Chapter 5: The Woman Who Wanted My Life
David came home twenty minutes later.
I knew something was wrong before he even opened the door.
His face looked different.
Older.
Like he had discovered something he wished he could forget.
He placed his keys on the table.
“Mom.””
I looked at him.
“What did you find?””
He didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he pulled out his phone.
“I checked Sarah’s laptop.””
My eyebrows lifted.
“You went through her things?””
“I know.””
He looked ashamed.
“I know how that sounds.””
“It sounds like you’re becoming someone you don’t want to be.””
He nodded.
“I know.””
That answer stopped me.
Because he wasn’t defending himself.
He wasn’t making excuses.
He was finally seeing his own actions clearly.
“What was on it?””
David unlocked his phone.
“There were emails.””
He handed it to me.
I read the first one.
It was between Sarah and someone named Mark.
The message was short.
“Any progress?””
Sarah’s reply:
“Almost. The mother is more stubborn than expected.””
My chest tightened.
I scrolled.
Another message.
“She still refuses to move out. I may need to push harder.””
My hands started shaking.
David took the phone back.
“There were dozens.””
“Who is Mark?””
“I don’t know.””
“You don’t know?””
“No. But I found something else.””
He opened another folder.
There were screenshots.
Bank transfers.
Conversations.
Plans.
My vision blurred.
Sarah wasn’t just impatient.
She wasn’t just entitled.
She had been planning.
Planning what?
David answered before I asked.
“She wanted this house.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
“She knew about the property value.””
I stared toward the window.
My home.
My sanctuary.
To her, it was an opportunity.
“She wanted me to convince you to sell.””
I looked at my son.
“And if I refused?””
His silence was enough.
I whispered:
“She wanted me gone.””
David looked away.
“I’m sorry.””
I sat down.
For years, I worried about growing old alone.
I worried about losing independence.
I worried about becoming a burden.
But I never imagined the person who would make me feel unwanted would be someone my son married.
“Did she ever love you?”” I asked quietly.
David looked hurt.
“I don’t know anymore.””
That was the saddest answer he could have given.
Not no.
Not yes.
Just uncertainty.
A week earlier, he had believed he knew his future.
Now everything was falling apart.
Then my phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
I answered.
“Hello?””
A woman’s voice spoke.
“Is this Evelyn Parker?””
“Yes.””
“My name is Linda. I used to work with your husband.””
I sat straighter.
“My husband?””
“Yes. Michael Parker.””
My heart started racing.
“How did you get my number?””
“I found it in old company records.””
I looked at David.
“Why are you calling?””
There was a pause.
Then:
“Because I think your husband tried to protect you from something.””
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“Something about what?””
“Sarah.””
The room went silent.
David looked at me.
“How does she know Sarah?””
I put the phone on speaker.
Linda continued.
“Michael was worried before he passed away.””
“About Sarah?””
“No. He didn’t know her name.””
I frowned.
“Then what did he know?””
“He knew someone would eventually try to gain control of the company assets through David.””
My heart sank.
“How?””
“Because someone had already tried once.””
I looked at David.
“What does that mean?””
Linda’s voice lowered.
“Your husband discovered someone was accessing confidential information.””
“Who?””
“We never found out.””
I felt a chill.
“But Michael thought he knew.””
“Who did he suspect?””
Another pause.
Then Linda said:
“He suspected someone close to David.””
I closed my eyes.
The room suddenly felt smaller.
David whispered:
“Sarah.””
Linda continued.
“There’s more.””
“What?””
“Michael left something with me.””
My breath caught.
“What?””
“A recording.””
David looked at me.
“A recording?””
“Yes.””
“Of what?””
Linda hesitated.
“Of Michael explaining everything.””
My heart pounded.
“Why didn’t you give it to me before?””
“Because Michael told me not to.””
“Why?””
Her answer came quietly.
“Because he said if I gave it to you too soon, the wrong person would know.””
I looked at David.
“What does that mean?””
Linda sighed.
“It means Michael believed someone was watching.””
The words settled over us.
Watching.
Waiting.
Planning.
Then Linda said:
“I think it’s time you hear what your husband left behind.””
“When can we meet?””
“Tomorrow morning.””
“Where?””
“A coffee shop near the old office.””
I grabbed a pen.
“Give me the address.””
After the call ended, David sat quietly.
Neither of us spoke.
Finally, he said:
“Mom.””
“Yes?””
“What if Dad was right?””
I looked at him.
“About what?””
He swallowed.
“What if the person who hurt our family isn’t outside of it?””
I didn’t answer.
Because deep down…
I was afraid I already knew.
The next morning, David and I arrived at the coffee shop ten minutes early.
Linda wasn’t there yet.
We waited.
Five minutes.
Ten.
Fifteen.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number.
I opened it.
And my blood ran cold.
May you like
The message contained one sentence.
“Stop digging into the past, Evelyn, or you’ll lose more than your bedroom.””
