Chapter 8: The Memory They Wanted Me To Lose
For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.
Vanessa’s words echoed in my head.
*“Thomas never told you what happened after that conversation, did he?””*
I looked at my phone.
Thomas’s message was still there.
*“Emma, do not believe her.””*
But Vanessa’s expression bothered me.
Not because I believed her.
Because she looked certain.
Like she knew something I didn’t.
And that scared me.
“Stop playing games,” I said.
My voice sounded stronger than I felt.
Vanessa tilted her head.
“Games?””
“Yes.””
I held up the folder.
“You spent years lying to me. You destroyed my dress today. You stood there while my father watched. And now you’re trying to make me question my own memories?””
Her smile faded slightly.
“I’m trying to make you question the people who lied to you.””
“That’s convenient.””
She looked at my father.
“Isn’t it, Daniel?””
My father’s face was pale.
“Enough.””
The word came out quietly.
Not angry.
Afraid.
Vanessa looked at him.
“You don’t get to say enough now.””
The two of them stared at each other.
And in that moment, I saw something I had never noticed before.
They weren’t united.
They weren’t partners.
They were two people holding onto the same secret.
And both of them were terrified of losing control of it.
I looked at my father.
“What conversation is she talking about?””
He didn’t answer.
My heart sank.
“Dad.””
His eyes moved away.
Again.
That silence hurt more than any confession.
“Tell me.””
He swallowed.
“Emma…”
“No.””
I stepped closer.
“Not another excuse.””
My father closed his eyes.
“When your mother went to the hospital that night…”
He stopped.
I waited.
“When she called you.””
I frowned.
“I don’t remember that.””
Vanessa smiled.
“Of course you don’t.””
I turned toward her.
“What does that mean?””
She crossed her arms.
“It means your father was right.””
“About what?””
“That your memory isn’t complete.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“What happened?””
My father looked at Vanessa.
“Don’t.””
She ignored him.
“You were seventeen years old.””
I felt my chest tighten.
“You had just found out about your mother’s illness getting worse.””
I looked at the ground.
Memories.
Pieces.
A hospital hallway.
My mother crying.
A phone call.
But everything felt blurry.
“You called her,” Vanessa continued.
“No.””
“You did.””
My father whispered:
“Vanessa, stop.””
But she kept going.
“You told her something that broke her heart.””
My hands started shaking.
“What?””
Vanessa stepped closer.
“You told her you knew.””
I stared.
“Knew what?””
Her eyes locked onto mine.
“About Daniel.””
Silence.
The entire street seemed to disappear.
I looked at my father.
“What is she talking about?””
He looked devastated.
Not guilty.
Not exactly.
Something worse.
Regret.
“Dad?””
He whispered:
“I never wanted you to know that part.””
My stomach dropped.
“Know what?””
He looked at me.
“The truth about me and Vanessa.””
I felt sick.
“Mom knew.””
“Yes.””
“And I knew?””
He nodded slowly.
“You found out.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
The memories came in fragments.
That night.
Three years ago.
I remembered coming home late.
I remembered hearing voices.
I remembered my mother crying.
I remembered my father saying something.
Something I couldn’t hear.
Then I remembered my mother looking at me.
Not angry.
Heartbroken.
I covered my mouth.
“No.””
Vanessa watched me.
“You remember.””
I stepped back.
“I remember pieces.””
“That’s enough.””
“No.””
I looked at her.
“I don’t remember telling my mother anything.””
Her smile disappeared.
For the first time, she looked uncertain.
Then my father spoke.
“Because you didn’t.””
Everyone looked at him.
I stared.
“What?””
His voice shook.
“You didn’t tell her.””
Vanessa turned sharply.
“Daniel.””
He ignored her.
“You found out, but you never confronted your mother.””
I felt confused.
“Then why did she say I did?””
My father looked at Vanessa.
And something changed.
Something finally broke.
“Because Vanessa told you that.””
The silence that followed was enormous.
I looked at Vanessa.
She didn’t move.
Didn’t blink.
My father continued.
“She wanted you to believe you hurt your mother.””
Vanessa’s face hardened.
“Careful.””
“No.””
My father stepped forward.
“I should have done this years ago.””
I stared at him.
“Dad…”
He looked at me.
“I’m sorry.””
The words were so unexpected that I almost didn’t know how to react.
Not because they fixed anything.
They didn’t.
But because they were the first honest words he had given me in years.
Vanessa laughed quietly.
“You’re really going to do this now?””
My father didn’t look at her.
“Yes.””
Her expression changed.
“You think confessing makes you a good person?””
“No.””
His voice was low.
“I think it makes me someone who finally stops lying.””
Vanessa stared at him.
Then she looked at me.
“You believe him?””
I didn’t answer.
Because I didn’t know.
My whole life felt like a puzzle where everyone had hidden pieces.
My father.
My stepmother.
Even the people trying to help me.
I needed the truth.
Not another version of it.
I pulled out my phone.
I called Thomas.
He answered immediately.
“Emma.””
“Tell me.””
A pause.
“Tell you what?””
“The night my mother died.””
Silence.
Then:
“Where are you?””
“Answer me.””
“Emma—”
“No.””
My voice cracked.
“I am done being protected from the truth.””
I looked at my father.
At Vanessa.
“I need to know what happened.””
Thomas sighed.
Then he said:
“Your mother called me that night.””
I closed my eyes.
“What did she say?””
“She was scared.””
“Of Vanessa?””
“Yes.””
My heart tightened.
“What happened after?””
Thomas was quiet.
Too quiet.
“Thomas.””
“She asked me to come to the hospital.””
“And?””
“I arrived after Daniel and Vanessa were already there.””
I looked at my father.
He looked down.
“What did you see?””
Thomas’s voice became softer.
“I saw your mother crying.””
“Why?””
“Because she had just discovered something.””
“What?””
A pause.
Then:
“She found out Daniel had signed papers transferring control of certain assets to Vanessa.””
I looked at my father.
His face fell.
“I didn’t know.””
Thomas continued.
“Your mother thought Daniel was planning to leave everything to Vanessa after her death.””
My hands tightened.
“Was he?””
My father answered.
“No.””
Everyone looked at him.
He looked exhausted.
“No.””
“Then why did you sign them?””
He looked away.
“Because Vanessa convinced me it was temporary.””
There it was.
The truth.
Not innocence.
Not a complete lie.
Something in between.
A choice.
Thomas continued.
“Your mother confronted Daniel.””
I whispered:
“And me?””
“No.””
My heart stopped.
“No?””
“You were not involved.””
I looked at Vanessa.
Her face was unreadable.
“She lied.””
Thomas said:
“She told you that because she needed someone else to carry the blame.””
My breathing became uneven.
All these years.
I had carried guilt that wasn’t mine.
I had wondered if my last conversation with my mother hurt her.
If I had failed her.
If maybe I wasn’t there enough.
But I hadn’t done anything.
Vanessa had planted that pain inside me.
I looked at her.
“Why?””
For the first time, she looked angry.
Not calm.
Not controlled.
Angry.
“Because someone had to pay.””
My eyes narrowed.
“For what?””
She laughed.
“You really want to know?””
“Yes.””
She looked at my father.
Then back at me.
“Your mother was going to expose me.””
“Expose you for what?””
Vanessa’s expression changed.
And then she said something that made my blood freeze.
“Because I wasn’t the only person Daniel was betraying.””
I looked at my father.
He looked away.
Again.
Another secret.
Another hidden truth.
“Who else?”” I asked.
Vanessa smiled.
“You really think your father only had one secret?””
My phone suddenly buzzed.
A new message.
From Margaret.
I opened it.
My face went cold.
It was a scanned document.
A marriage certificate.
But not my father’s marriage certificate with Vanessa.
An older one.
A marriage certificate dated before my mother.
A name I had never heard before.
And a message underneath:
*“Emma, this is the secret your mother died trying to uncover.””*
I stared at the name.
Then I looked at my father.
Because I finally understood.
The story wasn’t just about Vanessa.
It wasn’t just about money.
It wasn’t even about betrayal.
It was about a life my father had erased before I was old enough to remember.
And the woman on the marriage certificate…
May you like
Was my father’s first wife.
The woman everyone had told me never existed.
