Chapter 5 - The Truth My Father Never Knew
I didn't sleep that night.
The school dance came and went.
Somewhere across town, my classmates danced beneath glittering chandeliers.
They took photographs.
They laughed.
They created memories.
I sat in my bedroom wearing pajamas and holding my mother's letter.
But strangely, I no longer cared about missing the dance.
Not the way I had earlier.
Something much bigger was happening.
And I needed answers.
Around midnight, someone knocked softly.
"Emily?"
Dad.
"Come in."
He entered carrying two mugs of hot chocolate.
Just like he used to when I was little.
He handed one to me and sat at the edge of my bed.
For a long moment, neither of us spoke.
Then he looked at the bracelet on my wrist.
"Your mother loved that."
I touched the little gold flame.
"Mrs. Collins found it."
He smiled sadly.
"Elizabeth said it reminded her that light could survive almost anything."
My throat tightened.
"Dad, why didn't you tell me about her trust?"
He lowered his eyes.
"Because I didn't know."
I studied his face.
"How could you not know?"
He sighed.
"Your mother handled certain investments herself. She was fiercely independent."
I nodded.
That sounded like Mom.
"Thomas was responsible for protecting her private estate. I never interfered."
He paused.
"But I should have asked more questions after she died."
I looked down at my mug.
"There's something else I need to ask."
"Anything."
"Why didn't you believe me about Vanessa?"
He closed his eyes.
The silence hurt.
I had asked him that question so many times.
Usually, he told me to be understanding.
To respect my stepmother.
To stop making problems.
Tonight, he didn't.
"Because I was afraid," he finally whispered.
I looked up.
"Afraid of what?"
"Being alone again."
His voice broke.
"After your mother died, I didn't know how to live in that house. Every room reminded me of her."
Tears gathered in his eyes.
"Vanessa made me feel like our family could be whole again."
I swallowed.
"So you believed her instead of me."
He nodded.
"Yes."
The honesty hurt.
But I needed it.
"I was wrong, Emily."
He reached for my hand.
"I failed you."
For the first time, he didn't make excuses.
He didn't blame my emotions.
He didn't say I misunderstood.
He simply admitted the truth.
I started crying.
"I kept telling you."
"I know."
"I was scared every time you traveled."
His face crumpled.
"I know."
"No, Dad. You don't."
I pulled my hand away.
"You don't know what it feels like to be hungry because Vanessa says you've eaten enough. You don't know what it's like when Brittany hides your homework, and everybody believes you lost it."
He stared at me.
I kept going.
"You don't know what it's like to hear someone say your mother would be ashamed of you."
Dad covered his mouth.
For a moment, I thought he might collapse.
"I'm so sorry."
I wanted to forgive him immediately.
But I couldn't.
Not yet.
"I love you," I whispered.
He nodded through his tears.
"I love you too."
"But I need time."
He squeezed my shoulder.
"Take all the time you need."
Then he stood.
"There's something else you should know."
I looked at him.
"Thomas contacted Daniel Mercer tonight."
My heart raced.
"What happened?"
"Mercer agreed to meet with us tomorrow."
"Why?"
Dad's expression darkened.
"Because he claims your mother hired him years ago."
I sat upright.
"What?"
"He says the photograph is proof."
I looked toward the letter on my nightstand.
"What does he want?"
Dad hesitated.
"To tell us something about her final months."
A cold feeling spread through me.
"Do you think Vanessa knows?"
Dad nodded.
"I think she knows more than she's admitted."
The next morning, Dad took me to Thomas's office.
Vanessa remained at the mansion under instructions not to contact me. Dad had begun consulting a family-law attorney about ending their marriage.
Brittany had gone to stay with her aunt.
For the first time in years, I left the house without asking my stepmother's permission.
It felt strange.
Almost frightening.
Thomas's office occupied the top floor of an old brick building.
We entered a quiet conference room.
A tall man stood beside the window.
He had silver hair and tired eyes.
Daniel Mercer.
I recognized him from the photograph.
He turned when we entered.
His gaze settled on me.
For several seconds, he looked stunned.
"Emily."
I stopped.
"Have we met?"
He shook his head.
"No."
His voice softened.
"But you look remarkably like your mother."
Dad stood beside me.
"Let's get straight to the point."
Mercer nodded.
"That's fair."
He took a seat.
"Elizabeth hired me seven years ago to investigate irregularities involving the Westbridge property."
Thomas frowned.
"Why didn't she contact me?"
"She intended to. But she wanted proof first."
My pulse quickened.
"Proof of what?"
Mercer looked at me.
"Someone inside the academy was secretly negotiating to sell its land."
Dad folded his arms.
"Who?"
Mercer hesitated.
"The former chairman of the academy's board."
Thomas looked startled.
"Charles Whitmore?"
Mercer nodded.
I recognized the name.
Charles Whitmore had been the school's board chairman until his retirement.
He was also Brittany's grandfather.
Vanessa's father.
I felt the room shift beneath my feet.
"Vanessa's dad?" I whispered.
Mercer nodded.
"He believed the land could be sold for commercial development. Your mother refused."
Dad leaned forward.
"What happened next?"
Mercer looked down.
"Elizabeth received threats."
Silence filled the room.
My hands turned cold.
"What kind of threats?"
"Anonymous messages. Warnings to withdraw her objections."
He swallowed.
"She wanted to protect the academy, but she was worried about you."
I struggled to breathe.
"Did Vanessa know?"
Mercer nodded slowly.
"Her father certainly did."
Then he opened his briefcase.
Inside was an old digital voice recorder.
"Your mother gave me this shortly before her death."
He placed it on the table.
"She asked me to keep it safe until someone tried to take the land again."
My father stared at it.
"What's on there?"
Mercer looked at me.
"Her final warning."
I reached for Dad's hand.
Thomas pressed play.
Static filled the room.
Then I heard a voice I hadn't heard in six years.
My mother's voice.
"Daniel, if anything happens to me, promise you'll protect Emily."
I began crying immediately.
The recording continued.
"And if Charles Whitmore ever comes near my daughter, remember what I told you."
A pause.
Then Mom said something that stopped my heart.
"His greatest weapon isn't money."
May you like
Another pause.
"It's his daughter, Vanessa."
