Chapter 7: The Father I Never Knew
The room stopped breathing.
That was the only way I could describe it.
Everyone was standing still, as if Victoria had reached into the air and stolen all the oxygen.
My father stared at her.
“What did you say?””
Victoria didn’t answer him.
She kept looking at me.
Not at my mother.
Not at Grandma Pearl.
Me.
And suddenly, I understood something terrifying.
All these years, I thought Victoria hated my mother because she wanted her place.
I thought she destroyed the Christmas tree because she wanted to erase memories.
I thought she wanted the house because of money.
But this was different.
This was about me.
“What are you talking about?”” I asked.
My voice sounded smaller than I wanted.
Victoria smiled.
“That’s the question you should have asked years ago.””
My mother stepped forward.
“Don’t.””
Victoria looked at her.
“Oh, Elena. You always did love pretending you could protect her.””
My mother’s expression hardened.
“You will not hurt her again.””
“Again?””
I looked at my mother.
“What does she mean?””
Nobody answered.
That scared me more than anything.
My father ran a hand through his hair.
“Victoria, stop playing games.””
She laughed.
“Games?””
She pointed at him.
“You want to talk about games, Daniel?””
My father looked away.
“You lied to me.””
“And you lied to yourself.””
The words hit him.
Victoria turned back toward me.
“Lily, do you really think your mother disappeared because of some random accident?””
My heart tightened.
“I know what happened.””
“No,” Victoria whispered.
“You know what everyone wanted you to believe.””
My mother grabbed my arm.
“Lily, don’t listen to her.””
But I pulled away.
Not because I didn’t trust my mother.
Because I needed the truth.
“Let her talk.””
My mother looked hurt.
But she nodded.
Victoria walked toward the fireplace.
“When your mother found out she was pregnant, she was already planning to leave Daniel.””
My father looked shocked.
“What?””
My mother closed her eyes.
“Victoria.””
“No,” Victoria said.
“She deserves to know.””
She looked at me.
“Your mother wasn’t happy in this marriage.””
I looked at my mother.
She didn’t deny it.
That hurt.
“But that doesn’t mean—”
Victoria interrupted.
“It means she had secrets.””
My father’s voice became quiet.
“What secrets?””
Victoria smiled.
“Ask her.””
Everyone looked at my mother.
She looked exhausted.
Finally, she spoke.
“I was unhappy.””
The confession felt like a punch.
“But not for the reasons Victoria wants you to believe.””
She looked at me.
“Your father and I were struggling. We were grieving. We were two people who loved each other but forgot how to communicate.””
My father lowered his head.
“I should have listened.””
My mother nodded.
“Yes.””
Then she looked at me.
“But you were never the reason.””
My eyes filled.
Victoria rolled her eyes.
“How touching.””
She walked closer.
“But there’s more.””
Grandma Pearl stood.
“Enough.””
Victoria ignored her.
“Lily, do you know why your mother was desperate to leave that Christmas?””
I stared at her.
“Why?””
Victoria smiled.
“Because she discovered Daniel wasn’t your biological father.””
The room went silent.
I felt the world tilt.
“No.””
The word came from my father.
Not me.
“No.””
Victoria looked at him.
“You heard me.””
My father’s face lost all color.
“That’s impossible.””
My mother looked at me.
And I knew.
Before anyone spoke.
I knew.
Because her eyes changed.
They weren’t angry.
They were afraid.
“Mom?””
She swallowed.
“Lily…”
My voice broke.
“Is it true?””
Nobody answered.
And that was the worst answer.
I stepped backward.
“No.””
My father looked at my mother.
“Tell her.””
My mother closed her eyes.
“Daniel…”
“Tell her!””
The pain in his voice filled the room.
My mother whispered:
“Yes.””
Everything disappeared.
The walls.
The Christmas lights.
The broken ornaments.
Everything.
“Yes,” my mother repeated.
“Daniel is not your biological father.””
I couldn’t feel my hands.
I couldn’t hear anything except my own heartbeat.
My father sat down.
Like his body had given up.
Six years of grief.
Six years of believing my mother abandoned us.
And now this.
Another truth.
Another secret.
“Who is?”” I whispered.
My mother looked at me.
“I was going to tell you.””
“When?””
She started crying.
“When you were old enough.””
I laughed.
A broken, empty sound.
“Old enough?””
I wiped my tears.
“I was old enough to lose you.””
Nobody spoke.
My father looked devastated.
“Who is he?””
My mother looked at him.
“Daniel…”
“Who?””
The question wasn’t angry.
It was destroyed.
My mother whispered:
“Thomas.””
Grandma Pearl covered her mouth.
My father looked confused.
“Thomas?””
Victoria smiled.
“There it is.””
I turned toward her.
“You knew.””
“Yes.””
“How?””
Victoria’s smile widened.
“Because I was there.””
My mother’s face changed.
“No.””
Victoria nodded.
“Yes.””
She looked at me.
“I saw everything.””
I felt sick.
“What did you see?””
Victoria leaned against the wall.
“The night your mother met Thomas.””
My father looked at her.
“You’re lying.””
“I wish I was.””
My mother shook her head.
“Lily, listen to me.””
“No.””
My voice cracked.
“I need to know.””
Victoria smiled.
“Your mother had an affair.””
My father closed his eyes.
My mother looked devastated.
“I made a mistake.””
The words were barely audible.
But I heard them.
And they hurt.
“I was lonely,” my mother continued.
“I was angry. I was hurt. I made a terrible choice.””
She looked at me.
“But I never stopped loving you.””
I wanted to believe her.
I wanted to.
But everything I knew about my life had changed.
“Who is Thomas?””
My mother looked down.
“He was someone I knew before Daniel.””
My father laughed bitterly.
“So all those years…”
“I loved you,” my mother said.
He looked at her.
“But not enough.””
The pain between them was unbearable.
Then Victoria spoke.
“And now you know why I stayed.””
I turned.
“What?””
She smiled.
“Because I knew the truth.””
She stepped closer.
“I knew Lily wasn’t Daniel’s daughter.””
My stomach turned.
“And?””
Victoria’s eyes narrowed.
“I knew where Thomas was.””
My mother went pale.
“No.””
Victoria smiled.
“Yes.””
Everyone froze.
My mother whispered:
“You wouldn’t.””
“Oh, I would.””
She looked at me.
“Because your precious mother wasn’t the only one keeping secrets.””
I stepped back.
“Where is he?””
Victoria didn’t answer immediately.
She enjoyed the silence.
Then she said:
“Closer than you think.””
My father looked at her.
“What does that mean?””
Victoria smiled.
“It means…”
A knock came from the front door.
Everyone turned.
Three slow knocks.
My mother’s face went white.
“No.””
I looked at her.
“Who is it?””
She didn’t answer.
Because she already knew.
The door opened.
And the man standing outside said:
“Hello, Elena.””
May you like
My mother whispered his name.
“Thomas.””
