Chapter 6: The Truth About My Mother
For several seconds, I couldn’t move.
Amanda’s words stayed outside the door.
There’s a reason Daniel never wanted you to ask how she really died.
My fingers went numb.
The device almost slipped from my hand.
My mother.
A memory appeared in my mind.
A red scarf.
A warm hand brushing my hair away from my face.
A voice humming while cooking dinner.
I was only three when she died.
Too young to remember everything.
But old enough to remember feeling safe.
My dad never talked about that day much.
Whenever I asked questions, he always hugged me and said:
“Your mom loved you more than anything in the world.””
I had accepted that.
Because I trusted him.
But now Amanda was standing outside my door, telling me there was something he never told me.
“Ethan,” Sarah whispered through the phone.
I looked down.
“Don’t listen to her.””
“But what if she’s telling the truth?””
A pause.
Then Sarah said something that made me stop.
“Everyone can tell the truth in a way that still hurts you.””
I didn’t understand.
Not completely.
“But your mother’s death is not something Amanda gets to use against you.””
I looked at the door.
The person outside wasn’t crying.
She wasn’t apologizing.
She was trying to get me to open it.
That meant she wanted something.
“What does Amanda know about my mom?”” I asked.
Sarah was quiet.
Too quiet.
“Sarah?””
“I need to choose my words carefully.””
“Why?””
“Because you are a child who has already been forced to hear too much.””
I sat on the edge of my bed.
“I can handle it.””
The words sounded like something my dad would say.
Sarah sighed.
“Your mother’s death was investigated.””
“Because of the accident?””
Another silence.
My heart sank.
“Ethan…”
“What?””
“It wasn’t as simple as your father told you.””
The room felt like it was spinning.
I looked at the pictures on my desk.
One of me and Dad at the beach.
One of my mom holding me when I was a baby.
A family that felt like it belonged to another person.
“What happened?””
Sarah lowered her voice.
“Your mother, Emily, was working with your father before she died.””
“Working?””
“Yes.””
I frowned.
“She worked at Daddy’s company?””
“She helped him build it.””
That surprised me.
Dad always told me his company was his dream.
But maybe he meant their dream.
“She wasn’t just his wife,” Sarah continued.
“She was his partner.””
I looked at the device.
“And Amanda?””
Sarah hesitated.
“She entered your father’s life after your mother’s death.””
I waited.
“That timing matters.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“You think Amanda did something?””
“No.””
Sarah answered quickly.
“I am not saying that.””
“Then why are you saying it matters?””
“Because after Emily died, Daniel became vulnerable.””
The word hurt.
Vulnerable.
My dad was always the strongest person I knew.
But he was also a person who had lost someone.
Someone he loved.
Someone who was my mom.
“He needed help,” Sarah said.
“And Amanda helped him?””
“Yes.””
“Then why doesn’t Dad trust her?””
Sarah didn’t answer.
That was the part that scared me.
Before I could ask again, something hit the bedroom door.
Not hard.
Just enough to make me jump.
“Ethan?””
Amanda.
“I know you’re scared.””
I stayed silent.
“I know Daniel made you think I’m the enemy.””
Sarah immediately whispered:
“Do not respond.””
Amanda continued.
“But I’m the only person who can tell you what really happened.””
My chest tightened.
She sounded convincing.
That was what made her dangerous.
She had always sounded convincing.
“I loved your father,” Amanda said.
I almost laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because I remembered every meal.
Every insult.
Every time she made me feel like I didn’t belong.
“If you loved him,” I whispered, not realizing I had spoken aloud, “why did you treat me like that?””
The hallway went silent.
I regretted answering.
Sarah whispered:
“Ethan…”
But it was too late.
Amanda heard me.
Her voice changed.
“I was trying to prepare you.””
“For what?””
A pause.
“Life.””
I stared at the door.
“That doesn’t mean starving me.””
Another silence.
“You don’t understand.””
“No.””
My voice shook.
“I understand.””
The words came faster now.
“You gave Lily everything.””
“I gave you what you needed.””
“I needed chicken?””
“No.””
Her answer surprised me.
“I needed you to stop thinking Daniel would always save you.””
I froze.
Sarah went silent.
Amanda continued.
“You have no idea what kind of person your father really is.””
My heart started beating faster.
Because that was the same thing Victor had said.
Your father is not what you think.
Why did everyone keep trying to change the way I saw him?
Amanda lowered her voice.
“Ethan, open the door.””
“No.””
“I can explain.””
“No.””
“Why?””
I looked at the device.
Because Dad had trusted me.
Because he had prepared for this.
Because every time I doubted myself, he was right.
“Because you’re scared of what’s inside.””
Amanda stopped.
“How did you…”
I knew.
The final file.
She knew about it.
“Dad knew you would be scared.””
Her breathing changed.
Only slightly.
But enough.
“You opened it?””
“No.””
“Good.””
The relief in her voice was obvious.
Then she made a mistake.
A big one.
Because she said:
“You don’t know what that file contains.””
I stared at the door.
“How do you know?””
Silence.
“Ethan—”
“No.””
I stood up.
“You know.””
Nothing.
“You know what Dad recorded.””
“Ethan, listen to me.””
“No.””
My voice became louder.
“You know everything.””
The hallway was silent.
Then Amanda whispered:
“Your father was never supposed to leave that device with you.””
Sarah’s voice became urgent.
“Ethan, step away from the door.””
I did.
Amanda continued.
“He made a mistake.””
I looked at the black device.
“No.””
“Yes.””
Her voice became colder.
“He thought he could control everything.””
A chill ran through me.
That wasn’t how someone talked about a husband.
That was how someone talked about an enemy.
Then suddenly, another sound came from downstairs.
A door opening.
Someone entering the house.
Amanda stopped speaking.
“Victor?””
No answer.
I heard footsteps.
Fast footsteps.
Then Victor’s voice.
“Amanda.””
“What?””
“Sarah is here.””
My heart stopped.
Sarah.
Here?
How?
Then I heard another voice.
A woman’s voice.
Calm.
Strong.
“I told you I would come for Ethan.””
Sarah.
She was downstairs.
Amanda stepped away from my door.
Victor said something I couldn’t hear.
Then Sarah spoke louder.
“Daniel prepared for this.””
A pause.
“He knew exactly what you would do.””
My hands tightened.
Prepared.
Dad had prepared everything.
Even this.
Then Victor shouted:
“You don’t know what Daniel found!””
Sarah replied:
“I know enough.””
The house became filled with voices.
Adults arguing.
Secrets coming apart.
I opened the door slightly.
Just enough to see.
Sarah stood in the living room.
She was holding a folder.
Amanda looked terrified.
Victor looked furious.
And then Sarah placed the folder on the table.
“There is one thing Daniel never told either of you.””
Nobody moved.
Sarah looked toward the stairs.
She saw me.
Then she said:
“He left evidence proving who was responsible for Emily’s death.””
The world stopped.
Amanda’s face turned white.
Victor looked at the floor.
And for the first time, I realized something.
My mother’s death wasn’t just a sad memory.
It was a secret.
A secret my father had spent years trying to uncover.
May you like
And the person who knew the truth…
was standing in my house.
