Chapter 9: The Message My Father Hid From Me
Nobody moved.
Not even the person holding the phone.
Marcus stood frozen, the device pressed against his ear, while the voice of my father filled the salon.
A voice I hadn’t heard in three years.
A voice I thought I would never hear again.
“Nia…”
My knees almost gave out.
I grabbed the counter beside me.
Because hearing someone’s voice after they’re gone is a strange kind of pain.
For one second, your heart forgets.
For one second, you think they’re still here.
Then reality comes rushing back.
My father was gone.
But somehow, he was still trying to protect me.
“If you’re hearing this,” the recording continued, “it means I didn’t get the chance to tell you the truth myself.””
Everyone was silent.
My mother was crying.
Lena looked like she couldn’t breathe.
Marcus stared at the phone like it was something dangerous.
And maybe it was.
Because secrets have power.
Especially secrets from the dead.
My father’s voice continued.
“Nia, before you hear anything else, I need you to understand one thing.””
A pause.
“Never believe anyone who tells you they protected you by hiding the truth.””
My eyes filled instantly.
Because those were the exact words I had been thinking all night.
My father knew.
Somehow, he knew.
“I spent my life trying to give you a safe home. A happy childhood. A family you could trust.””
The recording crackled.
“But I made one mistake.””
Everyone leaned closer.
“I believed people would do the right thing if they were given the chance.””
My mother covered her mouth.
My father continued.
“Daniel was not the only person involved.””
My heart tightened.
There it was.
The truth we had been chasing.
“There was someone else.””
The recording paused.
Then:
“But before I say that name, I need to explain what happened.””
Marcus lowered the phone slightly.
I looked at him.
“Keep playing it.””
He nodded.
The recording continued.
“Years ago, I started noticing money missing from the company accounts. Small amounts at first. Small enough that nobody would notice.””
My father’s voice sounded tired.
“Daniel convinced me it was a mistake. A banking error. A misunderstanding.””
A bitter silence followed.
“But fathers know when something is wrong.””
I closed my eyes.
I could almost see him sitting at his desk.
The same desk where he paid bills.
The same desk where he helped me with homework.
“I investigated quietly.””
The recording continued.
“And what I found broke my heart.””
My mother started crying harder.
“Nia, the person helping Daniel was not someone who hated us.””
A pause.
“It was someone who loved us.””
I looked at my mother.
Then Lena.
Then Marcus.
My entire life felt like a room full of locked doors.
“And that is why I was afraid.””
My father’s voice became softer.
“Because betrayal from an enemy is expected.””
A pause.
“But betrayal from family destroys something deeper.””
Nobody spoke.
“Your mother was not stealing from me.””
I looked up.
Everyone froze.
The recording continued.
“But she knew.””
My mother closed her eyes.
“She knew what Daniel was doing.””
My chest tightened.
My mother whispered:
“I’m sorry.””
I looked at her.
“You knew?””
She nodded slowly.
“I found out.””
The recording played.
“Your mother discovered Daniel’s actions before I did.””
My father’s voice continued.
“She was afraid.””
My mother cried.
“She thought protecting the family meant keeping the truth hidden.””
I felt anger.
Pain.
Confusion.
Everything at once.
“But that was not the worst part.””
The recording paused.
Everyone looked at the phone.
“What worst part?”” Lena whispered.
Then my father said:
“Daniel was not trying to steal from the company.””
A chill went through me.
“He was trying to force me to sell.””
Marcus looked confused.
“What?””
The recording continued.
“He wanted control. He wanted ownership. The money was only one piece of the plan.””
I looked at the documents.
The company.
The contracts.
Everything.
“He created the appearance of failure so he could take everything for himself.””
My father took a breath.
“And someone helped him.””
My stomach dropped.
The recording had already said my mother wasn’t the thief.
So who?
My father continued.
“The person who helped Daniel was not my wife.””
My mother began crying.
“It was…”
The recording cut.
Static filled the room.
Everyone froze.
“No.””
Marcus tapped the phone.
“No, no, no.””
The recording stopped.
I looked at him.
“What happened?””
“The file ended.””
“What?””
He checked the screen.
“It’s corrupted.””
My heart sank.
After all of that.
After finally hearing my father.
The answer was missing.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message.
From an unknown number.
I opened it.
One sentence.
*I know what your father was about to say.*
My blood ran cold.
Another message appeared.
*Meet me alone if you want the rest.*
I looked at the number.
No name.
No picture.
Nothing.
Marcus noticed my expression.
“What is it?””
I didn’t answer.
Because I already knew.
Whoever sent it knew about the recording.
Which meant they had been watching.
I showed him the phone.
His face changed.
“No.””
“What?””
“That number…”
He took a step back.
“I know it.””
My heart raced.
“Who is it?””
He looked terrified.
“Nia, don’t respond.””
“Who is it?””
He swallowed.
“It belongs to Daniel.””
The room exploded.
My mother stood.
“Impossible.””
Marcus shook his head.
“No. It’s his old number.””
Lena looked at him.
“You said that number was disconnected.””
“It was.””
“Then how did he text her?””
Nobody answered.
Because there was only one possibility.
Someone else had access to Daniel’s phone.
Someone else was using his identity.
My phone buzzed again.
Another message.
This time, a photo.
A photo of my father.
But not the one Daniel sent earlier.
This one was different.
It showed my father sitting in his office.
On his desk was a folder.
And written on the front:
*NIA — OPEN ONLY AFTER THE TRUTH IS FOUND*
My breath caught.
“He made that for me.””
Nobody spoke.
My father had known.
He knew one day I would find out.
He knew everyone would try to explain things before I discovered the truth myself.
Marcus stepped closer.
“Nia, where was that photo taken?””
I looked at him.
“My father’s office.””
His face went pale.
“That office was destroyed after he died.””
I stared.
“What?””
He nodded.
“The night after the funeral, everything was removed.””
My stomach twisted.
“By who?””
Marcus looked toward my mother.
She looked away.
Then toward Lena.
She looked confused.
Finally, everyone looked at the same person.
Me.
Because the answer wasn’t in the room.
It was somewhere else.
Somewhere hidden.
Somewhere my father had prepared.
My phone rang.
This time, I answered.
No one stopped me.
A voice came through.
Not Daniel.
Not a stranger.
Someone I knew.
Someone whose voice immediately made my heart drop.
“Nia.””
I froze.
“Who is this?””
The person took a breath.
“I’m the reason your father never gave you that recording.””
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“Who are you?””
A pause.
Then:
“I’m the person your father trusted after everyone else betrayed him.””
I swallowed.
“Tell me your name.””
The voice became quiet.
And when the person answered, every secret from the past three years suddenly pointed in one direction.
“My name is Adrian.””
Marcus’s face changed.
Because he knew that name.
“Nia…”
He looked at me.
“Don’t trust him.””
I stared at Marcus.
“Why?””
May you like
His voice was barely audible.
“Because Adrian was the last person who saw your father alive.””
