Chapter 7: The Letter I Don't Remember Writing
Emma read the note again.
And again.
The words refused to make sense.
*Don't trust anyone in the Vale family. Not even the man who raised our son.*
Her handwriting.
Her name.
Her words.
But not her memory.
She held the paper like it could burn through her skin.
"I didn't write this.""
Nobody responded.
Because nobody knew what to say.
Adrian stared at the note with a look Emma had never seen before.
Not anger.
Not fear.
Betrayal.
"Where did you find this, Leo?""
The boy looked at the floor.
"In Grandma's room.""
"When?""
"Yesterday.""
Adrian crouched down.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
Leo hesitated.
"Because she told me not to.""
Emma felt her heart tighten.
"Leo.""
The boy looked at her.
"Did Grandma scare you?""
A small pause.
Then he nodded.
"Sometimes.""
Adrian's face changed instantly.
But he controlled himself.
"What did she say?""
Leo played with the edge of his sleeve.
"She said grown-ups tell lies when they are scared.""
Emma exchanged a glance with Adrian.
Because that was exactly what had happened.
Everyone had been scared.
Everyone had lied.
"Did she ever hurt you?""
Leo shook his head quickly.
"No.""
The answer came too fast.
Emma noticed.
So did Adrian.
"Leo.""
The boy looked up.
"Did she ever make you do something you didn't want to do?""
Another pause.
This time longer.
Then:
"She made me practice.""
"Practice what?""
Leo looked toward the floor.
"Saying that Mommy wasn't coming back.""
Emma felt sick.
Adrian stood slowly.
"Why?""
Leo shrugged.
"She said if anyone asked, I had to say my mommy left.""
Silence.
Emma closed her eyes.
The pain was different now.
Before, she thought she had lost her son.
Now she realized someone had spent years teaching him how to lose her.
Adrian turned away.
His hand moved over his face.
For a man who controlled billion-dollar decisions, this was the one thing he couldn't fix.
A child's memory.
A child's fear.
Victoria remained silent.
Emma looked at her.
"You knew.""
Victoria didn't answer.
"You knew she was doing this.""
"I knew she was afraid.""
"That wasn't my question.""
Victoria looked away.
And that was answer enough.
Emma stepped back.
"I can't believe this.""
Adrian looked at his mother.
"Get out.""
Victoria's face changed.
"Adrian.""
"Get out of this house.""
"Listen to me.""
"No.""
His voice was quiet.
But final.
"You lied about Emma.""
Victoria swallowed.
"I was trying to protect you.""
"You lied about Daniel.""
"I was trying to protect Leo.""
"You lied about your own grandson.""
The last sentence broke something.
Victoria looked toward the stairs.
Her expression changed when she saw Leo.
Regret.
Real regret.
But Emma couldn't forgive it.
Not yet.
Adrian opened the front door.
"Leave.""
Victoria stood there for several seconds.
Then she looked at Emma.
"I know you hate me.""
Emma said nothing.
"But one day, you will understand why I did what I did.""
Emma stared.
"No.""
Victoria looked surprised.
"No?""
Emma shook her head.
"Because there is no reason good enough to steal five years from a mother.""
Victoria's eyes filled slightly.
Then she left.
The door closed.
And for the first time all night, the house became quiet.
Too quiet.
Emma looked down at the note.
"I need answers.""
Adrian nodded.
"So do I.""
She looked at him.
"You really don't know who wrote this?""
"No.""
"But it was found in your mother's room.""
"Yes.""
"Which means she knew about it.""
"Probably.""
Emma narrowed her eyes.
"Probably?""
Adrian sighed.
"Emma, my family has spent years hiding things from each other.""
"That isn't an excuse.""
"I know.""
She studied him.
The thing that confused her most was that she believed him.
She hated that she believed him.
Because trusting Adrian meant admitting the world was not as simple as she wanted it to be.
He was not the man who stole her son.
He was the man who raised him.
Both things could be true.
"Where is Daniel's evidence?""
Adrian looked at her.
"What?""
"You said he was investigating your family.""
"Yes.""
"And someone destroyed records.""
"Yes.""
"Then there must have been something he found.""
Adrian nodded slowly.
"There was.""
"What?""
He walked toward a locked cabinet near the fireplace.
"I don't know.""
Emma frowned.
"You don't know?""
"Daniel gave me something.""
He unlocked the cabinet.
"But I never opened it.""
Inside was a small wooden box.
Old.
Worn.
Emma recognized it immediately.
Her breath caught.
"I know that.""
Adrian looked at her.
"You do?""
She stepped closer.
"I've seen it before.""
"Where?""
Emma touched the lid.
"In my apartment.""
Adrian froze.
"What?""
"Before Leo was born.""
She closed her eyes.
Another memory surfaced.
Daniel sitting at her kitchen table.
The box between them.
His serious expression.
"If anything happens to me, don't open this unless you know who you can trust.""
Emma opened her eyes.
"I remember.""
Adrian stared.
"What did he tell you?""
She looked at the box.
"He told me someone was watching him.""
Adrian went silent.
"He was scared.""
"Of who?""
Emma shook her head.
"I don't know.""
She looked at the box.
"But he trusted me.""
Adrian slowly handed it to her.
"Open it.""
Emma hesitated.
"Why?""
"Because if Daniel left it for you, maybe you're the only person who can.""
Her fingers moved toward the lock.
Then stopped.
"What if I don't like what I find?""
Adrian looked at Leo.
The boy was sitting on the stairs, quietly listening.
Then he looked back at Emma.
"We've already spent five years living with a lie.""
A pause.
"Maybe it's time we see the truth.""
Emma opened the box.
Inside was a small flash drive.
A photograph.
And a letter.
The photograph was the first thing she noticed.
Three people.
A young Daniel.
A younger Adrian.
And Emma.
Together.
She stared.
"We knew each other.""
Adrian looked at the picture.
His expression changed.
"You don't remember this?""
"No.""
Daniel's letter was folded beneath it.
Emma opened it carefully.
The handwriting was familiar.
Not hers.
His.
The first line made her heart race.
*Emma, if you're reading this, it means they succeeded in making you forget.*
Her hands shook.
She continued.
*You need to know the truth about Leo. Not just who his father is, but why they wanted him hidden.*
Emma looked at Adrian.
Then back at the letter.
*Adrian is the only person I trust to protect him. If I don't survive, he must believe he is Leo's father until the danger passes.*
Adrian stopped breathing.
"What?""
Emma kept reading.
*The people after me don't care about money. They don't care about reputation. They care about one thing.*
A drop of rain hit the window.
*They know Leo carries proof that can destroy them.*
Emma looked up.
"Proof?""
Adrian took the letter.
His eyes moved quickly.
Then his face changed.
"Leo?""
The boy looked up.
"What?""
Adrian walked toward him.
Slowly.
Carefully.
"Did anyone ever give you something when you were a baby?""
Leo frowned.
"I don't know.""
"Anything hidden?""
The boy thought.
Then suddenly his eyes widened.
"The necklace.""
Emma froze.
"What necklace?""
Leo touched the collar of his shirt.
"I don't wear it anymore.""
Adrian knelt.
"Where is it?""
Leo pointed upstairs.
"Grandma took it.""
Everyone went silent.
"When?""
Leo looked nervous.
"She said it wasn't mine.""
Emma felt the fear return.
"Adrian.""
He was already moving.
Up the stairs.
Toward Victoria's old room.
Emma followed.
Inside, everything looked untouched.
Adrian searched quickly.
Drawers.
Closets.
Shelves.
Then Emma noticed something.
A loose floorboard beneath the bed.
"Adrian.""
He looked over.
She pointed.
The board was slightly raised.
He pulled it up.
Underneath was a small metal container.
Inside was one thing.
A necklace.
And attached to it was a tiny memory card.
Adrian stared.
Emma whispered:
"That's what Daniel was hiding.""
Adrian picked it up.
Then the screen of his phone lit up.
A new message.
Unknown number.
One sentence.
*You found the necklace. Now ask Emma why she forgot what she did that night.*
Emma felt the blood drain from her face.
Because this time...
The message wasn't accusing Adrian.
It wasn't accusing Victoria.
It was accusing her.
And beneath the message was an old photograph.
A photograph taken the night Daniel died.
Emma was standing beside him.
May you like
Holding something in her hand.
Something covered in blood.
