Chapter 14: The Choice She Made
For a moment, nobody moved.
Not Malcolm.
Not me.
Not Derek.
The accusation was too heavy.
Because we had spent days believing Tasha was only part of the problem.
Not the beginning.
“Say that again,” Malcolm said.
Derek looked at him.
“It was Tasha.””
“No.””
“I know what you think.””
“You don’t know anything.””
Derek nodded.
“You’re right.””
He looked down.
“I know what I saw.””
Malcolm stepped closer.
“Then tell me.””
Derek swallowed.
“The night your wife died, she was following Tasha.””
The room became silent.
“Why?””
“Because Tasha knew about the trust.””
Malcolm shook his head.
“She didn’t.””
“She did.””
“She told me she didn’t.””
Derek gave a sad smile.
“That’s the problem.””
“What?””
“You believed everyone who said they were protecting you.””
That sentence hurt because it was true.
Derek continued.
“Your wife followed Tasha because she thought she was meeting someone who could help her.””
“Help her?””
“Yes.””
“With what?””
“Getting Isaiah’s money away from people trying to steal it.””
Malcolm stared.
“She trusted Tasha?””
“Yes.””
The irony was almost unbearable.
The person Isaiah’s mother trusted became the person who betrayed him.
“What happened?”” Malcolm asked.
Derek looked away.
“They argued.””
“Who?””
“Your wife and Tasha.””
“About the trust?””
“Yes.””
“Then what?””
Derek’s voice became quieter.
“Tasha wanted access.””
Malcolm’s face changed.
“She wanted the money.””
“Yes.””
“No.””
“Yes.””
Derek looked at him.
“But something happened.””
“What?””
“She changed her mind.””
That surprised everyone.
“What?””
“She realized what she was doing.””
I frowned.
“Then why did she still take the money?””
Derek shook his head.
“Because by then, she was trapped.””
“By who?””
He looked at me.
“Your mother.””
My heart sank.
Derek explained.
“Your mother threatened to expose Tasha.””
“Why?””
“Because Tasha knew too much.””
“So everyone was using everyone.””
“Yes.””
The room felt sickeningly complicated.
Nobody was innocent.
Nobody was completely guilty.
Except Isaiah.
A child who had only wanted a backpack.
Malcolm sat down.
“Then the accident…”
Derek looked at the floor.
“Tasha and your wife argued beside the road.””
“Then?””
“She left.””
“Your wife?””
“Yes.””
“And Tasha?””
“She followed.””
“Why?””
“To get the papers back.””
Malcolm closed his eyes.
“And the car?””
Derek didn’t answer.
He didn’t need to.
We all understood.
The next day, Malcolm found Tasha.
She didn’t run.
She was sitting on a bench near a quiet park.
When she saw him, she looked exhausted.
“I knew you would come.””
Malcolm stopped in front of her.
“Did you kill my wife?””
Tasha started crying.
“No.””
“Then tell me the truth.””
She looked at the ground.
“I caused the accident.””
Malcolm froze.
“How?””
“I grabbed the papers.””
“What papers?””
“The trust documents.””
“And?””
“She pulled away.””
Silence.
“She lost control.””
Malcolm’s face broke.
“My wife died because of paperwork?””
“No.””
Tasha looked up.
“She died because everyone was afraid.””
“Everyone?””
“Yes.””
She wiped her tears.
“I was afraid of losing you.””
Malcolm stared.
“You hurt my son.””
“I know.””
“You stole from him.””
“I know.””
“You destroyed everything.””
“I know.””
“Why?””
Tasha looked toward the ground.
“Because after she died…”
Her voice cracked.
“I found out she left a message.””
“For who?””
“For Isaiah.””
Malcolm’s eyes narrowed.
“What message?””
Tasha reached into her bag.
She pulled out a small piece of paper.
“She wrote one sentence.””
Malcolm took it.
Read it.
His expression changed.
“What does it say?””
He didn’t answer.
I stepped closer.
“What?””
Malcolm handed it to me.
The handwriting was familiar.
Isaiah’s mother.
The message was short.
“If anything happens to me, don’t punish Tasha.””
I looked at Malcolm.
“What?””
He looked confused.
“Why would she write that?””
Tasha whispered:
“Because she knew.””
“Knew what?””
“She knew I wasn’t the person she needed to fear.””
The wind moved through the trees.
And for the first time, Tasha looked completely broken.
“She knew someone else was controlling me.””
Malcolm stared.
“Who?””
Tasha looked up.
May you like
And answered:
“Your mother.””