Chapter 7: The Father Nobody Talked About
Nick had spent his entire life avoiding one subject.
His father.
Whenever I asked about him, Nick became quiet.
Not angry.
Not sad.
Just quiet.
Like the memory was locked away somewhere he refused to open.
Now that locked door had been kicked down.
We sat in silence inside the car.
The message remained on my phone screen.
Ask Nick why his father really disappeared.
I looked at him.
“Nick.””
He gripped the steering wheel.
“I know.””
“You knew this was coming?””
“No.””
His voice was low.
“But I knew someone would eventually bring him up.””
I turned toward him.
“Why?””
He stared ahead.
“Because everyone in my family has spent years pretending he never existed.””
The rain started falling against the windshield.
Slow.
Heavy.
Like the sky knew something terrible was about to be revealed.
“My father left when I was twelve,” Nick said.
I stayed silent.
“He didn’t say goodbye.””
That hurt to hear.
“Why?””
Nick laughed quietly.
“I was told he was selfish.””
“Do you believe that?””
He didn’t answer immediately.
“No.””
That one word carried years of pain.
“My mother told everyone he abandoned us.””
I looked at him.
“But you don’t think he did.””
Nick shook his head.
“When I was older, I found his old journals.””
My heart tightened.
“What did they say?””
“That he was afraid.””
“Of what?””
Nick looked at me.
“Of my mother.””
We arrived at the location Martha had sent.
A quiet old café outside town.
Martha was already sitting inside.
She looked different.
Less powerful.
More tired.
When she saw us, she immediately looked at me.
“I didn’t expect you to come.””
I sat down.
“You asked for a meeting.””
She nodded.
Then she looked at Nick.
“I need to tell you something.””
He crossed his arms.
“After everything you did?””
She lowered her eyes.
“I know.””
That shocked me.
Martha Reynolds admitting she was wrong felt impossible.
But she looked broken.
Not defeated.
Broken.
“My mother taught me something terrible,” she said.
Nick said nothing.
“She taught me that secrets were power.””
She looked at me.
“She was wrong.””
I waited.
Martha took a deep breath.
“Your grandmother discovered what my mother had done.””
I frowned.
“What did she do?””
Martha looked at Nick.
“She destroyed your father’s reputation.””
The silence that followed was painful.
Nick’s face changed.
“Why?””
“Because he found out the truth.””
“What truth?””
Martha’s eyes filled with tears.
“He found out that the family inheritance had been stolen.””
I looked at her.
“By who?””
She whispered:
“By my mother.””
The answer shocked me.
Martha continued.
“She blamed your grandmother. She convinced everyone that she was the problem.””
Nick looked angry.
“So my father knew?””
“Yes.””
“And you let him disappear?””
Martha looked down.
“I was twenty-eight.””
“That’s not an excuse.””
“I know.””
The honesty made it worse.
She looked at him.
“Your father tried to expose everything.””
Nick’s voice trembled.
“What happened to him?””
Martha closed her eyes.
“He was threatened.””
My heart sank.
“By who?””
Martha looked toward the window.
Then she said:
“Someone who is still alive.””
The café suddenly felt colder.
Nick leaned forward.
“Who?””
Martha looked directly at him.
“Your father.””
Nick froze.
“What?””
She shook her head.
“No. Not your biological father.””
I felt confused.
“What does that mean?””
Martha whispered:
“The man who raised you wasn’t your father.””
The words hit like a storm.
Nick stood up.
“No.””
Martha looked devastated.
“I’m sorry.””
He stepped back.
“You’re lying.””
“I wish I was.””
My phone suddenly buzzed.
Another message.
This time from the unknown number.
I opened it.
A photograph appeared.
A photograph of Nick as a child.
Standing beside a man I had never seen.
Underneath it were four words:
*Ask him who I am.*
I looked up.
And when I turned the phone toward Nick…
May you like
He stopped breathing.
Because he recognized the man immediately.
