Chapter 6: The Letter Hidden For Ten Years
The sound of the front door opening echoed through the house.
Nobody moved.
Not even Vanessa.
For a few seconds, we stood frozen on the staircase, listening.
A slow creak.
A footstep.
Then another.
Daniel immediately moved in front of me.
A protective instinct.
The same instinct he had shown every time Ava had a nightmare.
Every time she scraped her knee.
Every time she needed someone.
But this time, he wasn’t protecting her from a bad dream.
He was protecting her from people we thought were family.
“Who’s there?”” Daniel called.
No answer.
My heart pounded.
“Daniel…”
“I know.””
He looked toward the hallway.
“Stay behind me.””
Vanessa grabbed the railing.
Her face was pale.
“It’s him.””
Daniel looked back.
“Your son?””
She nodded.
“He found us.””
The footsteps stopped.
Then a voice came from downstairs.
“Daniel.””
A chill ran through me.
Because the voice wasn’t angry.
It was calm.
Almost friendly.
The kind of voice that scared me more.
A man appeared at the bottom of the stairs.
I recognized him immediately.
I had met him twice before.
Ethan.
Vanessa’s oldest son.
The person she had spent months protecting.
The person who had benefited from Ava’s stolen money.
He looked nothing like the desperate man Vanessa described.
He wasn’t weak.
He wasn’t helpless.
He walked into our home like he belonged there.
“Where is my sister?”” Daniel asked.
Ethan looked around.
Then smiled slightly.
“Still dramatic, I see.””
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“You took my daughter.””
Ethan tilted his head.
“Your daughter?””
The way he said it made my blood run cold.
Daniel stepped down one stair.
“Where is Ava?””
Ethan looked at Vanessa.
“You told them everything?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“No.””
Ethan laughed softly.
“Of course you didn’t.””
Daniel’s eyes narrowed.
“What are you talking about?””
Ethan looked at him.
“You really don’t know anything, do you?””
“I’m asking where my daughter is.””
“She’s safe.””
“That’s not your decision.””
Ethan smiled.
“You sound just like your mother.””
Daniel froze.
“My mother?””
“Yes.””
A strange look crossed Ethan’s face.
“She always thought she could save everyone.””
I felt Daniel’s anger rise.
“Don’t talk about my mother.””
“Why?””
Ethan stepped closer.
“Because she saw through you?””
Vanessa whispered:
“Ethan, stop.””
He ignored her.
“Your mother knew exactly what kind of people we were.””
Daniel stared.
“What does that mean?””
Ethan smiled.
“It means she knew Vanessa wasn’t the problem.””
Everyone looked at him.
Even Vanessa.
“What?””
Ethan laughed.
“You really thought she changed the will?””
Daniel went still.
“What are you saying?””
I felt my stomach tighten.
Because there was something different in Ethan’s voice.
He wasn’t defending Vanessa.
He was exposing her.
“She didn’t change anything,” Ethan said.
“Then who did?””
Ethan looked directly at Daniel.
“You did.””
The room went silent.
Daniel stared.
“What?””
Ethan reached into his coat pocket.
He pulled out a folded document.
“You signed it.””
Daniel didn’t move.
“What is that?””
“The document that transferred control.””
My mind raced.
“Control of what?””
Ethan smiled.
“The trust.””
Daniel shook his head.
“No.””
“Yes.””
“I never signed anything.””
Ethan looked at Vanessa.
“Tell him.””
Vanessa started crying.
“Daniel…”
“No.””
His voice broke slightly.
“Tell me.””
She looked away.
“I’m sorry.””
My chest tightened.
“Sorry for what?””
Vanessa whispered:
“After your mother died, there was a temporary guardianship document.””
Daniel stared.
“A guardianship?””
“Yes.””
“For Ava?””
She nodded.
“Your mother wanted someone she trusted to manage things until Ava was old enough.””
Daniel looked confused.
“Who?””
Vanessa’s silence answered.
“No.””
Daniel shook his head.
“No, she would never choose you.””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“She did.””
“Why?””
“Because she knew me.””
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“No. She knew who you pretended to be.””
Ethan interrupted.
“She knew enough.””
Daniel looked at him.
“Why are you here?””
Ethan held up the document.
“Because this is the only way to access what belongs to me.””
I stepped forward.
“Nothing belongs to you.””
Ethan looked at me.
“You have no idea what you’re involved in.””
“I know enough.””
“You know your daughter inherited millions?””
I froze.
Daniel looked at him.
“Don’t.””
Ethan continued.
“You know she has a trust waiting for her?””
Daniel’s voice became dangerous.
“Stop talking about my daughter.””
“Why?””
Ethan smiled.
“Because everyone wants to protect her now.””
He looked around the house.
“But nobody protected her when Vanessa started taking money.””
Vanessa looked ashamed.
Daniel turned.
“Did he tell you to do it?””
She didn’t answer.
That was enough.
Daniel looked devastated.
“You weren’t helping him.””
Vanessa cried.
“No.””
“You were buying time.””
“Yes.””
“You were taking from Ava because he threatened you.””
“Yes.””
Ethan rolled his eyes.
“She’s always been emotional.””
Daniel looked at him.
“And you’re always been a liar.””
The smile disappeared from Ethan’s face.
“You don’t know me.””
“I know enough.””
Daniel stepped closer.
“You used my stepmother.””
Ethan laughed.
“No.””
He looked at Vanessa.
“She used herself.””
Vanessa looked hurt.
“You promised me.””
Ethan turned.
“I promised you I would protect you.””
“You promised you wouldn’t hurt Ava.””
A cold silence followed.
And I realized something.
Vanessa might have done terrible things.
But even she was afraid of him.
Ethan looked back at us.
“Where is the letter?””
Daniel’s expression changed.
“What letter?””
Ethan smiled.
“Good.””
He looked at Vanessa.
“You didn’t tell him.””
Daniel turned toward her.
“What letter?””
Vanessa looked terrified.
“The one your mother left.””
“The one you said Ethan had?””
She nodded.
Ethan’s smile faded.
“She shouldn’t have told you that.””
Daniel moved toward him.
“What did you do with it?””
Ethan didn’t answer.
Instead, he looked at the stairs.
“Where’s Ava?””
My blood ran cold.
Daniel immediately blocked his view.
“You’re not going near her.””
Ethan smiled.
“Actually, I already did.””
Daniel’s face changed.
“What?””
Ethan reached into his pocket again.
This time he pulled out a small object.
Ava’s bracelet.
The handmade one she wore every day.
The one I had helped her make last summer.
My breath caught.
“Where did you get that?””
Ethan looked at it.
“She dropped it.””
“Where?””
He smiled.
“Somewhere safe.””
Daniel took another step.
“If you hurt her—”
“I said she’s safe.””
“Then prove it.””
Ethan looked at his phone.
“Fine.””
He pressed a button.
A video appeared.
Ava.
Sitting in a room.
Her face frightened.
But she was alive.
I covered my mouth.
“Ava…”
Daniel grabbed the phone.
“Ava!””
She looked toward the camera.
“Dad?””
The sound of her voice nearly broke me.
Then Ethan took the phone back.
“That’s enough.””
Daniel’s eyes filled with rage.
“Where is she?””
Ethan looked at him.
“Bring me the original letter.””
Daniel stared.
“You kidnapped my daughter for a piece of paper?””
“No.””
Ethan smiled.
“For what’s inside the paper.””
“What does that mean?””
Ethan leaned closer.
“Your mother didn’t just leave Ava money.””
He paused.
“She left proof.””
“Proof of what?””
Ethan looked at Vanessa.
And Vanessa began shaking.
“Proof,” Ethan said quietly,
“that someone in this family caused her death.””
Nobody spoke.
The words hung in the air.
Daniel’s face changed.
“What are you talking about?””
Ethan stepped backward toward the door.
“Find the letter.””
Daniel moved.
“Wait.””
Ethan smiled.
“Or you’ll never see Ava again.””
The door opened.
Before leaving, Ethan looked at Vanessa.
“You have one hour.””
Then he looked at Daniel.
“After that, the truth comes out.””
The door closed.
And for several seconds, nobody moved.
Then Daniel turned slowly toward Vanessa.
His voice was barely a whisper.
“What happened to my mother?””
Vanessa looked at him.
Tears falling down her face.
And she finally said the words she had been hiding for years.
“Your mother didn’t die from her illness.””
Daniel froze.
“What?””
May you like
Vanessa whispered:
“She was poisoned.””
