beside his hospital bed.
Machines surrounded him.
But he was breathing.
Alive.
I touched his hand carefully.
The same hand I thought I had lost forever.
“Daniel…”
My voice cracked.
“What happened to you?””
His fingers didn’t move.
But I kept talking.
Because I had learned something.
Never stop talking to someone you love.
Not when there is even the smallest chance they can hear you.
A nurse entered the room.
“Mrs. Carter?””
“Yes?””
“There’s a man here asking to see you.””
My stomach tightened.
“Who?””
She looked uncertain.
“Your husband’s brother.””
Mark.
I stepped into the hallway.
He looked exhausted.
His eyes were red.
“Emma.””
I studied him.
“Why are you here?””
His expression changed.
“Because I’m worried about Daniel.””
I held his gaze.
“Are you?””
A pause.
A small one.
But I noticed.
“What does that mean?””
I crossed my arms.
“You tell me.””
His face hardened.
“Emma, grief is making you suspicious.””
“My husband wrote a message.””
Mark went completely still.
“What message?””
Too quick.
Too interested.
I noticed.
“You know something?””
He looked away.
“No.””
“Then why did you react like that?””
“Because Daniel is sick and you’re looking for someone to blame.””
My anger rose.
“You were the last person with him before the accident.””
“That’s ridiculous.””
“Were you?””
Silence.
Finally, Mark sighed.
“Yes.””
My heart dropped.
“When?””
“The night before.””
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because it wasn’t important.””
I stepped closer.
“My husband almost got buried alive.””
His jaw tightened.
“Emma—”
“No. You don’t get to say my name like everything is normal.””
A doctor suddenly rushed past us.
“Mrs. Carter?””
I turned.
“What happened?””
The doctor’s face was serious.
“Your husband woke up.””
My breath caught.
“Daniel?””
“Yes.””
I ran.
But before I reached the room, the doctor grabbed my arm.
“Mrs. Carter, there’s something you need to know.””
“What?””
He looked troubled.
“When he woke up…”
He lowered his voice.
“He asked one question.””
My heart pounded.
“What question?””
The doctor looked at me.
“He asked…”
May you like
A pause.
“He asked if Mark was dead.””
