Chapter 5: My Uncle Came Back With a Warning
My father immediately grabbed his phone.
"Robert?""
The figure on the security footage turned toward the camera again.
Then the screen went black.
I stared at the phone.
"What happened?""
Daniel tapped the screen several times.
"Someone disabled the camera.""
"Why would Uncle Robert do that?""
"I don't know.""
He stood and moved toward the kitchen.
I followed him.
"Stay behind me, Jaylen.""
We entered the hallway.
The house was dark except for the faint light coming from the kitchen.
Then we heard a cupboard close.
My father stopped.
"Robert?""
A man's voice answered.
"Daniel. Don't turn on the lights.""
My father exhaled.
"What the hell are you doing in my house?""
"Trying to keep you alive.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
My father stepped into the kitchen.
Robert stood near the counter, wearing a dark coat. His hair had turned almost completely gray, and his face looked thinner than I remembered.
He looked at me.
"Jaylen.""
I took a step forward.
"Uncle Robert.""
He opened his arms.
I hesitated, then hugged him.
He held me tightly.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
I didn't understand.
"Sorry for what?""
He released me and looked toward my father.
"We don't have much time.""
Daniel folded his arms.
"You'd better start explaining.""
Robert placed a thick envelope on the kitchen counter.
"I've been watching Melissa for almost three years.""
My father stared at him.
"You've been stalking my wife?""
"Investigating her.""
"Why?""
"Because your wife has been lying to you since before the wedding.""
Daniel laughed bitterly.
"That's becoming a popular statement tonight.""
Robert didn't smile.
He opened the envelope.
Inside were photographs, bank statements, copies of emails, and several pages of handwritten notes.
I noticed one photograph immediately.
It showed Melissa entering a small apartment building.
The date was from six months earlier.
"Is that where Lily lives?"" I asked.
Robert nodded.
"Yes.""
My father looked confused.
"You said she was living out of state.""
"That's what Melissa wanted everyone to believe.""
"Why?""
Robert placed another photograph on the counter.
This one showed Melissa standing beside a man in a parking lot.
The man was holding a little girl's backpack.
"His name is Marcus Bell," Robert said.
"He was Melissa's former husband.""
My father looked at the picture.
"Former husband?""
"Yes. And Lily is their daughter.""
I frowned.
"Then why does Melissa have Mom's necklace?""
Robert looked at me.
"Because your mother gave it to her.""
I felt as if the floor had moved beneath my feet.
"What?""
Robert nodded.
"Your mother and Melissa knew each other long before Melissa met Daniel. They weren't close friends, but they worked together at a charitable foundation.""
My father pulled out a chair.
"Which foundation?""
"The Haven Children's Trust.""
Daniel shook his head.
"I've never heard of it.""
"Your wife knows all about it.""
Robert continued.
"Three years before your mother died, she discovered that money donated to the foundation was being transferred into private accounts.""
My father looked at the documents.
"You're saying Melissa stole charity money?""
"I'm saying she was involved in something serious. Your mother found evidence.""
I looked at the photograph again.
My mother had been standing beside Melissa at the hospital.
Had she already known?
"Why would Mom give her the necklace?"" I asked.
Robert looked down.
"Because Melissa claimed Lily was sick. Your mother felt sorry for her. She helped her financially and even gave her the necklace to sell if she ever needed emergency money.""
I stared at him.
"But why is Lily still wearing it?""
Robert sighed.
"Because Melissa never sold it.""
My father leaned forward.
"Then what does all this have to do with my marriage?""
Robert pulled another document from the envelope.
"Your wife approached you because she knew who you were.""
Daniel frowned.
"What?""
"You were working for a company that was about to acquire a property owned by the foundation. Melissa believed marrying you would give her access to information and financial opportunities.""
Daniel stared at him.
"That's insane.""
"Look at the bank statements.""
My father picked them up.
His eyes moved across the pages.
Then he stopped.
"What is this payment?""
Robert pointed.
"Money transferred from your personal business account to a company called Bellstone Consulting.""
Daniel looked at the amount.
Forty-five thousand dollars.
"Who authorized this?""
"That's what I've been trying to find out.""
I looked between them.
"Did Melissa take Dad's money?""
Robert nodded.
"Possibly much more than that.""
Daniel stood.
"I never approved these transfers.""
"Then someone has access to your business accounts.""
My father turned pale.
"Melissa.""
Robert didn't answer.
He didn't need to.
Suddenly, a car engine sounded outside.
Robert immediately gathered the documents.
"She's here.""
Daniel looked toward the window.
"Who?""
"Melissa.""
I stepped closer to the kitchen window.
A black SUV had pulled into the driveway.
The headlights illuminated the front door.
Melissa got out.
She was holding her phone and speaking to someone.
Then she looked directly at the house.
Robert grabbed my father's arm.
"Listen carefully. You cannot confront her yet.""
Daniel pulled away.
"She's been stealing from me and lying about my son!""
"And she knows something about your wife's death.""
The words landed like a bomb.
My father froze.
I felt my chest tighten.
"What did you say?""
Robert looked at me.
Then he lowered his voice.
"Your mother didn't die the way you were told.""
I couldn't breathe.
For six years, I'd believed my mother had died after a sudden medical emergency.
My father had told me that her heart had stopped while she was sleeping.
He said the doctors couldn't save her.
He said there was nothing anyone could have done.
But Robert was telling me something else.
"What happened to Mom?"" I asked.
Robert opened his mouth.
Before he could answer, the front door unlocked.
Melissa walked inside.
"Daniel?""
Her voice sounded cheerful.
"Why are all the lights off?""
My father quickly gathered the documents and placed them inside the envelope.
Robert stepped into the dark pantry.
Melissa entered the kitchen.
She looked at my father.
Then at me.
Then she noticed the empty chair opposite him.
"Who were you talking to?""
Daniel forced a smile.
"Nobody.""
She placed her handbag on the counter.
"Really? Because I thought I heard someone.""
"You're imagining things.""
Melissa laughed softly.
"Daniel, you look terrible.""
She reached toward his face.
He stepped away.
Her hand stopped in midair.
For a moment, her expression hardened.
Then she turned toward me.
"Jaylen, sweetheart. Why aren't you in bed?""
I didn't answer.
She glanced at my cheek.
"Does it still hurt?""
I stared at her.
She was asking about the slap.
The same slap she had engineered.
Daniel watched her carefully.
"Melissa, where have you been?""
She took off her coat.
"Visiting a friend.""
"Which friend?""
"Why?""
"Just asking.""
She smiled.
"You're asking a lot of questions tonight.""
Then her phone rang.
She checked the screen.
And immediately rejected the call.
Daniel noticed.
"Who was that?""
"Nobody important.""
The phone rang again.
Melissa's smile disappeared.
She walked toward the staircase.
"I'm going to change.""
As soon as she disappeared upstairs, Robert stepped out of the pantry.
My father turned toward him.
"You heard everything?""
Robert nodded.
"She's suspicious.""
"Then tell me what happened to my wife.""
Robert looked at me.
His eyes were filled with sadness.
"Your mother discovered that Melissa had been using the charity to move money. She threatened to expose her.""
"Then what?""
"Three weeks before your mother died, she called me. She said someone had entered her house while you were sleeping.""
My father went pale.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because she begged me not to.""
Robert reached into his coat and removed a small envelope.
"She gave me this. She said if anything happened to her, I had to give it to Jaylen when he was old enough to understand.""
He handed it to me.
My hands trembled.
On the front, in my mother's handwriting, were the words:
*For my little boy. When the truth is finally safe.*
I looked at Robert.
"Can I open it?""
He nodded.
Inside was a folded letter and a small photograph.
I unfolded the letter.
The first sentence made my eyes fill with tears.
My sweet Jaylen, if you're reading this, then someone has finally discovered the truth I tried so hard to protect you from.
I kept reading.
There is something about your father you must know.
I looked up.
My father was staring at me.
Robert's face had gone completely serious.
Then I reached the final line of the letter.
Daniel is not the only person who knows what happened the night I died.
Before I could read another word, Melissa screamed from upstairs.
"WHO PUT THIS IN MY ROOM?""
Footsteps thundered down the staircase.
She appeared holding a photograph.
The same photograph of her standing beside the mysterious man and little girl.
But now she was holding something else.
A small silver key.
She looked directly at Robert.
"You!""
Robert stepped forward.
Melissa raised the key.
"You have no idea what you've just uncovered.""
Then she turned toward my father.
"Daniel, if you want to know why your wife really died, ask your brother what he did that night.""
My father went completely still.
I looked at Robert.
He didn't deny it.
May you like
He simply closed his eyes.
And that was when I realized my uncle had been hiding something too.
