Chapter 3: The Recording on the Phone
When my father pulled me out, I couldn't stand.
My legs had forgotten how to work.
He wrapped his jacket around me and held me like I was seven years old again.
"I'm sorry," he kept saying.
"I'm so sorry.""
I wanted to answer.
I wanted to tell him everything.
But my voice was gone.
Vanessa stood nearby with tears running down her face.
Anyone watching would have thought she was devastated.
She wasn't.
I saw it.
For half a second, before she noticed me looking.
Her expression changed.
Fear.
Not sadness.
Fear.
Because she knew I had survived.
And she knew I had heard everything.
At the hospital, doctors checked me for dehydration and injuries.
A police officer sat beside my bed.
"Can you tell me what happened, Lily?""
I looked at my father.
He was standing near the window.
His face looked older.
Broken.
I nodded.
"She put me there.""
The officer glanced at Vanessa.
Vanessa immediately shook her head.
"No. That's not true.""
The officer stayed calm.
"Then explain what happened.""
Vanessa wiped her eyes.
"Lily has been angry since I married Daniel.""
I stared at her.
Even now.
Even after everything.
She was still lying.
"She wanted attention," Vanessa continued.
My father turned around.
"Stop.""
Everyone looked at him.
His voice was quiet.
"Just stop.""
Vanessa looked hurt.
"Daniel—"
"No.""
He stepped closer.
"I heard you say she was playing hide-and-seek.""
Vanessa swallowed.
"I was confused.""
"You were confused?""
His voice cracked.
"My daughter was trapped inside a wall.""
She looked away.
The officer asked:
"Do you have any evidence?""
I slowly reached into my bag.
The nurse had brought my belongings from the house.
My hand touched the old phone.
"This.""
Vanessa's face changed.
"What is that?""
I looked at her.
"The truth.""
The officer took the phone.
The room became silent as he played the recording.
My weak voice filled the room.
"If anyone finds this... Vanessa put me here.""
Then came her voice.
Clear.
Cold.
"I'll tell Daniel you ran away.""
My father covered his mouth.
The recording continued.
"I'll tell him you left because you hated me.""
Vanessa stood up.
"That's edited.""
The officer looked at her.
"It is not.""
"You don't understand!""
But then another recording played.
Her practicing the story.
Her fake crying.
Her words.
Every lie.
Every piece of her plan.
The room felt frozen.
My father looked at Vanessa like he had never seen her before.
"Why?""
That was the only word he said.
Why?
Vanessa didn't answer.
Not immediately.
Then she whispered:
"Because she was ruining everything.""
My father's face changed.
"You did this because of a child?""
Vanessa looked at me.
And for the first time, she didn't pretend.
"I was tired of being second.""
I felt cold.
Not because of the room.
Because I finally understood.
She never hated me because of anything I did.
She hated me because my father loved me.
The police arrested Vanessa that evening.
But before they took her away, she looked back at me.
Not angry.
Not sorry.
Smiling.
That scared me more.
Later that night, my father sat beside my hospital bed.
He held my hand.
"I should have seen it.""
I looked at him.
"Dad...""
"No.""
He shook his head.
"I should have protected you.""
I didn't know what to say.
Because part of me was angry.
And part of me was just happy he was there.
Then his phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
His face changed.
"What is it?"" I asked.
He didn't answer.
He picked up.
"Hello?""
A few seconds passed.
Then he looked at me.
"Lily...""
His voice was shaking.
"The police found something in the house.""
I sat up.
"What?""
My father lowered the phone slowly.
"They found another hidden space.""
My heart sank.
"Another one?""
He nodded.
"And there was something inside.""
"What?""
May you like
He stared at the floor.
"A box with your mother's name on it.""