Chapter 7: The Secret Behind My Mother’s Death
The room became completely silent after Victoria spoke.
Not the peaceful kind of silence.
The kind that comes right before something breaks.
My father stared at her.
“What did you say?””
Victoria didn’t answer immediately.
She looked at me.
And I knew.
She wanted me to be afraid.
She had spent years making me feel powerless, and even now, when everything around her was collapsing, she was still trying to control the room.
“Ask Emma,” she repeated.
My father turned toward me.
“Emma?””
I couldn’t speak.
Because I didn’t know what she was talking about.
But the way Victoria looked at me made my chest tighten.
She knew something.
Something I didn’t.
“Emma,” Dad said softly.
“What is she talking about?””
“I don’t know.””
Victoria laughed.
“Of course you don’t.””
Aunt Rachel stepped forward.
“Stop using that girl to protect yourself.””
Victoria looked at her.
“You weren’t there.””
“No,” Aunt Rachel replied.
“But I know your type.””
Victoria’s expression darkened.
“Careful.””
Dad slammed his hand against the table.
“Enough.””
Everyone stopped.
He looked exhausted.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
Like every lie he had discovered had taken something from him.
“Victoria, you have spent years lying to me.””
She opened her mouth.
He continued.
“You took my money. You hurt my daughter. You manipulated everyone around you.””
His eyes moved toward the papers.
“And now you’re bringing up Emma’s mother?””
Victoria’s face hardened.
“Because you deserve the truth.””
“Then tell me.””
She looked at me.
“Your daughter’s mother didn’t trust you.””
My heart dropped.
“What?””
Victoria continued.
“She was planning to leave.””
Dad stared.
“No.””
“Yes.””
“That’s a lie.””
“Is it?””
She walked closer.
“Why do you think she wrote those letters?””
I looked at Aunt Rachel.
She looked confused too.
“What letters?””
Victoria smiled.
“Ask Emma.””
Everyone looked at me.
And suddenly I felt like I was twelve years old again.
Standing alone.
Being blamed for things I didn’t do.
“I don’t know anything about letters.””
Victoria crossed her arms.
“Your mother kept secrets from your father.””
Dad shook his head.
“My wife loved me.””
“Then why did she hide things?””
“Because you’re lying.””
Victoria smiled.
“Maybe.””
She paused.
“But maybe I’m not.””
That was the worst thing about her.
She never needed to prove a lie immediately.
She only needed to plant doubt.
After everything she had done, a part of my father still looked hurt.
Not because he believed her.
Because he was scared there might be something he didn’t know.
Aunt Rachel noticed.
“Daniel, don’t do this.””
He looked at her.
“Do what?””
“Let her destroy the memory of your wife.””
Victoria’s face changed.
“You don’t know what happened.””
Aunt Rachel stepped closer.
“I know your sister loved Emma.””
That word hit me.
Your sister.
Because Aunt Rachel wasn’t just talking about my mother.
She was defending her.
“She loved that child more than anything,” Rachel continued.
Victoria rolled her eyes.
“Then why did she leave her?””
My father went completely still.
“What?””
I looked at him.
“Dad…”
Victoria smiled.
“There.””
She pointed at me.
“She knows.””
“No, I don’t.””
“Yes, you do.””
My hands started shaking.
“I was six years old.””
The room became quiet.
“I don’t remember everything.””
That was true.
My mother died when I was six.
People always told me memories from that age were supposed to fade.
But some things never disappeared.
Her voice.
Her perfume.
The way she held my hand when I was scared.
Victoria looked satisfied.
“You don’t remember because everyone protected you.””
Dad stepped forward.
“Enough.””
“No.””
Victoria shook her head.
“You want answers? Then get them.””
She reached into her purse.
She pulled out an old envelope.
My heart stopped.
Because I recognized it.
The handwriting.
The handwriting on the front.
My mother’s.
Dad took it slowly.
Where did you get this?””
Victoria smiled.
“She left it behind.””
My father opened it.
I watched his eyes move across the page.
Then his face changed.
He looked confused.
Then hurt.
Then angry.
“Daniel?””
He didn’t answer.
“Dad?””
He folded the letter.
Very carefully.
Like it could break.
Then he looked at Victoria.
“Where exactly did you find this?””
Her smile faded slightly.
“In her things.””
“No.””
His voice was different.
“You didn’t.””
Everyone looked at him.
Dad held up the envelope.
“This was sealed.””
Victoria froze.
“What?””
“My wife’s letters were always sealed with a blue sticker.””
He turned it over.
“This was opened.””
Silence.
Aunt Rachel stepped closer.
“She read it.””
Victoria’s face turned pale.
“No.””
Dad looked at her.
“You opened my wife’s letter.””
“I was trying to understand.””
“You were trying to use it.””
The truth landed.
Hard.
Victoria looked at me.
And I realized something.
She wasn’t afraid of my father anymore.
She was afraid because he was finally seeing everything.
Then Dad unfolded the paper again.
His expression changed.
“What?””
He looked at me.
Then at Aunt Rachel.
“Emma’s mother didn’t write this about leaving.””
My heart stopped.
“What does it say?””
My father’s hands trembled.
He whispered:
“It says she was afraid.””
“Afraid of what?””
He looked directly at Victoria.
May you like
And the answer was already written on his face.
“Her.””