Chapter 5: The Lawyer Who Knew My Father’s Secret
Amanda stared at the phone screen.
Nobody moved.
The ringtone echoed through the living room, sharp and unnatural.
Sarah Williams.
My father’s lawyer.
The person Dad trusted enough to put in his final message.
The person who apparently knew something about Amanda.
Or maybe everything.
Amanda’s hand hovered over the phone.
“Answer it,” Victor said.
His voice was low.
Amanda looked at him.
“You think I should?””
Victor’s expression tightened.
“If she’s calling now, she already knows.””
That sentence made my stomach twist.
Already knows.
Knows what?
That Dad was missing?
That he left the device?
That we heard everything?
Lily looked between them.
“You’re both scared.””
Neither of them answered.
That was the answer.
Amanda finally pressed the button.
“Hello?””
She tried to sound normal.
She failed.
A woman’s voice came from the speaker.
Even from where I stood, I could hear the seriousness in it.
“Amanda.””
Amanda swallowed.
“Sarah.””
“I need to speak with Ethan.””
The room went silent.
Amanda looked at me.
“No.””
The word came out before she could stop herself.
Victor turned sharply.
Amanda immediately corrected herself.
“I mean… he’s upset right now.””
Sarah’s voice became colder.
“Put Ethan on the phone.””
Amanda stared at me.
I didn’t move.
Lily stepped forward.
“Give it to him.””
Amanda looked at her daughter.
“Lily, go upstairs.””
“No.””
The same word again.
The word Lily had discovered that day.
The word that meant she wasn’t afraid anymore.
Amanda’s face hardened.
“Don’t test me.””
Lily’s eyes filled with tears.
But she stayed where she was.
“He needs to talk to her.””
I looked at the phone.
Then at Amanda.
Then at the black device in my hand.
Finally, I walked forward.
Amanda reached out.
I flinched.
She stopped.
That hurt more than if she had yelled.
Because she noticed.
For the first time, she noticed that I was afraid of her.
I took the phone.
“Hello?””
For a second, there was silence.
Then Sarah spoke.
“Ethan?””
“Yes.””
Her voice softened.
“Oh, Ethan…”
Something about the way she said my name made my chest tighten.
She sounded sad.
Not sorry.
Sad.
Like she already knew I had been hurt.
“Are you okay?””
I looked at Amanda.
“No.””
Nobody said anything.
Sarah took a slow breath.
“Is the device with you?””
“Yes.””
“Good.””
Victor immediately stepped forward.
Sarah must have heard movement.
“Is Victor there?””
I froze.
“How do you know?””
Another silence.
Then Sarah said:
“Because your father told me he would come looking for it.””
Victor’s face changed.
Amanda looked at him.
“You knew?””
Victor ignored her.
Sarah continued.
“Ethan, listen carefully. You cannot give that device to anyone.””
“I won’t.””
“Good.””
She paused.
“Do you still have the final file?””
I looked down.
“Yes.””
“Do not open it.””
My eyes widened.
“But Dad said—”
“I know what Daniel said.””
Her voice became gentler.
“And I know why he said it.””
I stared at the device.
“Why?””
Sarah didn’t answer immediately.
“Because your father wanted you to find me first.””
“Why?””
“Because the final file contains information that can change everything.””
Victor suddenly stepped closer.
“Give me that phone.””
I moved away.
Sarah heard him.
“Ethan, move away from Victor.””
I looked at Victor.
He stopped.
How did she know?
“Ethan,” Sarah continued, “I need you to go somewhere safe.””
“Where?””
“Can you get upstairs?””
I looked toward the stairs.
Amanda noticed.
“No.””
Sarah heard her.
“Ethan, do exactly what I say.””
I started walking.
Amanda moved.
But Lily stepped between us.
“Mom.””
Amanda stared at her.
“Move.””
“No.””
Her voice shook.
But she stayed.
I climbed the first step.
Then the second.
Victor looked furious.
“You don’t understand what you’re doing.””
I looked back.
“My dad did.””
His face changed.
For a moment, he looked almost afraid of a child.
I reached the top of the stairs.
Sarah spoke quietly.
“Ethan, is there a room where you can lock the door?””
“My bedroom.””
“Go there.””
I did.
I closed the door.
Then locked it.
My hands were shaking so badly I almost dropped the phone.
“Ethan?””
“I’m here.””
“Good. Now tell me everything that happened.””
So I did.
Not every little thing.
Not the way Amanda made me feel.
Not the nights I cried quietly into my pillow.
But the important things.
The chicken.
The noodles.
The recordings.
Victor.
Dad’s warning.
Sarah listened.
She didn’t interrupt.
When I finished, she was quiet.
Then she said:
“Ethan, I’m so sorry.””
I looked at the floor.
“Did my dad know?””
“Yes.””
My heart stopped.
“He knew?””
“Yes.””
“Then why did he leave me?””
The question came out before I could stop it.
The one question I had been too scared to ask.
Sarah didn’t answer right away.
When she did, her voice was different.
“He didn’t leave you.””
I closed my eyes.
“But he’s gone.””
“I know.””
“Everyone keeps saying he’ll come back.””
Silence.
Then:
“Ethan…”
I knew.
I knew before she said it.
And somehow that made it hurt more.
“Your father didn’t disappear because he wanted to.””
My eyes filled with tears.
“What happened?””
Sarah sighed.
“I don’t know everything.””
That surprised me.
“But I know he was trying to protect you.””
I looked at the device.
“He left this for me.””
“Yes.””
“Why me?””
The answer came immediately.
“Because he trusted you.””
I wiped my face.
“I’m only seven.””
“I know.””
“Then why?””
Sarah’s voice softened.
“Because your father believed you were the one person in that house who would still do the right thing.””
I didn’t know what to say.
Nobody had ever described me that way.
Not brave.
Not strong.
Just good.
A few seconds passed.
Then Sarah asked:
“Ethan, I need you to answer one more question.””
“What?””
“Did Amanda ever leave the house alone after your father left?””
I thought.
“Yes.””
“How many times?””
“I don’t know.””
“Did she meet anyone?””
I looked toward the door.
I thought about the recordings.
Amanda and Victor.
The secret conversations.
“I think so.””
Sarah became quiet.
“Ethan, this is important.””
“What?””
“Your father believed Amanda was not working alone.””
My room suddenly felt colder.
“What does that mean?””
Before Sarah could answer, there was a knock on my bedroom door.
My entire body froze.
“Ethan?””
Amanda.
Her voice was soft.
Too soft.
“Open the door, sweetheart.””
I didn’t answer.
Sarah whispered:
“Do not open it.””
The handle moved.
Once.
Twice.
Amanda tried the door.
“It’s okay. I just want to talk.””
I backed away.
My hand held the device tighter.
Then Amanda said something that made my blood run cold.
“Ethan, I know Sarah is on the phone.””
I looked at the screen.
How did she know?
Sarah’s voice became urgent.
“Ethan, listen to me.””
The doorknob turned again.
“She cannot know what you have.””
I stared at the locked door.
Then I heard Amanda whisper from the other side.
A whisper that wasn’t angry.
A whisper that sounded desperate.
“Ethan…”
A pause.
Then:
“Your father never told you the truth about your mother.””
My heart stopped.
Because my mother had been gone for years.
And I had always believed I knew the whole story.
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But Amanda’s next words changed everything.
“There’s a reason Daniel never wanted you to ask how she really died.””
