Chapter 8: The Secret Behind The Vacation
I spent the entire night trying to identify the number.
No name.
No records.
Nothing.
Whoever sent the message wanted me to know something.
But they didn’t want me to know who they were.
Clara found me awake at three in the morning.
“You’re doing it again.””
I looked up.
“What?””
“Trying to carry everything alone.””
I sighed.
“I don’t know who to believe anymore.””
She sat beside me.
“Then don’t believe anyone.””
I looked at her.
“Find the truth.””
That was why Clara was different.
She didn’t want revenge.
She wanted answers.
The next morning, Daniel traced the number.
“It came from an old prepaid phone.””
“Can you find the owner?””
He shook his head.
“Not easily.””
I looked at the message again.
Protecting you from something worse.
I needed answers.
So I did something I never thought I would do.
I called Vanessa.
She answered immediately.
“You know.””
It wasn’t a question.
“What do you know?””
She was silent.
Then:
“Dad told you.””
“Tell me the truth.””
“Arthur…”
“Please.””
That word surprised her.
Because I wasn’t angry.
I was tired.
Finally, she said:
“There was a reason Mom and Dad never wanted you to meet Michael.””
“Why?””
“Because Michael discovered something.””
“What?””
She took a shaky breath.
“The company wasn’t just built on stolen ideas.””
I waited.
“He found evidence that Richard had been moving money illegally.””
I frowned.
“What money?””
“The family money.””
I looked at my accounts.
“My money?””
“Yes.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“The vacation.””
Vanessa went quiet.
“What about it?””
“Why was the Mediterranean trip so expensive?””
She hesitated.
Then said:
“Because it wasn’t just a vacation.””
My hand tightened around the phone.
“What was it?””
“An escape plan.””
The room went silent.
“What?””
Vanessa started crying.
“Dad knew you were getting close.””
“To what?””
“To everything.””
I stood up.
“Explain.””
“He knew you would eventually check the accounts. He knew the fraud would be discovered.””
My voice lowered.
“So the trip…”
“He was planning to leave.””
I felt sick.
“My father was going to run?””
“Yes.””
“And Mom?””
“Yes.””
“And you?””
She whispered:
“I didn’t know until recently.””
For years, I had funded their luxury lifestyle.
Their homes.
Their vacations.
Their image.
And they were planning to disappear the moment I stopped being useful.
“Why did you throw that water at Clara?””
The question came out before I could stop it.
Vanessa went silent.
Then:
“Because I hated her.””
The honesty shocked me.
“Why?””
“Because she saw us.””
“What?””
“She saw what we were doing.””
My stomach dropped.
“She knew?””
“Yes.””
“How long?””
“Months.””
I closed my eyes.
Clara never told me.
Vanessa continued.
“She told me I should stop using you.””
“And?””
“I told her she wasn’t family.””
A painful silence followed.
Then Vanessa whispered:
“I was wrong.””
I didn’t forgive her.
Not yet.
But for the first time, she sounded human.
After the call ended, I went to find Clara.
She was sitting in the nursery.
The room wasn’t finished yet.
Tiny blankets.
Small toys.
A crib waiting for our baby.
“You knew,” I said.
She looked up.
Her face changed.
“What did you hear?””
“That you knew about my family.””
She looked down.
“I didn’t know everything.””
“How much?””
Clara took a breath.
“I saw the financial records.””
I stared at her.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because every time I tried, you defended them.””
That hurt.
Because it was true.
She touched the crib.
“I didn’t want to make you choose between me and your family.””
I sat beside her.
“You should have.””
She looked at me.
“Maybe.””
A tear slipped down her cheek.
“But I knew you had to see them clearly yourself.””
For a long moment, neither of us spoke.
Then my phone rang.
Daniel.
I answered.
His voice was urgent.
“Arthur, I found the person who sent the messages.””
“Who?””
A pause.
Then:
“Someone who worked with your biological father.””
My heart raced.
“Where are they?””
Daniel lowered his voice.
“They’re waiting to meet you.””
“Who are they?””
Another pause.
Then he said a name.
A name that changed everything.
“Arthur… it’s Michael Carter’s daughter.””
My blood went cold.
Because that meant something impossible.
May you like
I had a sister.
And she had been hiding for thirty years.
