Chapter 7: The Call From The Dead
Daniel stared at the phone screen.
Nobody moved.
The name glowing on the display seemed impossible.
Ethan’s Brother.
A person none of us had heard about in years.
A person everyone believed had left the country.
A person who, according to Ethan, had nothing to do with any of this.
The phone kept ringing.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Daniel looked at Ethan.
“What is this?””
Ethan’s face had changed.
For the first time since he walked into our house, he looked uncertain.
“I don’t know.””
That answer scared everyone more than anything else.
Because Ethan always seemed prepared.
He had walked in with documents.
Recordings.
Proof.
He had controlled every second of the conversation.
But now he was staring at that phone like he was seeing a ghost.
Daniel looked at Claire.
“Who is he?””
Claire shook her head.
“I don’t know.””
My mother whispered, “Don’t answer.””
Daniel looked at her.
“Why?””
She didn’t respond.
That was enough.
Daniel pressed the answer button.
“Hello?””
At first, there was only silence.
Then a man’s voice.
Older.
Tired.
Afraid.
“Daniel?””
Everyone leaned closer.
Daniel’s grip tightened around the phone.
“Who is this?””
The voice took a shaky breath.
“My name is Nathan.””
Ethan’s expression changed instantly.
“Nathan?””
The voice on the phone went quiet.
Then:
“Ethan?””
The room froze.
Daniel looked between the phone and Ethan.
“You know him.””
Ethan didn’t answer.
Nathan continued.
“I know you’re there, Ethan.””
Ethan stepped closer.
“Where are you?””
The voice became colder.
“Somewhere you should have looked three years ago.””
Daniel frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Nathan answered.
“It means your brother lied to you.””
Everyone turned toward Ethan.
He looked furious.
“Don’t listen to him.””
Nathan laughed quietly.
“You’re still doing it.””
“Doing what?””
“Controlling everyone.””
Ethan grabbed the phone from Daniel’s hand.
But Daniel immediately took it back.
“No.””
His voice was sharp.
“You don’t get to decide what I hear anymore.””
That sentence hit Ethan.
Hard.
Daniel put the phone back to his ear.
“Nathan, tell me the truth.””
A pause.
Then Nathan said:
“The accident wasn’t caused by Claire.””
Claire covered her mouth.
Daniel looked at her.
Nathan continued.
“It wasn’t caused by your mother either.””
My mother looked stunned.
“Then who?””
Nobody breathed.
Nathan answered:
“Ethan.””
The room erupted.
Ethan stepped forward.
“That’s a lie.””
Nathan ignored him.
“Daniel, you need to understand something. Your brother has spent years making people believe he was protecting everyone.””
He paused.
“He wasn’t.””
Daniel looked at Ethan.
“What did you do?””
Ethan shook his head.
“I don’t know what game he’s playing.””
Nathan’s voice came through the phone.
“The night of the accident, Ethan was trying to stop Claire from leaving.””
Claire closed her eyes.
“I knew it.””
Ethan looked at her.
“You don’t know anything.””
Nathan continued.
“He followed her.””
Daniel looked at Claire.
“Is that true?””
She nodded slowly.
“Yes.””
The word was barely audible.
Daniel swallowed.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
Claire looked broken.
“Because I thought you already knew.””
That confused him.
“What?””
She looked at Ethan.
“Before your accident, you confronted him.””
Daniel froze.
“Me?””
“Yes.””
Claire’s voice trembled.
“You found evidence that Ethan had been threatening me.””
Daniel touched his head.
A sudden flash crossed his face.
A memory.
A dark road.
Rain hitting glass.
A man shouting.
Then nothing.
He stepped back.
“I saw something.””
Everyone stared.
“What?””
Daniel closed his eyes.
“I remember…”
He struggled.
“I remember driving.””
Claire moved closer.
“Daniel?””
“There was a car behind me.””
His breathing became heavier.
“Someone was following me.””
Ethan’s face went pale.
Daniel noticed.
“You remember something too, don’t you?””
Ethan stayed silent.
Nathan spoke again.
“That’s because Ethan wasn’t trying to get Claire back.””
Daniel looked at him.
“Then what was he trying to do?””
The answer came slowly.
“He was trying to get the evidence you had.””
The room went silent.
“What evidence?””
Nathan sighed.
“The evidence proving Ethan had been involved in another crime.””
Daniel stared.
“What crime?””
Nathan didn’t answer immediately.
Then he said:
“The disappearance of Claire’s first child.””
Claire’s knees almost gave out.
Daniel caught her arm.
“Child?””
Ethan looked angry.
“Stop.””
But Nathan continued.
“Claire was told her baby died during the accident.””
Daniel looked at Claire.
She was crying.
“But that wasn’t true.””
The entire room went cold.
Daniel whispered:
“What?””
Nathan’s voice lowered.
“The baby survived.””
Nobody spoke.
Not one person.
Claire covered her face.
“No…”
Daniel looked at her.
“You knew?””
Claire slowly shook her head.
“No.””
Her voice broke.
“I didn’t know.””
Nathan continued.
“Someone took the baby from the hospital.””
Daniel stared.
“Who?””
Nathan answered:
“That’s what I’ve been trying to prove.””
A long silence followed.
Then Daniel looked at Ethan.
And for the first time, Ethan looked afraid.
Because Daniel finally understood.
This was never about a fake pregnancy.
It was never about a lie.
It was about a missing child.
A child everyone thought was gone.
A child whose existence could destroy someone’s entire life.
Daniel whispered:
“Where is the baby?””
Nathan answered:
“I found her.””
Claire stopped breathing.
Daniel looked at her.
“A girl?””
Nathan said:
“Yes.””
Then he added:
“And she’s been living with someone in your family for three years.””
Everyone turned.
Slowly.
May you like
Toward the same person.
My mother.