Chapter 6: What Tyler Was Hiding
The police officer looked at the broken window and then back at my dad.
“Are you sure this was an accident?””
My dad nodded slowly.
“I don’t know anymore.””
Those words were terrifying.
Because my dad was no longer protecting Tyler.
He was questioning him.
Two hours earlier, we had found Tyler’s room empty.
At first, my dad thought he had just gone outside.
Then he noticed the drawer.
The one where Tyler kept important things.
It was open.
Inside were notebooks.
Printed messages.
Photos.
And a folder with my name written on it.
Emma.
My heart dropped when I saw it.
“What is that?””
My dad didn’t answer.
He opened it.
Inside were screenshots of conversations.
Notes.
Plans.
Not random things.
A timeline.
My timeline.
The first page had dates.
The second page had details about arguments I had with Tyler.
The third page had something that made my dad go completely silent.
A list.
Things Tyler had done.
Things he planned to blame on me.
I picked up the paper.
The first line said:
“Break the headphones. Say she left them on the floor.””
The second:
“Tell Mom Emma pushed me.””
The third:
“Make Dad think she hates me.””
I couldn’t breathe.
It wasn’t just the television.
It wasn’t just one lie.
It was years of small attacks.
Small enough that nobody noticed.
Big enough that they changed how everyone saw me.
My dad took the paper from my hands.
His face became pale.
“How long?””
I whispered:
“What?””
“How long has he been doing this?””
I looked at the list.
“I don’t know.””
Rachel stood behind us.
She looked sick.
Maybe because she finally understood.
Maybe because she finally saw what she had created.
My dad turned toward her.
“Did you know?””
She shook her head immediately.
“No.””
But this time, nobody trusted the answer.
The officer asked:
“Do you know where he might have gone?””
Nobody responded.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
“Hello?””
Silence.
Then Tyler’s voice.
“You really had to ruin everything?””
My entire body froze.
“Tyler?””
My dad immediately moved closer.
He put the phone on speaker.
Tyler laughed softly.
“You always thought you were smarter than everyone.””
I looked around.
“Where are you?””
“You know what’s funny?””
He ignored me.
“I never even hated you at first.””
Nobody spoke.
“I just noticed something.””
His voice changed.
“You always got sympathy.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“You were the victim. Always.””
My dad’s expression hardened.
“Tyler, where are you?””
But Tyler continued.
“Mom said if I made you look bad enough, Dad would finally stop choosing you.””
My stomach turned.
“Choosing me?””
Tyler laughed.
“You don’t even realize, do you?””
I said nothing.
“You were always the favorite.””
I almost couldn’t believe it.
After everything.
After all the lies.
That was what he believed?
Tyler continued.
“Dad felt guilty about not being there for you. Everyone knew it.””
My dad looked devastated.
“Tyler…”
“No, Dad. You don’t get it.””
His voice cracked.
“I spent years watching you try to fix things with her.””
A pause.
“And nobody tried to fix things with me.””
For one second, I heard something real.
Pain.
Not an excuse.
Not manipulation.
Pain.
But then it disappeared.
“You took everything from me.””
I whispered:
“I never took anything from you.””
“Yes, you did.””
The call suddenly became quiet.
Then Tyler said:
“I’m sending you something.””
The line disconnected.
A few seconds later, my dad’s phone received a file.
A video.
He opened it.
And my heart stopped.
Because it showed something from the day my mom left.
Something I had never seen.
Something Tyler wasn’t even supposed to know existed.
My dad watched the first few seconds.
Then his face changed.
He looked at me.
And for the first time, he looked afraid.
“Emma…”
I stepped closer.
“What is it?””
He looked back at the screen.
May you like
“It’s about your mother.””
And then the video began playing.