Chapter 5: The Enemy Behind My Own Family
The message stayed on my screen.
*STOP ASKING QUESTIONS, OR YOUR SON WON’T LEAVE THIS HOSPITAL ALIVE.*
For several seconds, I couldn’t breathe.
The words blurred.
Not because I couldn’t read them.
Because my mind refused to accept them.
Someone had threatened my son.
Again.
I looked at Mateo.
He was watching me carefully.
He knew something was wrong.
“Mom?””
I locked my phone.
“Everything is okay.””
The lie came out automatically.
A mother’s instinct.
Protect the child.
Even when the world was falling apart.
But Mateo knew me too well.
“No, it’s not.””
His voice was weak.
“You’re doing that thing.””
“What thing?””
“When you’re scared but you pretend you’re not.””
My eyes filled for a moment.
Because even after everything, even after a night where his entire world had been turned upside down, he was still worried about me.
I sat beside him.
“Listen to me.””
He looked at me.
“You are going to be okay.””
He nodded.
“But you have to promise me something.””
“What?””
“If anyone comes in here asking questions, you don’t answer.””
His expression changed.
“Even Grandma?””
I swallowed.
“Especially Grandma.””
The silence between us felt heavy.
Then the door opened.
A nurse walked in.
“Sorry to interrupt.””
She smiled politely.
“Your son has a visitor.””
My entire body tensed.
“Who?””
The nurse looked down at her clipboard.
“Your father.””
I immediately stood.
“No.””
The nurse looked surprised.
“He said he’s family.””
“He is.””
I looked toward the hallway.
“But he’s not coming in.””
A few seconds later, my father appeared behind the nurse.
“Lucia.””
The calm expression on his face made me angry.
How could he look normal?
How could he stand there like this was just another family disagreement?
Not a night where my son nearly died.
Not a night where I heard my own parents discussing him like a financial problem.
“I need to talk to Mateo.””
“No.””
His eyes moved to my son.
“Mateo, I need you to tell your mother the truth.””
I stepped in front of the bed.
“You don’t get to come in here and act like the victim.””
His jaw tightened.
“You don’t understand.””
“That’s what everyone keeps saying.””
I pointed toward the hallway.
“Everyone knows something except me.””
My father looked exhausted.
For the first time, I saw his age.
The wrinkles.
The tired eyes.
But sympathy never came.
Not after what happened.
“Lucia, I made mistakes.””
I stared at him.
“Mistakes?””
He looked down.
“Yes.””
“My son almost died.””
“I know.””
“You left him there.””
His face changed.
“I didn’t want that.””
“But you allowed it.””
He didn’t answer.
Because he knew.
That was the truth.
Mateo shifted in the bed.
“Grandpa.””
My father looked at him.
His expression softened.
“Mateo…”
“Why didn’t you call for help?””
My father closed his eyes.
That single question destroyed whatever confidence he had.
“I was trying to protect the family.””
Mateo looked confused.
“From what?””
My father said nothing.
I stepped closer.
“Answer him.””
His voice became quiet.
“From a man named Victor.””
The room went still.
“Who is Victor?””
My father looked at the door.
Like he was afraid someone might hear.
“He helped me when my company started failing.””
“What kind of help?””
“Loans.””
I crossed my arms.
“And now he wants repayment?””
My father nodded slowly.
“But it’s not just money.””
“What is it?””
He looked at me.
“It’s information.””
A cold feeling moved through my body.
“What information?””
My father looked at Mateo.
“Victor knows about things your mother and I did years ago.””
I stared at him.
“What things?””
He didn’t answer.
Again.
Always hiding.
Always protecting the secret.
“Dad.””
His shoulders dropped.
“I thought I could fix it.””
“You keep saying that.””
My voice broke.
“But all you’ve done is hide.””
He looked at me.
“Lucia, you need to understand something.””
“What?””
“Your mother didn’t tell you because she was trying to protect you.””
I almost laughed.
“Protect me?””
“Yes.””
“By letting my son die?””
My father flinched.
That reaction told me more than his words.
He knew.
He knew how wrong it was.
He just couldn’t admit it.
After my father left, I sat alone with Mateo.
The hospital room was quiet.
Too quiet.
I watched him sleep.
But I couldn’t.
My mind kept searching.
Trying to find the missing piece.
The question that wouldn’t leave me alone was simple:
Why Mateo?
Why my son?
I had worked in insurance for twelve years.
I understood policies.
I understood money.
I understood people who planned carefully.
And this didn’t feel like an accident.
It felt designed.
My phone buzzed.
Another message.
Unknown number.
This time, it was a photo.
I opened it.
My blood froze.
It was a picture of me entering the hospital.
Taken minutes ago.
Someone was watching me.
Someone was close.
Below the picture was another message.
*YOU SHOULD HAVE LEFT THE PAST ALONE.*
I immediately stood.
I looked through the glass window in the hospital door.
People walked through the hallway.
Doctors.
Visitors.
Nurses.
Anyone could be there.
I grabbed my phone and called the police.
But before I pressed the button, Mateo spoke.
“Mom.””
I turned.
He was awake.
“Don’t call them yet.””
I stared at him.
“What?””
He looked scared.
“I think I know why they’re afraid.””
I walked back.
“What do you mean?””
He looked at me.
“Before the crash…”
He paused.
“I recorded something else.””
My heart started racing.
“What?””
He looked toward his backpack sitting on the chair.
“There’s a hidden pocket.””
I grabbed it immediately.
Inside was his school notebook.
A charger.
A jacket.
Then I found a small zipper.
Inside was a flash drive.
I looked at Mateo.
“What is this?””
“I don’t know.””
“Where did you get it?””
He hesitated.
“Aunt Camila gave it to me.””
My eyes widened.
“When?””
“Two days ago.””
“Why?””
He looked away.
“She said if anything happened, I needed to give it to you.””
The room suddenly felt colder.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because she told me not to trust Grandma.””
I stared at the flash drive.
A tiny object.
But somehow heavier than anything I had ever held.
“Mateo.””
He looked at me.
“What’s on this?””
“I don’t know.””
His voice dropped.
“But Aunt Camila said it would prove everything.””
Before I could respond, the hospital room door opened.
A woman in a dark coat stood there.
Not a nurse.
Not a doctor.
She looked directly at the flash drive in my hand.
Then at Mateo.
Her expression changed.
“You found it.””
I stepped in front of my son.
“Who are you?””
She didn’t answer.
Instead, she slowly reached into her bag.
Mateo grabbed my arm.
“Mom.””
The woman looked nervous now.
Almost desperate.
“I’m not here to hurt you.””
“Then why are you here?””
She looked at the hallway.
Then whispered:
“Because Victor knows you have the drive.””
My grip tightened.
“How do you know?””
Her face turned pale.
“Because I’m the person who stole it from him.””
I stared at her.
“What?””
She took a shaky breath.
“My name is Elena.””
She looked at Mateo.
“And I was there the night your family decided he needed to disappear.””
The room went silent.
Then she said the words that changed everything.
“Your son was never the target.””
I held my breath.
“Then who was?””
May you like
Elena looked directly at me.
“You were.””
