Chapter 4: The Man From My Mother’s Past
For several seconds, nobody in the kitchen breathed.
My father’s words hung in the air.
*Daniel Hayes was the man who was driving the car when your mother died.*
I stared at him.
Waiting for him to say he was wrong.
Waiting for someone to laugh and explain that this was another misunderstanding.
But nobody did.
Nicole looked like she had seen a ghost.
And that scared me more than anything.
Because Nicole was never speechless.
Not when she was angry.
Not when she was caught lying.
Not when she hurt me.
She always had an answer.
A reason.
An excuse.
But now she had nothing.
“Who is Daniel Hayes?”” I asked.
My voice sounded strange.
Like it belonged to someone else.
My father looked at Nicole.
Then back at me.
“He was your mother’s friend.””
“Just a friend?””
The question came out sharper than I intended.
My father looked away.
And that was enough.
“No.””
The word left my mouth quietly.
“No?””
My father sat down again.
“I don’t know everything that happened between them.””
“But you know something.””
He nodded.
“Yes.””
My chest tightened.
“All these years?””
He closed his eyes.
“I thought I was protecting you.””
I shook my head.
“No. You were protecting yourself.””
The words hurt me as soon as they left my mouth.
But they were true.
My father flinched.
And I hated that I noticed.
Because a part of me still wanted to protect him.
Even after everything.
“I was eleven,” I whispered.
My father looked at me.
“I lost my mom.””
My voice cracked.
“And everyone decided I was too young to know the truth.””
Nobody spoke.
“I wasn’t too young to lose her.””
The silence that followed was unbearable.
Lily quietly walked over and stood beside me.
She didn’t say anything.
She just held my hand.
A small gesture.
But somehow it kept me standing.
My father looked at us.
Then at Nicole.
“I want to know why you have Daniel’s number.””
Nicole immediately shook her head.
“I don’t.””
My father lifted the phone.
“It’s saved under your contacts.””
Her face changed.
“I forgot.””
“You forgot?””
“Yes.””
“That’s your explanation?””
Nicole looked frustrated.
“Marcus, this isn’t what you think.””
“Then tell me what it is.””
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
That was when I realized something.
Nicole wasn’t just hiding something from me.
She was hiding something from my father too.
My father stood.
“Who is Daniel Hayes to you?””
Nicole looked toward the hallway.
Like she wanted an escape.
There wasn’t one.
“Maya,” my father said softly.
I looked at him.
“I need you to go upstairs with Lily.””
I frowned.
“No.””
“Maya—”
“No.””
I stepped back.
“I’m tired of being sent away whenever adults have secrets.””
My father’s expression softened.
“You shouldn’t have to hear this.””
“I already heard enough.””
I pointed at my cheek.
“I heard Nicole say she hit me because I wouldn’t agree with her.””
My voice shook.
“I heard her blame me for things I didn’t do.””
I looked at Nicole.
“And now I’m hearing that everyone has been lying about my mother for years.””
I swallowed.
“So no. I’m not going upstairs.””
My father looked at me for a long moment.
Then slowly nodded.
“Okay.””
Nicole looked at him.
“Marcus.””
“No.””
He turned toward her.
“You don’t get to decide what she can handle anymore.””
The sentence cut through the room.
Nicole looked hurt.
But not because she regretted what she had done.
Because she was losing power.
My father placed the phone on the table.
“Start talking.””
Nicole remained silent.
“Nicole.””
She sighed.
Then laughed quietly.
A strange, bitter laugh.
“You really want the truth?””
“Yes.””
She looked at me.
“Fine.””
I felt my stomach tighten.
“Daniel Hayes wasn’t just your mother’s friend.””
My father’s face darkened.
“I know.””
“No, you don’t.””
Nicole looked at him.
“Because you never knew everything.””
My father stepped closer.
“What are you talking about?””
Nicole folded her arms.
“Daniel and your wife were planning to leave.””
My breath caught.
“What?””
My father stared at her.
“That’s impossible.””
“Is it?””
“Yes.””
“Your wife was unhappy.””
“Don’t talk about her like you knew her.””
Nicole’s eyes narrowed.
“I knew her better than you think.””
The sentence made my father go still.
I noticed.
So did he.
“What does that mean?””
Nicole didn’t answer.
And that silence was terrifying.
“Nicole.””
Her face tightened.
“After the accident, Daniel disappeared.””
My father nodded.
“Yes.””
“He didn’t disappear.””
“What?””
“He left because someone told him to.””
My father stared.
“Who?””
Nicole looked at him.
“You.””
The accusation hit the room.
My father stepped back.
“What?””
“You found out about him. You found out about the messages. You found out your wife was thinking about leaving.””
My father shook his head.
“No.””
“You confronted him.””
“No.””
“You threatened him.””
“Stop.””
My father’s voice was louder now.
But Nicole continued.
“And then the crash happened.””
Lily gasped.
I felt cold.
Not because I believed her.
Because I realized how deep this went.
My father looked devastated.
“You’re saying I caused her death?””
Nicole looked away.
“I’m saying you know more than you admit.””
My father’s face changed.
Not anger.
Pain.
Deep pain.
Because that was the one thing he had probably feared hearing for years.
I stepped between them.
“Stop.””
Both of them looked at me.
“I don’t know what happened that night.””
My voice shook.
“But I know one thing.””
I looked at Nicole.
“You don’t get to use my mother’s death to distract everyone from what you did today.””
Her expression changed.
For a moment, she looked almost offended.
“You think this is about a slap?””
“No.””
I looked at her.
“It’s about everything.””
The room went quiet.
Because we all knew.
The slap wasn’t the beginning.
It was just the moment the door finally opened.
My father picked up his phone.
“I’m calling Daniel.””
Nicole’s eyes widened.
“No.””
Again.
That same desperate reaction.
My father noticed.
“Why?””
She hesitated.
“Because he won’t tell you the truth.””
“Then why are you afraid of me calling him?””
She didn’t answer.
My father pressed the number.
The phone rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Everyone waited.
Then the call connected.
A man’s voice came through.
“Marcus?””
My father closed his eyes.
“Yes.””
A long pause.
“I need to ask you something.””
The man on the other end said nothing.
My father looked at me.
Then at Nicole.
“Why is your number saved in my wife’s phone?””
Silence.
A terrible, heavy silence.
Then Daniel spoke.
And the words that followed made Nicole’s face completely collapse.
“Because Nicole was the person who asked me to lie about what happened the night your wife died.””
Nobody moved.
My father’s grip tightened around the phone.
“What did you say?””
Daniel’s voice trembled.
“I’m sorry, Marcus.””
My heart pounded.
“What happened that night?”” my father demanded.
Another pause.
Then Daniel whispered:
“Your wife didn’t die because of the storm.””
I felt Lily’s hand tighten around mine.
My father stopped breathing.
Daniel continued.
“She died because someone was trying to stop her from telling you the truth.””
The kitchen went silent.
May you like
And then Daniel said the one sentence that made my father slowly turn toward Nicole.
“Because Nicole knew your wife was going to expose her.””
