Chapter 9: The Last Pages
My father didn’t go alone.
No matter how many times Victoria insisted, he refused.
“I’m not walking into another trap.””
Those were the words he said before we left.
Aunt Rachel came with us.
So did Mrs. Collins.
And I sat in the back seat, holding my mother’s notebook against my chest.
The missing pages.
That was all I could think about.
What was on them?
Why had Victoria hidden them?
And why did she believe they could destroy my father?
We drove to a small coffee shop across town.
Victoria was sitting alone at a table near the window.
For the first time, she looked small.
Not powerful.
Not untouchable.
Just a person who had been caught.
But I knew better.
People like Victoria didn’t surrender.
They waited.
My father sat across from her.
“Where are the pages?””
She looked at him.
“Not even hello?””
“No.””
Her smile disappeared.
“You’ve changed.””
“No.””
He stared at her.
“I finally saw you.””
The words hurt her.
Good.
For once, she felt something close to what she had made others feel.
She placed an envelope on the table.
“The pages are inside.””
Dad didn’t touch it.
“Why give them to me?””
Victoria looked at me.
“Because she deserves to know.””
My stomach tightened.
“Know what?””
She leaned back.
“The truth about her mother.””
Aunt Rachel spoke.
“You don’t get to rewrite her memory.””
Victoria ignored her.
“She was sick.””
I froze.
“What?””
Dad’s expression changed.
“Careful.””
“No, Daniel. You deserve to know.””
She pointed toward the envelope.
“Read it.””
My father opened it.
Inside were three pages.
The missing pages.
He read the first one.
Then the second.
Then the third.
His face became impossible to read.
“What does it say?””
He didn’t answer.
“Dad?””
He looked at me.
And that scared me.
Because I had never seen that expression before.
Not anger.
Not sadness.
Fear.
“What?””
He handed the pages to me.
My hands shook as I took them.
The handwriting was my mother’s.
I began reading.
“I know Daniel will blame himself.””
I stopped.
The next sentence made my heart race.
“He believes he failed me, but he didn’t.””
I looked at my father.
Then continued.
“I need Emma to know that her father loved her. He never abandoned us.””
Tears filled my eyes.
Because that was the opposite of what Victoria wanted me to believe.
I kept reading.
“I was afraid of Victoria. Not because she wanted my marriage. Because she wanted my daughter.””
My breathing stopped.
The words blurred.
“She has been watching our finances. She has been trying to convince Daniel that Emma is difficult.””
My father closed his eyes.
“She knew.””
Aunt Rachel whispered.
“Yes.””
I continued.
“I fear that if something happens to me, Victoria will try to become the person controlling Emma’s life.””
The page shook in my hands.
Then came the final line.
“I need someone to protect my daughter from her.””
Silence.
Nobody spoke.
Not even Victoria.
Because the truth was finally complete.
My mother had known.
She had seen everything.
And she had tried to leave a warning.
My father looked at Victoria.
“Why?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
But I couldn’t tell if they were real.
“Because I wanted a life.””
“A life?””
“Yes.””
She stood suddenly.
“You have no idea what it’s like to always be second.””
Dad stared.
“So you destroyed my daughter?””
Victoria’s face twisted.
“I didn’t destroy her.””
Her eyes moved toward me.
“I shaped her.””
I felt sick.
“You made me afraid.””
She looked away.
“For her own good.””
“No.””
My father stood.
“You did it because you wanted control.””
Victoria became quiet.
Then she reached into her purse.
And pulled out her phone.
“I have one more thing.””
Nobody moved.
She unlocked the screen.
“I saved this for years.””
Dad frowned.
“What is it?””
She looked at me.
And smiled.
A cold, empty smile.
“A recording.””
My heart dropped.
“What recording?””
She pressed play.
A voice came from the phone.
A child’s voice.
My voice.
But I didn’t recognize the words.
The recording began:
“I hate my dad…”
My entire body froze.
Because I had never said that.
Or at least…
I didn’t remember saying it.
Victoria watched my face.
May you like
And whispered:
“Now let’s see who everyone believes.””