Chapter 8: The Stranger With My Eyes
I had spent my entire life wondering where I came from.
Every child does, in some way.
We look at old photographs.
We study our parents’ faces.
We search for pieces of ourselves.
I had my mother’s eyes.
Everyone told me that.
My father’s smile.
My grandmother’s stubbornness.
That was the story I grew up with.
But now there was a stranger standing in our doorway.
And everyone was looking at him like he carried a secret that could destroy us.
Thomas looked older than I expected.
Gray touched his hair.
Lines crossed his face.
But there was something familiar.
Something unsettling.
The shape of his eyes.
The way he stood.
The small scar near his eyebrow.
I hated that I recognized myself in him.
“Lily,” my mother whispered.
I looked at her.
“Is that him?””
She nodded slowly.
My father stood.
“You knew where he was?””
Thomas looked at him.
“Daniel.””
The way he said his name made it clear.
They had met before.
My father’s face hardened.
“You stayed away.””
Thomas looked down.
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Silence.
Then Thomas answered:
“Because I was asked to.””
Everyone looked at Victoria.
My stomach dropped.
Victoria smiled.
“Finally.””
My mother stepped forward.
“You contacted him?””
Victoria shrugged.
“Eventually.””
“What does that mean?””
Victoria walked around the room.
“It means I wasn’t just collecting information.””
She looked at me.
“I was preparing.””
Grandma Pearl’s expression became cold.
“You planned this.””
Victoria smiled.
“For years.””
My father looked disgusted.
“You manipulated everyone.””
“Yes.””
The honesty shocked everyone.
Victoria didn’t even pretend anymore.
“I was tired of living in Elena’s shadow.””
My mother shook her head.
“You ruined an entire family because you were jealous?””
Victoria laughed.
“No.””
She looked at me.
“I ruined it because I realized something.””
“What?””
She pointed at me.
“You were the only thing Elena cared about.””
The room became quiet.
“So I took away the one thing she couldn’t replace.””
My hands shook.
“You tried to take me away from my mother.””
Victoria nodded.
“Yes.””
My father looked horrified.
“You were going to raise her?””
“I was going to save her.””
“From what?””
Victoria looked at my mother.
“From lies.””
Thomas suddenly spoke.
“Stop.””
Everyone turned.
Victoria’s smile faded.
“You don’t get to tell me what to do.””
Thomas stepped inside.
“I know what you did.””
Victoria’s expression changed.
“You should be careful.””
“No.””
Thomas shook his head.
“I’m done being afraid of you.””
My mother looked at him.
“Thomas…”
He looked at her.
“I should have come back sooner.””
She looked away.
“Yes.””
The pain between them was obvious.
I hated being caught in the middle.
I hated that my life suddenly belonged to everyone else’s mistakes.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
Everyone looked at me.
I was talking to Thomas.
He swallowed.
“Because I thought I had lost the right.””
“That’s not your choice.””
He nodded.
“You’re right.””
A tear appeared in his eyes.
“I missed your entire life.””
I looked away.
I didn’t know how to feel.
Anger.
Curiosity.
Sadness.
Everything mixed together.
Thomas reached into his coat.
He pulled out a small box.
My mother gasped.
“No.””
“What is it?””
Thomas looked at me.
“Something your mother made for you.””
He handed it over.
I opened it.
Inside was a bracelet.
A simple one.
With a tiny silver charm.
The charm was shaped like a Christmas tree.
My breath caught.
“I made that the week before you were born,” my mother said softly.
I looked at her.
“You knew?””
She nodded.
“I wanted to give it to you someday.””
I touched the charm.
And for a moment, everything else disappeared.
Then Victoria ruined it.
“Beautiful.””
Her voice was cold.
“But meaningless.””
I looked up.
“What?””
She smiled.
“You all think emotions matter.””
She walked toward the table.
“But facts matter more.””
She pulled out her phone.
“I have something.””
My mother immediately stiffened.
“Victoria.””
“What?””
She looked around.
“Are you scared?””
She tapped the screen.
A recording started playing.
My mother’s voice.
From years ago.
“I don’t know if I can leave Daniel.””
My blood went cold.
Victoria continued.
Another recording.
Thomas’s voice.
“I love you.””
Then my mother:
“I love you too.””
The room became unbearable.
My father looked destroyed.
I looked at my mother.
She looked ashamed.
But then Thomas spoke.
“Where did you get those?””
Victoria smiled.
“Does it matter?””
“Yes.””
His voice was different now.
Angry.
“Because those recordings were stolen.””
Everyone froze.
“What?””
Thomas looked at my mother.
“She edited them.””
Victoria laughed.
“You can’t prove that.””
Thomas reached into his pocket.
He pulled out a small device.
“Yes.””
Victoria stopped smiling.
“What is that?””
“The original recording.””
My mother looked shocked.
Thomas continued.
“You didn’t know I kept copies.””
Victoria’s face changed.
For the first time, she looked trapped.
Thomas pressed a button.
A different recording played.
Victoria’s voice.
Clear.
Cold.
“I don’t care who gets hurt. I just need Elena gone.””
The room went silent.
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
Victoria stared at the device.
Then at Thomas.
“You betrayed me.””
Thomas looked at her.
“No.””
He shook his head.
“I finally stopped helping you.””
My father looked at Victoria.
“How long?””
She didn’t answer.
“How long did you manipulate all of us?””
Victoria looked at me.
Then smiled.
“Long enough.””
My mother stepped closer.
“What does that mean?””
Victoria’s smile returned.
And I knew immediately.
She still had something.
“I mean…”
She looked directly at me.
“Your mother wasn’t the only person who disappeared that Christmas.””
My heart sank.
“What?””
May you like
Victoria whispered:
“Someone else died.””
