Chapter 12: The Daughter’s Secret
For several seconds, nobody reacted.
Because sometimes a lie is so impossible that your mind refuses to understand it.
I stared at Marissa.
Then I laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because it was the only sound my body could make.
“No.””
Marissa’s face broke.
“Simone—”
“No.””
I shook my head.
“You just said my name.””
“I know.””
“You said I changed my mother’s medical records.””
“I know how it sounds.””
“How it sounds?””
My voice rose.
“You’re accusing me of something I couldn’t have done.””
My father moved between us.
“Marissa, explain.””
She looked at him.
“I’m not saying Simone knowingly did anything.””
That stopped me.
“What does that mean?””
Marissa looked exhausted.
“Your mother’s records were accessed using your hospital visitor badge.””
I stared.
“My badge?””
“Yes.””
“That’s impossible.””
“Why?””
“Because I was sixteen.””
The room went silent.
I looked at Raymond.
“You remember.””
His face changed.
He remembered.
The summer before my mother died.
The summer I spent every day at the hospital.
The summer everyone told me to go home and sleep.
“I visited her every day.””
Marissa nodded.
“I know.””
“I had a badge.””
“Yes.””
“And someone used it?””
“Yes.””
My hands shook.
“But that doesn’t mean it was me.””
“I know.””
The answer surprised me.
Marissa stepped closer.
“I know you didn’t do it.””
I stared.
“Then why say my name?””
“Because someone wanted it to look like you.””
The room went silent again.
Someone wanted me blamed.
Someone had used my identity before.
Someone had sent messages from my phone.
Someone had erased my mother’s memories.
Someone had been moving pieces around for years.
I looked at Daniel.
“Was it you?””
He looked offended.
“No.””
“Why should I believe you?””
“You shouldn’t.””
The honesty caught me off guard.
He continued:
“But if I wanted you blamed, I wouldn’t be standing here.””
My father looked at him.
“You have done enough damage.””
Daniel looked at him.
“So have you.””
Nobody argued.
Because everyone knew there was truth on both sides.
Marissa opened her bag.
“I brought something.””
She removed a small envelope.
Not old.
Not hidden.
Recent.
My stomach tightened.
“What is that?””
“Your mother’s original medical file.””
My father looked shocked.
“How?””
Marissa looked away.
“Because I kept a copy before someone changed it.””
I stared.
“Why didn’t you tell us?””
Her eyes filled.
“Because I was afraid.””
The word again.
Everyone was afraid.
And fear had destroyed my family more than hatred ever could.
I opened the envelope.
Inside were medical reports.
Different from the ones I had seen before.
I read the first page.
Then the second.
Then I stopped.
“What?””
My father looked at me.
I handed him the paper.
His face changed as he read.
“What is it?””
I looked at Marissa.
“These records show my mother wasn’t poisoned once.””
Nobody moved.
“She was exposed over time.””
Daniel frowned.
“What?””
I pointed at the report.
“There were small amounts.””
Marissa nodded.
“Someone was slowly making her weaker.””
My father sat down.
A broken sound escaped him.
“No.””
I looked at him.
“Dad.””
He stared at the pages.
“I was there every day.””
“And someone still did it.””
His eyes filled.
Then he whispered:
“I know who had access.””
Everyone turned.
My father looked at the hallway.
At the empty wall.
At the place where my mother’s pictures used to be.
“The person who brought Elena her medication.””
My heart stopped.
“Who?””
He closed his eyes.
“Someone she trusted.””
The front door opened.
Again.
This time nobody moved.
Because we all knew who it was.
A voice came from the entrance.
Soft.
Calm.
Familiar.
“I wondered how long it would take you to figure it out.””
Everyone turned.
Celeste stood there.
No fear.
No panic.
Just a tired expression.
Like she had been waiting for this moment.
My father whispered:
“Celeste.””
She looked at me.
And then she said:
“Your mother knew before she died.””
I froze.
“Knew what?””
Celeste walked into the hallway.
She looked at the portrait of Elena still sitting on the table.
Then back at me.
“She knew who was poisoning her.””
My heart pounded.
“Who?””
Celeste’s eyes locked onto mine.
May you like
And she answered:
“She knew it was me.””