Chapter 5: The Secret Mae Kept From Me
The word stayed in the air long after Nathan stopped speaking.
My sister.
Not my mother.
Not my childhood.
Not some distant memory.
My sister.
A part of my life that belonged to me.
A part of myself that Nathan had no reason to know.
I turned toward Mae.
Her face told me everything before she said a single word.
She knew.
My heart sank.
“Mae?””
The nurse looked away.
That hurt more than anything.
Because fear could be explained.
Confusion could be explained.
But looking away?
That meant guilt.
“Mae,” I said again, quieter this time.
The parking garage suddenly felt enormous.
Nathan stood several feet away, watching.
Waiting.
He wanted this moment.
He wanted me to doubt the one person who had tried to help me.
I knew that.
But I also knew the look on Mae’s face.
She was hiding something.
Something about my sister.
“What happened to her?”” I asked.
Mae swallowed.
“Leah…”
“No.””
My voice shook.
“No, you don’t get to say my name like that and avoid the question.””
Nathan took a step closer.
“See? This is exactly what I was talking about.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
His expression was full of fake sadness.
“You’re overwhelmed. You’re confused. You’re turning against everyone trying to help you.””
The anger inside me burned.
“Help me?””
I held Noah closer.
“You brought a lawyer to take my baby.””
Nathan’s jaw tightened.
“That is not what happened.””
“Then what happened?””
Silence.
That silence was the answer.
Mae stepped forward.
“Leah, we need to leave.””
I looked at her.
“No.””
She froze.
“I need the truth.””
Her eyes filled with regret.
“Not here.””
“Why?””
“Because he wants you emotional.””
I looked at Nathan.
He didn’t deny it.
That scared me.
Because the old Nathan would have immediately defended himself.
The old Nathan would have been hurt that I questioned him.
This Nathan was calculating.
Waiting.
I took a breath.
“Tell me.””
Mae looked down.
Then she whispered:
“Your sister’s name was Emily.””
The world stopped.
I knew that name.
Of course I knew that name.
Emily Carver.
My little sister.
The girl who used to steal my clothes and blame the dog.
The girl who sang too loudly in the car.
The girl who promised she would be my baby’s favorite aunt.
The girl who disappeared five years ago.
Everyone told me she left because she wanted a fresh start.
Everyone told me she didn’t want to be found.
But nobody ever explained why.
My hands began shaking.
“What does Emily have to do with Nathan?””
Mae looked at Nathan.
Then back at me.
“She met him before you did.””
My stomach dropped.
No.
That wasn’t possible.
Nathan had told me he had never met my family before our relationship.
He said our first meeting was at my apartment when I introduced them.
“That’s a lie,” I whispered.
Mae nodded.
“Yes.””
Nathan finally spoke.
“Leah, don’t listen to her.””
I turned toward him.
“You knew Emily?””
He didn’t answer.
That was enough.
My voice broke.
“You knew my sister.””
Nathan looked frustrated.
“She was sick.””
The word hit me.
Sick.
The same kind of word he used about me.
The same word he used to erase people.
“What did you do to her?””
His expression changed.
“I tried to help her.””
I almost laughed.
“Help?””
I looked around.
“At least that’s your favorite word.””
Mae moved closer.
“Leah, Emily came to me six years ago.””
My heart pounded.
“She came to the hospital?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Mae hesitated.
“She was afraid.””
“Of what?””
The nurse looked at Nathan.
“Of him.””
The parking garage went silent.
Nathan’s face hardened.
“That is ridiculous.””
Mae ignored him.
“Emily said Nathan was collecting information about women.””
My breathing stopped.
The files.
Claire’s message.
The basement.
The pattern.
“What kind of information?””
Mae looked at me.
“Personal weaknesses.””
My stomach twisted.
“Why?””
“To use against them.””
Nathan shook his head.
“You’re making a dangerous accusation.””
Mae faced him.
“No. I’m repeating what someone told me before she vanished.””
My heart cracked.
“Vanished?””
I looked at Mae.
“You said she disappeared.””
“Yes.””
“But you know something.””
Mae didn’t speak.
I stepped closer.
“You know something.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I know the last thing Emily told me.””
“What?””
Mae closed her eyes.
“She said, ‘If anything happens to me, don’t let Nathan convince Leah that she’s crazy.’”
I felt like the floor disappeared.
Because those words were too specific.
Too familiar.
The same trap.
The same weapon.
A person loses everything when nobody believes them.
Nathan moved closer.
“Leah, you need to stop.””
I looked at him.
“You’re scared.””
His face changed.
Only slightly.
But I saw it.
Fear.
Real fear.
Not because he loved me.
Because something was slipping away.
“You don’t understand what happened.””
“Then explain.””
He opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
I stepped back.
“You can’t.””
He lowered his voice.
“Because you don’t know the whole story.””
“Then tell me.””
His eyes moved to Noah.
Then back to me.
“Not here.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
That was exactly what manipulators did.
They moved the conversation.
They controlled the place.
They controlled the witnesses.
They controlled the story.
Mae grabbed my arm.
“Now.””
We moved.
This time, Nathan didn’t chase us immediately.
And somehow, that frightened me more.
Because it meant he had another plan.
We reached the old exit door.
Mae pushed it open.
Cold night air hit my face.
A few cars sat in the dark employee parking lot.
“We need someone you trust,” Mae said.
I thought about it.
My parents were gone.
My closest friends were hours away.
Everyone I knew was connected somehow to the life Nathan had built around me.
Then my phone buzzed.
Claire.
I answered.
Not because I trusted her.
Because I needed answers.
“Hello?””
For a moment, there was only silence.
Then a woman’s voice.
Older than I expected.
Tired.
But steady.
“Leah?””
“Yes.””
A shaky breath.
“I wasn’t sure you would answer.””
“Who are you?””
“You already know.””
I looked at Mae.
“Claire.””
“Yes.””
My voice became cold.
“Why should I believe you?””
A pause.
Then she said:
“Because Nathan told me the same thing he told you.””
I froze.
“What?””
“He told me I was unstable.””
My grip tightened around the phone.
“He told me I needed help.””
I swallowed.
“And?””
“And then he convinced everyone I was dangerous.””
I looked at Noah.
“Your daughter?””
Claire’s voice broke.
“She was three years old.””
I closed my eyes.
“I’m sorry.””
“I don’t need your sympathy, Leah.””
The sharpness in her voice surprised me.
“I need you to survive.””
I said nothing.
Claire continued.
“Nathan doesn’t just destroy relationships.””
A pause.
“He documents everything.””
My eyes moved toward the hospital.
“The files?””
“Yes.””
“Where are they?””
Silence.
Then:
“In the basement of your house.””
My blood ran cold.
My house.
The place where Nathan and I brought home baby furniture.
The place where we painted Noah’s nursery.
The place where I thought we were building a future.
“What’s in them?””
Claire whispered:
“Evidence that he planned this.””
A car engine started nearby.
Mae looked toward the sound.
“We need to move.””
I lowered my voice.
“Claire, why are you helping me?””
Her answer came quietly.
“Because five years ago, I failed to save my daughter.””
A pause.
“And I refuse to let him take another child.””
The call ended.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Mae pointed toward a dark sedan parked near the far end of the lot.
A woman sat inside.
Waiting.
Mae looked at me.
“That’s her.””
Claire.
The woman Nathan erased from his story.
The woman who might be the only person alive who understood what was happening.
I stepped forward.
Then stopped.
Because my phone lit up again.
A new message.
From Nathan.
One sentence.
*Before you trust Claire, ask her why Emily disappeared after meeting her.*
I stared at the screen.
My heart sank.
Because suddenly I realized something terrifying.
Everyone had a story.
Everyone had secrets.
And I had no idea who was telling me the truth.
Then Claire rolled down her window.
And the first thing she said made me question everything.
“Leah, before we go anywhere…”
She looked at Noah.
Then at me.
“Tell me one thing.””
May you like
Her voice dropped.
“Did Nathan ever tell you how your sister died?””
