Chapter 4: The Woman Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
By noon, our perfect family image was gone.
The neighbors saw police cars outside.
People whispered behind curtains.
Phones recorded everything.
But I didn't care.
For the first time in years, I wasn't worried about what Denise would do next.
Because she wasn't in control anymore.
She sat in the living room with her arms crossed while my father stood near the window.
Jordan sat beside me.
Neither of us spoke.
Finally, Dad said:
"Tell me everything.""
Denise looked away.
"I already told you.""
"No.""
His voice was cold.
"You told me pieces.""
She sighed.
"Maya's mother was sick.""
I looked at her.
"She wasn't.""
Denise looked at me.
"You don't know what happened.""
"My mother wasn't dead?""
Silence.
That silence answered everything.
Dad closed his eyes.
"Where is she?""
Denise didn't answer.
"Where is my wife?""
"I don't know.""
Daniel's information had given us questions.
Not answers.
Dad had spent the last hour calling everyone.
Doctors.
Lawyers.
Old friends.
Anyone connected to my mother's accident.
And every person gave the same response.
Something was wrong.
Records had been changed.
Documents disappeared.
People who should have remembered suddenly didn't.
Then Jordan found something.
He walked into the room holding a folder.
"Dad.""
My father looked up.
"What is that?""
"I found it in Mom's closet.""
Denise stood.
"Jordan.""
But he handed it over.
"Sorry.""
Dad opened the folder.
Inside were copies of legal documents.
Insurance forms.
Medical paperwork.
And one photograph.
A hospital hallway.
A woman sitting in a wheelchair.
My mother.
Older.
Thinner.
But alive.
My hand flew to my mouth.
"No.""
Dad stared at the picture.
His eyes filled.
"Where did you get this?""
Jordan pointed toward Denise.
"She kept it.""
Dad looked at his wife.
"Why?""
Denise finally broke.
"Because I was scared.""
Nobody expected that answer.
Not even her.
She covered her face.
"I was scared.""
Dad's voice softened slightly.
"Of what?""
She looked at me.
"Of losing everything.""
I almost laughed.
Everything?
She had taken everything from me.
Dad waited.
She continued.
"When your mother survived, she was going to come back.""
"Yes," Dad said.
"She was my wife.""
Denise looked down.
"I thought you would leave me.""
The room went quiet.
Then Dad said:
"You were never supposed to replace her.""
Her eyes filled.
"I know.""
"No.""
His voice cracked.
"You didn't.""
I looked at the woman who had made me feel unwanted.
For years, I wondered why she hated me.
Now I knew.
It was never about me.
It was about a life she couldn't have.
Dad picked up the phone.
"I need to call Daniel.""
Before he could, another phone rang.
Mine.
I froze.
Nobody called me.
Not anymore.
I looked at the screen.
Unknown number.
Dad nodded.
"Answer it.""
My hand shook as I pressed the button.
"Hello?""
For a moment, there was only breathing.
Then a woman's voice whispered:
"Maya?""
I stopped.
Every part of me recognized that voice.
Even though I hadn't heard it since I was eight.
My knees almost gave out.
"Who is this?""
The woman started crying.
"Oh my God...""
"Maya, it's me.""
I couldn't speak.
Dad grabbed my shoulder.
"Who is it?""
The woman whispered:
"It's your mother.""
The room disappeared.
The walls.
The furniture.
The years of pain.
Everything.
I held the phone against my ear.
"No.""
A sob escaped her.
"I'm sorry.""
My heart pounded.
"You're dead.""
A long silence.
Then:
"I know what they told you.""
Dad moved closer.
"Put her on speaker.""
I did.
The woman's voice filled the room.
"Marcus?""
My father's face changed.
He couldn't breathe.
"Emily?""
The name broke him.
My mother's name.
Emily.
She cried.
"I tried to come home.""
Dad sat down.
"When?""
"Three years ago.""
Everyone looked at Denise.
Emily continued.
"But someone made sure I couldn't reach you.""
My eyes moved toward my stepmother.
Denise looked terrified.
Dad stood slowly.
"Who?""
The phone went silent.
Then my mother's voice whispered:
"The same person who has been hurting Maya.""
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
Then she said:
"Marcus...""
"Your wife has been hiding one more thing.""
Dad's grip tightened.
"What?""
My mother answered:
"She wasn't the one who locked me away from you.""
A pause.
"And the person who did...""
May you like
Her voice broke.
"...is someone you trust.""
