Chapter 9: The Secret About Me
I hated that one sentence could change everything.
Not because I believed Curtis.
Because a part of me feared he was telling the truth.
Your father left a secret about you.
Those words followed me all the way home.
My mother drove silently.
Her hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles turned white.
Neither of us spoke.
Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore.
“What did he mean?””
She kept looking at the road.
“I don’t know.””
I laughed quietly.
“Mom.””
“I don’t.””
“You knew something was coming.””
She swallowed.
“I knew Curtis would try to hurt us.””
“That’s not what I asked.””
She pulled into the driveway.
The car stopped.
But she didn’t turn off the engine.
“There are things your father never told me.””
I stared.
“What things?””
She looked at me.
“About before we met.””
My stomach tightened.
“Before you met Dad?””
She nodded.
“He had a life before me.””
“Everyone does.””
“Yes.””
She looked down.
“But there were parts of it he kept private.””
I felt confused.
“What does that have to do with me?””
“I don’t know.””
The answer scared me.
Because my mother always knew more than she admitted.
We went inside.
The apartment felt different.
Like it belonged to strangers.
The place where I grew up.
The place where I thought I knew everything.
Now every wall seemed to hold another secret.
My mother went to the kitchen.
I sat on the couch.
The same couch where Curtis had sat with his feet up.
The same couch where he told me he didn’t pay rent.
My phone buzzed.
Renee.
I answered.
“Hello?””
“Did you find the letter?””
“Yes.””
A pause.
“Then you know.””
“Know what?””
“That Daniel left something for you.””
I stood.
“Curtis said my father left a secret.””
Silence.
Too long.
“Renee.””
She sighed.
“Jada, I didn’t want to be the one to tell you.””
My heart started pounding.
“Tell me what?””
“Your father was investigating Curtis for more than money.””
“What else?””
“He found out Curtis had another victim.””
I frowned.
“Another victim?””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
Renee hesitated.
Then:
“Your father.””
I froze.
“What?””
“Curtis wasn’t just stealing from the business.””
She lowered her voice.
“He was trying to destroy Daniel’s reputation before Daniel could expose him.””
I sat down.
“But Curtis said there was a secret about me.””
Renee went quiet.
Then said:
“That’s because he’s trying to distract you.””
“From what?””
“From the evidence.””
I looked toward my mother.
She was standing in the kitchen, watching me.
“What evidence?””
Renee answered:
“The video.””
I grabbed the flash drive.
“I haven’t watched it.””
“Watch it.””
“Why?””
“Because you need to hear Curtis say it himself.””
I ended the call.
My mother sat beside me.
“What did she say?””
I looked at her.
“She said I need to watch the video.””
My mother shook her head.
“Jada…”
“Mom.””
She stopped.
“I need the truth.””
Her eyes filled.
“I’m scared.””
“So am I.””
That was the first honest thing we had said to each other in years.
I plugged the flash drive into my laptop.
The screen loaded.
One video.
No title.
No date.
Just a file.
I clicked.
The recording showed an old office.
My father’s office.
My stomach dropped.
Curtis appeared on screen.
Younger.
Angrier.
He was talking to someone off-camera.
A voice asked:
“Are you sure Daniel won’t find out?””
Curtis laughed.
“He’s too trusting.””
My hands went cold.
The voice asked:
“What about the daughter?””
Curtis leaned back.
“Jada?””
My breathing stopped.
“Yes. What if she finds out?””
Curtis smiled.
“That’s the best part.””
I moved closer to the screen.
“What is he talking about?””
My mother whispered:
“Turn it off.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
“Please.””
But I couldn’t.
Not anymore.
On the screen, Curtis continued.
“She thinks Daniel is her father.””
The room went silent.
My entire body went numb.
My mother covered her mouth.
I couldn’t breathe.
The voice asked:
“And she isn’t?””
Curtis smiled.
“No.””
The video froze.
The laptop continued playing the sound of static.
I stared at my mother.
She stared back.
And in that moment, I realized something worse than losing money.
Worse than being lied to.
My entire identity had just been questioned.
“Mom…”
My voice barely came out.
“Is he telling the truth?””
May you like
She didn’t answer.
And her silence was the answer I was most afraid of.