Chapter 7: The Call From The Man Who Disappeared
The phone kept ringing.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Neither of us moved.
Ethan stared at the screen like it was something dangerous.
Like answering it would open a door that could never be closed again.
And maybe it would.
Because the name on that screen belonged to a ghost.
*Richard Mercer.*
My father.
The man who disappeared fourteen years ago.
The man everyone told me was gone.
My hand slowly moved toward the phone.
Ethan stopped me.
“Wait.””
I looked at him.
“Why?””
His eyes stayed on the screen.
“Because I don’t know why he’s calling.””
I almost laughed.
“You don’t know why the man who vanished for fourteen years is calling you?””
“No.””
His voice was serious.
And that scared me.
“Ethan, answer it.””
He looked at me.
“Natalie—”
“No.””
I swallowed.
“I spent fourteen years wondering if my father was dead, if he left us, if he ever thought about me.””
My voice shook.
“I deserve to hear his voice.””
Ethan hesitated.
Then he answered.
“Hello?””
Silence.
The room felt painfully quiet.
I could hear Clara breathing softly.
I could hear the machines beside my bed.
I could hear my own heartbeat.
Then a voice came through the speaker.
Older.
Rougher.
But unmistakable.
“Ethan.””
My entire body froze.
I knew that voice.
I had spent years trying to remember it.
And now, after all this time…
It was real.
“Dad?””
The word escaped before I could stop it.
Ethan looked at me.
The voice on the phone went silent.
Then:
“Natalie?””
I covered my mouth.
Tears filled my eyes instantly.
I hated that.
I hated that after fourteen years of anger, after everything I had been through, one word from him could still break me.
“Where are you?””
My voice barely worked.
Another silence.
Then he said:
“I’m sorry.””
That was it.
Not an explanation.
Not a reason.
Just two words.
And somehow they hurt more.
“You’re sorry?””
I gripped the phone.
“Dad, do you have any idea what happened after you left?””
“I know.””
“No, you don’t.””
My voice rose.
“You don’t know what it was like.””
I looked at Clara.
“You don’t know what it was like growing up wondering why my own father didn’t want me.””
“Natalie…”
“No.””
I wiped my tears.
“You don’t get to disappear for fourteen years and say sorry.””
“I know.””
His voice cracked.
“I know I don’t.””
Ethan watched me carefully.
I could tell he wanted to say something.
But he let me have this moment.
“Why are you calling now?””
My father exhaled.
“Because Diane knows where you are.””
My stomach tightened.
“What?””
“She knows you have the documents.””
I looked at Ethan.
“How?””
My father answered:
“Because she knows everything.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“Dad, what documents?””
Silence.
Too long.
“Ethan didn’t tell you?””
I looked at my husband.
“He told me some things.””
My father’s voice became quieter.
“Not enough.””
I felt a flash of anger.
“Then tell me.””
“Natalie—”
“No.””
My grip tightened.
“I’m done with everyone deciding what I can handle.””
That silence again.
Then my father said:
“You’re right.””
The agreement surprised me.
“You always were.””
My throat tightened.
“Where have you been?””
“I can’t explain everything over the phone.””
“Then explain something.””
Another pause.
“Your mother wasn’t trying to pay for Brielle’s birthday party.””
“I know.””
“She was trying to find the files.””
“I know.””
“She’s been searching for years.””
I looked at Ethan.
“Why?””
My father’s voice became heavy.
“Because those files prove what happened the night I disappeared.””
I closed my eyes.
“What happened that night?””
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then my father said:
“I didn’t leave.””
My breath caught.
“What?””
“I was forced to disappear.””
The room went still.
“By who?””
My father didn’t answer.
And that terrified me more than anything.
“Dad.””
His voice shook.
“Natalie, you need to listen carefully.””
I sat straighter.
“Okay.””
“Do not trust your mother.””
I almost laughed.
“That’s your advice?””
“It’s the truth.””
“After fourteen years, you call me and tell me not to trust Mom?””
“Yes.””
“Why should I trust you?””
Silence.
A painful one.
Then he said:
“You shouldn’t.””
That answer surprised me.
“I made mistakes.””
My eyes burned.
“You abandoned me.””
“I know.””
“You abandoned Mom too.””
“No.””
His voice became urgent.
“I didn’t.””
“Then what happened?””
“I found out something about Diane and your sister.””
My heart stopped.
“Brielle?””
“Yes.””
I looked at Ethan.
“She was involved.””
My father sighed.
“She was younger then.””
“She knew?””
“She knew enough.””
I felt sick.
My sister.
The person who had walked into my hospital room and demanded money.
The person who had looked at my newborn daughter and cared more about a party.
How long had she been part of this?
“Dad.””
“Yes?””
“Why did Mom tell the police Ethan stole the documents?””
A long pause.
Then:
“Because she’s desperate.””
“Desperate enough to frame my husband?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because Ethan is the only person who can prove what happened.””
I looked at Ethan.
“What does he know?””
My father answered:
“He knows why I disappeared.””
Ethan closed his eyes.
And I knew.
There was more.
“Dad, what happened?””
Before he could answer, the call suddenly cut.
I looked at the phone.
“Hello?””
Nothing.
“Dad?””
The line was dead.
I immediately called back.
Straight to voicemail.
My hands started shaking.
Ethan took the phone gently from me.
“He hung up.””
“No.””
“Natalie.””
“No.””
I looked at him.
“He was there.””
“I know.””
“He’s alive.””
“I know.””
My emotions crashed over me all at once.
Anger.
Relief.
Pain.
Confusion.
I had spent fourteen years grieving someone who was apparently alive.
And now I didn’t know whether I wanted to hug him or scream at him.
Then Ethan’s phone buzzed.
Another message.
He looked at it.
His face changed.
“What?””
He handed it to me.
A message from an unknown number.
*You spoke to him.*
My blood went cold.
Another message appeared.
*That was a mistake.*
Then another.
*Now I know exactly where the files are.*
I looked up.
“How would they know?””
Ethan’s face was serious.
“They’re watching.””
The words sent a chill through me.
I looked around the hospital room.
The door.
The window.
The hallway.
Suddenly, I felt exposed.
Like the walls weren’t protecting us.
Like someone was waiting.
Then my phone rang again.
This time, it wasn’t my father.
The screen showed a name.
One I never expected to see.
*Brielle.*
I answered.
“What do you want?””
For once, my sister didn’t sound angry.
She sounded scared.
“Natalie…”
I said nothing.
Her breathing was shaky.
“You need to leave the hospital.””
My grip tightened.
“What?””
“Right now.””
“Why?””
A pause.
Then she whispered:
“Because Mom isn’t the only person looking for those files.””
I stood frozen.
“What are you talking about?””
Her voice dropped.
“The person who really caused Dad to disappear…”
I felt my heartbeat slow.
“Who?””
The line went quiet.
Then Brielle said:
“It’s Ethan’s father.””
The call ended.
I stared at the phone.
Unable to move.
Unable to breathe.
Because the secret wasn’t just about my family anymore.
May you like
It was about the man I married.
And the family he came from.
