Chapter 4: The Letter My Mother Hid
The drive to Victoria’s house felt longer than any drive I had ever taken.
My dad didn’t say a word.
Neither did I.
The photo of my mother’s letter was still open on my phone, glowing in the darkness between us.
A part of me wanted to believe there was a simple explanation.
A misunderstanding.
A mistake.
Anything except the truth that my family had been hiding something from me for years.
When we pulled into Victoria’s driveway, the lights were already on.
Dad turned off the engine but didn’t move.
He just sat there gripping the steering wheel.
“Dad?””
He closed his eyes.
“I should have told you.””
My chest tightened.
“Told me what?””
He looked at me.
“Everything.””
The front door opened before we even knocked.
Victoria stood there wearing a silk robe, her expression immediately changing when she saw us.
“What are you doing here?””
Dad stepped out of the car.
“We need to talk.””
Her eyes moved between us.
Then she saw my face.
And she knew.
“What happened?””
I held up my phone.
The second she saw the picture, all color left her face.
Just like Dad.
That was when I knew.
This wasn’t a surprise.
This wasn’t confusion.
She knew exactly what that letter was.
“Where did you get that?”” Victoria whispered.
My voice was cold.
“You tell me.””
She looked at Dad.
“Michael…”
I froze.
She never called him that unless something was wrong.
Dad stepped forward.
“Did you take Elena’s letter?””
Victoria looked away.
The silence answered for her.
My stomach twisted.
“You did?””
She swallowed.
“Emily, listen—”
“No.””
My voice cracked.
“No, I don’t want another explanation. I want the truth.””
Victoria’s eyes softened.
“I was trying to protect you.””
I almost laughed.
“Protect me?””
I pointed at my phone.
“You let your daughter destroy the one thing my mother left me.””
“That wasn’t my plan.””
My dad’s expression hardened.
“Then what was?””
Victoria didn’t answer.
And that was the moment Samantha walked into the room.
She stopped when she saw us.
Her eyes immediately went to my phone.
Then to her mother.
“You told them?””
My heart dropped.
Told them?
Not “what happened?””
Not “what are you talking about?””
Told them.
Samantha knew.
My dad looked at her.
“You knew about the letter?””
She crossed her arms.
“I found it.””
“Where?””
She looked uncomfortable.
“In Mom’s closet.””
Victoria closed her eyes.
“Samantha…”
“No, Mom. I’m tired of pretending.””
My hands shook.
“Pretending what?””
Samantha looked at me.
For once, there was no smug smile.
No arrogance.
Just anger.
“My entire life, I’ve heard about Elena.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“She was perfect.””
Her voice became bitter.
“Everyone loved her. Dad loved her. You loved her.””
“That’s not my fault.””
“I know.””
The honesty surprised me.
But then her expression hardened again.
“But I hated living in someone else’s shadow.””
I stared at her.
“So you destroyed my dress?””
“No.””
The answer came too quickly.
I didn’t believe her.
Samantha looked at her mother.
Then back at me.
“I destroyed the dress because I thought it was just a dress.””
Dad stepped forward.
“And the letter?””
She looked away.
“I didn’t know what it said.””
Victoria’s face changed.
“Samantha.””
“What?””
“You promised me.””
My heart stopped.
Promised?
My dad heard it too.
“What did you promise her?””
Nobody answered.
The silence became unbearable.
Then Samantha whispered:
“Not to tell.””
My dad’s face turned pale.
“Tell us what?””
Victoria walked backward.
“Michael, this is not what you think.””
“Then explain.””
She looked at me.
And for the first time, I saw fear in her eyes.
Not guilt.
Fear.
“Your mother knew.””
I felt my breath disappear.
“Knew what?””
Victoria looked down.
“About us.””
The room went silent.
My dad’s expression changed.
“Victoria.””
She shook her head.
“No. She deserves the truth.””
I looked at my dad.
“What does she mean?””
He didn’t answer.
And that hurt more than anything.
My father had always been my safest place.
But now every silence felt like a lie.
Victoria sat down.
“Before Elena died, she found out Michael and I had been talking.””
I felt dizzy.
My dad immediately stepped forward.
“It wasn’t what you think.””
I looked at him.
“Then what was it?””
He looked broken.
“Your mother and I were having problems.””
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
“She knew?””
He nodded.
“She knew we were struggling.””
Victoria wiped her eyes.
“I was wrong. I know that now.””
My hands curled into fists.
“So my mother was sick, and you were becoming close with another woman?””
“No.””
Dad’s voice cracked.
“I never left your mother.””
“Then why didn’t she trust you?””
That question destroyed him.
Because he didn’t have an answer.
Victoria stood.
“Because Elena thought I wanted her life.””
I looked at her.
“And did you?””
She didn’t answer.
That was enough.
My phone buzzed again.
Everyone looked.
Another message.
This time, it wasn’t a photo.
It was a video.
I pressed play.
The screen showed my mother.
Alive.
Older.
Sick.
But smiling.
My knees nearly gave out.
“Emily,” my mother said softly.
My hand flew to my mouth.
Dad stepped closer.
The video continued.
“I don’t know when you’ll see this.””
My mother looked down.
Then back at the camera.
“But if you’re watching, something happened.””
Tears filled my eyes.
She continued:
“I need you to know something about the dress.””
I looked at the torn dress in my mind.
The dress.
“The dress was never just a graduation gift.””
The video cut.
For three seconds, there was only darkness.
Then my mother appeared again.
This time, she looked scared.
“I hid something inside it.””
Everyone froze.
My mother’s voice became quieter.
“And the person who finds it…”
She looked directly into the camera.
“…will know who betrayed our family.””
The video ended.
Nobody spoke.
Then my dad whispered:
“The dress.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
His eyes widened.
“The hidden message.””
I felt sick.
“Samantha destroyed it.””
My dad grabbed his keys again.
“No.””
He looked toward the door.
“She thought she did.””
I stared.
“What do you mean?””
He looked at me.
“Because your mother didn’t hide the truth in the fabric.””
He paused.
“She hid it somewhere only one person would think to look.””
My phone buzzed one last time.
May you like
A final message appeared.
*The truth is still inside the dress. But hurry. Someone is coming back for it.*
