Chapter 6: The Woman Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
Grant stared at the signature until the ink seemed to move.
Fiona Bellamy.
His wife.
The woman he buried.
The woman whose funeral he attended.
The woman whose ashes sat in a small wooden box on the fireplace shelf.
Alive.
The room went completely silent.
Even Vanessa stopped breathing.
Lila looked between the adults, confused.
"Daddy?""
Grant didn't answer.
His eyes stayed on the note.
The handwriting was Fiona's.
He knew every curve of every letter.
He had watched her write grocery lists while standing barefoot in their kitchen. He had seen her sign birthday cards for Lila and Owen. He had watched those same hands write love letters during their first years of marriage.
This wasn't a fake.
This wasn't a trick.
Someone had written this.
Someone who knew Fiona.
Someone who wanted him to find it.
Evelyn Harper stepped closer.
"Give me that.""
Grant pulled the note away.
"No.""
Her expression changed.
"Grant.""
"No.""
His voice was stronger this time.
"You knew about this.""
Evelyn looked toward Vanessa.
For the first time, mother and daughter looked afraid.
Grant noticed.
"You knew she was alive.""
Vanessa shook her head quickly.
"No.""
"Then why are you scared?""
"I’m not.""
"You're lying.""
The accusation hung in the air.
Lila grabbed Owen's hand tighter.
Grant noticed and immediately softened.
"Sweetheart, take your brother upstairs.""
"But Daddy—"
"Please.""
She looked at Vanessa.
Then at Evelyn.
Then quietly led Owen away.
When they disappeared, Grant turned back.
"Start talking.""
Vanessa wiped her eyes.
"You don't understand what happened.""
"Then explain it.""
She hesitated.
That hesitation made him angrier.
"Nine months, Vanessa.""
"What?""
"Nine months you lived in my house. You slept beside me. You called yourself their mother.""
His voice broke.
"And all this time, you knew something about Fiona.""
Vanessa looked down.
"I knew she wasn't who you thought she was.""
Grant laughed bitterly.
"Funny. That's exactly what Fiona said about you.""
Evelyn stepped forward.
"Enough.""
Grant looked at her.
"You don't get to tell me enough.""
He pointed at the door.
"This is my house.""
Evelyn smiled slightly.
"No, Grant.""
She reached into her purse.
"Not anymore.""
She placed a folder on the table.
Grant opened it.
His eyes moved across the pages.
Then stopped.
A property transfer agreement.
His house.
Transferred.
His name.
Missing.
"What is this?""
Vanessa looked away.
Evelyn answered.
"The reason Fiona disappeared.""
Grant looked up.
"What?""
"Fiona discovered Vanessa had been preparing to take control of everything.""
"Everything?""
"The house. The trust. The children.""
Grant felt sick.
"But Fiona died.""
Evelyn tilted her head.
"Did she?""
The question hit harder than anything else.
Grant stepped backward.
"Tell me where she is.""
Neither woman spoke.
Then Vanessa whispered:
"She wanted to leave.""
Grant stared.
"What?""
"Fiona found out things about my family. She thought she could expose us.""
"And?""
Vanessa looked at him.
"And she made a choice.""
"What choice?""
"She disappeared.""
Grant shook his head.
"No.""
"Yes.""
"Fiona would never leave Lila and Owen.""
Vanessa's face tightened.
"She almost took them with her.""
The words made Grant freeze.
Almost.
"What does that mean?""
Evelyn looked toward the window.
Rainwater still dripped from the roof.
"Your wife was planning to run.""
Grant felt a strange mixture of anger and confusion.
Because part of him wanted to believe Fiona.
But another part remembered the months before her death.
The distance.
The arguments.
The secrets.
Then his phone rang.
Unknown number.
Everyone looked at it.
Grant answered.
A woman's voice came through.
A voice he hadn't heard in over a year.
A voice he knew better than his own.
"Grant?""
His knees nearly gave out.
"Fiona?""
Silence.
Then:
"I’m sorry.""
He gripped the phone.
"Where are you?""
Another pause.
Then Fiona whispered:
"Somewhere Vanessa can't reach me.""
Grant looked at Vanessa.
Her face had gone completely white.
Fiona continued:
"But you need to know something.""
"What?""
Her voice trembled.
"I didn't leave because I wanted to.""
Grant closed his eyes.
"Then why?""
A sharp sound came through the phone.
Like a door opening.
Then Fiona said four words that changed everything.
May you like
"Because she found me.""
The call ended.
