Chapter 9: The Deal Behind the Smile
I read Melissa’s message over and over.
Not because I didn’t understand it.
Because I couldn’t accept it.
The woman who had sat beside me at Rachel’s funeral.
The woman who held my hand while I cried.
The woman who promised she would help me raise Jasmine.
Had been keeping secrets from the beginning.
Jasmine watched me.
“What did she say?””
I didn’t answer immediately.
Because I was afraid.
Not of Melissa.
Of what this would do to my daughter.
She had already lost her mother.
I didn’t want her to feel like every adult in her life had failed her.
Finally, I handed her the phone.
She read the message.
Her face became empty.
Not angry.
Not shocked.
Empty.
That scared me more.
“Jasmine…”
She put the phone down.
“So she knew.””
I nodded.
“Yes.””
“She knew Mom was worried.””
“Yes.””
“She knew I was scared.””
My silence answered.
Jasmine looked away.
“I really thought I was the problem.””
Those words broke something inside me.
“No.””
She looked at me.
“You were never the problem.””
That evening, I called Melissa.
She answered after three rings.
“David?””
Her voice sounded tired.
“We need to talk.””
A pause.
“You found out.””
It wasn’t a question.
I closed my eyes.
“Yes.””
Another pause.
Then:
“I knew this day would come.””
My jaw tightened.
“Where are you?””
“Daniel’s apartment.””
I froze.
“Who is Daniel?””
Silence.
Then:
“David…”
“Answer me.””
She sighed.
“The person you found out about.””
My grip tightened around the phone.
“Why are you with him?””
“Because I needed someone who understood.””
I laughed quietly.
“Understood what?””
“My situation.””
“What situation?””
She didn’t answer.
That was becoming a habit.
“Melissa.””
Finally, she said:
“I was scared.””
I looked at Jasmine.
She was sitting nearby.
Listening.
“I was scared you would never love me the way you loved Rachel.””
The honesty surprised me.
But it didn’t excuse anything.
“So you hurt my daughter?””
“No.””
“Yes.””
My voice became firm.
“You did.””
She was quiet.
Then she whispered:
“I didn’t mean for it to become this.””
I walked to the window.
“Then what was the plan?””
Nothing.
That was the answer.
“You had a plan.””
“David…”
“What was it?””
She started crying.
“I wanted a family.””
I closed my eyes.
“You already had one.””
“No.””
Her voice broke.
“I had yours.””
The words were painful.
Because they revealed how she saw us.
Not as people.
As something she needed to possess.
“You never saw Jasmine as your daughter.””
Silence.
Then:
“I tried.””
Again.
That word.
I ended the call.
The next morning, I met Daniel.
I needed answers.
He arrived at a coffee shop.
A man in his forties.
Calm.
Confident.
The kind of person who looked trustworthy.
Which suddenly made me trust him less.
“You’re David.””
“Yes.””
He sat down.
“I assume Melissa told you everything.””
“No.””
I leaned forward.
“I’m here because I want you to tell me.””
Daniel sighed.
“I think there’s been a misunderstanding.””
“Everyone says that.””
He looked at me.
“I was trying to help.””
“By planning my daughter’s life?””
His expression changed slightly.
“You were grieving.””
“And?””
“And grief makes people vulnerable.””
I stared at him.
“You saw a grieving father and decided to step in?””
“No.””
“Then explain.””
Daniel looked away.
Finally, he said:
“Rachel was worried.””
“About what?””
“About you being alone.””
I laughed.
“My wife trusted me.””
“She loved you.””
He paused.
“But she also worried.””
I stood.
“Did she ask you to convince Melissa to take Jasmine away?””
Daniel didn’t answer.
That was enough.
I left.
But as I reached my car, my phone rang.
It was Jasmine.
I answered immediately.
“What happened?””
Her voice was shaking.
“Dad…”
“What?””
“I found something in Mom’s old things.””
My heart tightened.
“What?””
She took a breath.
“A video.””
“A video of what?””
There was silence.
Then she whispered:
“Mom recorded it before she died.””
I gripped the phone.
“Jasmine, play it.””
“I did.””
“And?””
Her voice broke.
“Dad…”
“What did she say?””
A long pause.
Then Jasmine said:
“She said she knew exactly who was trying to take me away from you.””
I stopped breathing.
“Who?””
May you like
Jasmine answered quietly.
And the name she said was the one person I never expected.
