Chapter 9: The Family I Never Knew
I gripped the steering wheel so tightly my hands hurt.
“Marcus.””
My voice barely came out.
“What do you mean Jacob isn’t the only Reed?””
On the other end of the phone, silence.
That silence told me everything.
“There’s someone else.””
“Emma, listen to me.””
“No.””
My heart was pounding.
“You don’t get to say that anymore.””
“Say what?””
“Listen.””
I swallowed the anger rising in my chest.
“For years, everyone has told me to listen while they kept secrets from me.””
“Emma—”
“No.””
I looked down at the recorder sitting on the passenger seat.
My father’s voice was still echoing in my mind.
Your biological parents were Jacob Reed’s relatives.
The sentence I had never expected.
The truth I had never asked for.
The family I never knew existed.
“Tell me.””
Marcus exhaled.
“There is someone named Daniel Reed.””
The name meant nothing.
And somehow that scared me.
“Who is he?””
“Jacob’s uncle.””
I closed my eyes.
“Why does he matter?””
“Because he was the person your father was investigating.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“Not Jacob?””
“No.””
“Then why did Jacob disappear?””
Marcus hesitated.
“Because Daniel found out Jacob was helping your father.””
My breath caught.
“What?””
“Jacob wasn’t just your boyfriend, Emma.””
My heart sank.
“What was he?””
Marcus’s voice became quieter.
“He was trying to expose his own family.””
I drove back to the house without hanging up.
Marcus stayed on the phone.
Neither of us said much.
There were too many truths between us.
Too many things we had to rebuild before we could even begin to understand each other.
When I arrived, Marcus was standing outside.
He looked like he hadn’t moved since I left.
When I stepped out of the car, his eyes went immediately to the recorder in my hand.
“You listened.””
I nodded.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
His face tightened.
“Because I promised your father.””
“You promised my father before you promised me?””
“No.””
He stepped closer.
“I promised him because he was dying.””
The anger inside me weakened.
Only slightly.
“What did he ask you?””
Marcus looked down.
“He told me to protect you.””
“From Daniel Reed?””
“Yes.””
“From Jacob?””
“No.””
The answer surprised me.
“Then from who?””
Marcus looked at me.
“From everyone who would use you to get what they wanted.””
I laughed quietly.
A broken sound.
“And you thought keeping me ignorant was protecting me?””
“No.””
His eyes filled.
“I thought I could handle it.””
“You couldn’t.””
“No.””
He looked at the ground.
“I couldn’t.””
For once, Marcus didn’t defend himself.
He didn’t explain.
He just admitted it.
And somehow that hurt more.
We sat in the living room for hours.
The same room where we had celebrated birthdays.
Opened gifts.
Watched movies.
Built a life.
Now it felt like a courtroom.
Every memory was evidence.
Marcus placed a folder on the table.
“I found this after my father died.””
I looked at it.
“What is it?””
“Information about Daniel Reed.””
I opened it.
The first page was a photograph.
A man in his fifties.
Cold expression.
Sharp eyes.
The kind of face you remembered because it made you uncomfortable.
“Who is he?””
“Jacob’s uncle.””
“And my family?””
Marcus nodded.
“Your biological mother was Daniel’s sister.””
The words hit me.
“My mother?””
“Yes.””
I stared at him.
“Why didn’t anyone tell me?””
“Because your father and mother adopted you after what happened.””
“What happened?””
Marcus was quiet.
Then:
“Your biological parents tried to leave Daniel’s organization.””
Organization.
The word sounded wrong.
Like something from a movie.
Not my life.
“What organization?””
“Your mother’s family was involved in illegal financial operations.””
I looked away.
My entire identity felt like it was collapsing.
“I’m a Reed.””
Marcus shook his head.
“No.””
“What?””
“You are Emma.””
I looked at him.
“Don’t do that.””
“Do what?””
“Try to make me feel better.””
“I’m not.””
He leaned forward.
“I’m telling you the truth.””
I looked down.
Because the truth was the thing that had hurt me most.
The next morning, Jacob came to the house.
I almost didn’t open the door.
But when I saw him standing there, I knew I needed answers.
He looked different.
Not because he had changed.
Because now I knew he had been carrying something too.
“Did Marcus tell you?””
I stepped outside.
“You knew.””
Jacob looked down.
“Yes.””
“You knew who I was?””
“Yes.””
My anger returned.
“How long?””
“Since before we met.””
I stared at him.
“You knew my family.””
“Yes.””
“You knew my father.””
“Yes.””
“You knew I was adopted.””
His silence answered.
I felt sick.
“You knew everything.””
“No.””
Jacob shook his head.
“I knew pieces.””
“Everyone knows pieces.””
I stepped closer.
“And I’m the only person who knows nothing.””
Jacob looked hurt.
“I wanted to tell you.””
“When?””
“Before I left.””
I laughed.
“Of course.””
He swallowed.
“Emma, listen.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“I want to understand one thing.””
“What?””
“Did you love me?””
Jacob froze.
The question clearly hurt him.
“Yes.””
The answer came instantly.
“I loved you.””
“Then why leave?””
His face changed.
“Because Daniel found out about you.””
My chest tightened.
“He knew?””
“Yes.””
“And?””
“He threatened my family.””
I looked away.
“What did he say?””
Jacob’s voice became quiet.
“He said if I told you the truth, your parents would pay for it.””
I stared.
“My parents were already gone.””
“Your adoptive parents.””
I froze.
“What?””
Jacob looked at me.
“They weren’t safe either.””
A terrible thought entered my mind.
“My father’s accident.””
Jacob didn’t answer.
I already knew.
“He killed him.””
Jacob looked away.
“I think so.””
I closed my eyes.
All these years.
I thought I lost my father.
But maybe someone took him.
That afternoon, Laura called.
She sounded nervous.
“Emma, you need to leave your house.””
My stomach tightened.
“Why?””
“Because someone has been searching through your father’s files.””
“Who?””
A pause.
Then:
“Daniel Reed.””
I looked outside.
The street was quiet.
Too quiet.
“How did he find me?””
“He always knew where you were.””
My blood ran cold.
“What?””
“Emma, your father wasn’t hiding you from Daniel.””
She lowered her voice.
“He was hiding you from the truth.””
The call ended.
Then my front door opened.
I froze.
Marcus was in the kitchen.
He looked at me.
“What happened?””
Before I could answer, a sound came from upstairs.
A floorboard.
Someone was walking.
Marcus immediately moved in front of me.
“Stay here.””
My heart raced.
“Marcus.””
He looked toward the stairs.
Then whispered:
“Someone is inside.””
We stood there.
Waiting.
The footsteps got closer.
Slow.
Calm.
Like whoever it was wasn’t afraid of being found.
Then a man appeared at the top of the stairs.
Older.
Gray hair.
Cold eyes.
I recognized him from the photograph.
Daniel Reed.
He looked at me.
And smiled.
“Emma.””
My entire body froze.
He walked down the stairs slowly.
“I’ve been waiting a long time to meet you.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“You need to leave.””
Daniel ignored him.
His eyes stayed on me.
“You look exactly like your mother.””
I couldn’t move.
“Why are you here?””
Daniel smiled.
“Because you finally learned the truth.””
He looked at Marcus.
“Unfortunately, you learned it from the wrong people.””
My heart pounded.
“What do you want?””
Daniel reached into his coat.
He pulled out a small envelope.
Then placed it on the table.
“I came to give you something your father stole from me.””
I stared at it.
“What is it?””
Daniel smiled.
“The proof that Marcus has been lying to you.””
Marcus’s face changed.
“Don’t listen to him.””
Daniel looked amused.
“Still protecting her?””
He turned back to me.
“Emma, before you decide who to trust…”
He tapped the envelope.
“You should know one thing.””
I stared.
“What?””
Daniel’s smile disappeared.
“Your father didn’t die because of me.””
Silence.
“He died because Marcus’s father chose to sacrifice him.””
I looked at Marcus.
May you like
And Daniel whispered:
“And Marcus was there when it happened.””