Chapter 7: The Person Who Cried the Loudest
I refused to believe it.
Not because I trusted my aunt completely.
Not anymore.
But because some truths were too painful to accept.
My aunt Maria had been there my entire life.
She was the person who brought me birthday cakes when my mother worked late.
The person who held my hand at my father’s funeral.
The person who cried the hardest when everyone thought my mother was gone.
“No,” I whispered.
The officer looked at me.
“I know this is difficult.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“She loved my mom.””
My mother looked devastated.
“I thought she did too.””
Those words hurt.
Because if my mother believed it…
then there was a chance it was true.
The officer explained everything.
They had found messages between Richard and Maria.
Money transfers.
Hidden meetings.
Plans.
My aunt wasn’t just involved.
She had helped organize everything.
“She helped create the fake funeral,” the officer said.
I felt sick.
“The flowers.””
The officer nodded.
“The location.””
My mother closed her eyes.
“The coffin.””
Nobody spoke.
Because everyone understood.
Maria had been standing only feet away while my mother was trapped inside.
She had watched me say goodbye.
She had watched me beg my mother to come back.
My hands curled into fists.
“Why?””
Nobody answered.
So we found out.
The police brought Maria in later that evening.
She looked completely different.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
The woman who had always hugged me now sat across from me with empty eyes.
My mother sat beside me.
My father stood behind us.
Maria looked at Claire.
“I didn’t want it to happen this way.””
My mother stared at her.
“You helped him bury me alive.””
Maria’s eyes filled with tears.
“I was scared.””
My mother laughed quietly.
“Scared?””
Her voice shook.
“I was inside a coffin.””
Maria looked down.
“I didn’t know he would actually do it.””
I stepped forward.
“You knew.””
She looked at me.
“Ethan…”
“No.””
My voice was louder.
“You knew my mom was alive.””
Silence.
Then she whispered:
“Yes.””
The word destroyed something inside me.
I turned away.
My aunt cried.
“I thought Richard was only trying to scare her.””
My mother looked at her.
“And you believed that?””
Maria covered her face.
“He promised me money.””
There it was.
The reason.
Not fear.
Not love.
Money.
“How much?”” I asked.
Maria didn’t answer.
The officer did.
“Enough to disappear.””
I looked at her.
“You watched me lose my mother for money.””
Maria cried.
“I’m sorry.””
But sorry was a small word.
Too small.
It couldn’t rebuild trust.
It couldn’t erase the image of my mother inside that coffin.
Then Maria said something that made everyone freeze.
“There’s something you don’t know.””
My mother stared at her.
“What?””
Maria looked at me.
“Richard wasn’t trying to kill Claire because of the evidence.””
My father stepped forward.
“Then why?””
Maria swallowed.
“Because Claire found out where Daniel hid the final proof.””
Everyone looked at my mother.
My mother slowly shook her head.
“I never found it.””
Maria looked at me.
“You did.””
My skin went cold.
“What?””
She pointed at the key in my hand.
“The key isn’t for a safety deposit box.””
My father’s face changed.
“Maria.””
She ignored him.
“Your father didn’t hide the evidence somewhere adults would find it.””
My heart started racing.
“Where?””
Maria looked directly into my eyes.
“He hid it with the person nobody would suspect.””
A silence filled the room.
Then she said:
“With you.””
I couldn’t breathe.
“What are you talking about?””
My father looked terrified.
Because he knew.
“What did you put inside his things?””
May you like
Maria whispered:
“The answer was in Ethan’s bedroom the whole time.””
