Chapter 9: The Woman Who Helped Him
My stepmother walked into the house like she still belonged there.
Like she wasn’t the person standing at the center of another thirty-year lie.
Her eyes moved around the room.
The flash drive.
The photographs.
My mother.
Then me.
“I know you hate me.””
I stared at her.
“I don’t even know you.””
That hurt her.
Good.
Because for the first time, I wanted someone else to understand what it felt like to be a stranger in your own life.
My father entered behind her.
Calm.
Controlled.
As always.
“You’re making a mistake, Daniel.””
I looked at him.
“You’ve said that every time I got close to the truth.””
His jaw tightened.
My stepmother looked at him.
“Enough.””
My father turned.
“What?””
“You promised me this would end.””
The room went silent.
I looked between them.
“You promised her?””
My stepmother swallowed.
“Yes.””
My father’s expression hardened.
“Don’t do this.””
She ignored him.
“I helped him because I was afraid.””
My mother laughed softly.
A painful sound.
“Afraid?””
My stepmother looked at her.
“Yes.””
“While I was searching for my children?””
The words cut through the room.
My stepmother looked away.
“I didn’t know where Lily was.””
My mother stepped forward.
“But you knew Daniel was alive.””
“Yes.””
The answer was barely audible.
My chest tightened.
“You knew.””
She looked at me.
“I was young.””
I stared.
“You were an adult.””
“I was trapped.””
I almost laughed.
“Everyone says that.””
My father stepped forward.
“She is not the one you should blame.””
I turned toward him.
“You’re right.””
I pointed at him.
“You are.””
For the first time, his expression changed.
Not anger.
Pain.
Real pain.
But I didn’t care.
Not anymore.
“You made me hate my mother.””
Silence.
“You made me believe she didn’t love me.””
His face tightened.
“I protected you.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“You protected yourself.””
My father looked at the floor.
And that was the moment I knew.
Because he didn’t deny it.
My stepmother sat down.
“I need to tell you something.””
I didn’t answer.
She continued anyway.
“Lily was alive.””
My heart stopped.
My mother covered her mouth.
“What?””
My stepmother looked at her.
“I’m sorry.””
My mother moved closer.
“Where is she?””
No answer.
“Where is my daughter?””
My stepmother began crying.
“I don’t know.””
My father looked at her sharply.
“You said you wouldn’t.””
She looked at him.
“I can’t keep doing this.””
My eyes narrowed.
“What did you do?””
She looked at me.
“I found Lily.””
The room went completely silent.
My mother grabbed the table.
“When?””
“Years ago.””
“Years?””
She nodded.
“I saw her by accident.””
My voice was barely a whisper.
“And you said nothing?””
She looked devastated.
“Your father threatened me.””
“With what?””
She looked at my father.
“With taking my son away.””
I looked at Adrian.
He froze.
My stepmother continued.
“He told me if I spoke, he would make sure Adrian lost everything.””
Adrian looked sick.
My father’s expression turned cold.
“You’re really going to destroy this family?””
My stepmother laughed bitterly.
“No.””
She looked at him.
“You destroyed it thirty years ago.””
My father stepped toward her.
“You have no idea what you’re doing.””
She stood.
“Yes, I do.””
Then she looked at me.
“I know where Lily is.””
My mother collapsed into the chair.
A hand covered her mouth.
“Tell me.””
My stepmother looked at my father.
He shook his head slightly.
A warning.
A threat.
But she continued.
“Her name isn’t Lily anymore.””
My heart raced.
“She doesn’t know who she is.””
My mother started crying.
“No…”
“She was adopted.””
The room went quiet.
“Where?””
My stepmother looked at me.
Then said the words that changed everything.
“She lives ten miles from here.””
I stopped breathing.
Ten miles.
A person I had spent my entire life missing.
A sister I never knew existed.
Someone who had been alive this entire time.
My father suddenly moved.
Too fast.
Toward the flash drive.
Adrian blocked him.
“You’re done.””
My father looked at him.
“You think this ends with finding Lily?””
Nobody answered.
Then he looked at me.
And his voice changed.
“You want the truth?””
I stared.
“Yes.””
He nodded slowly.
“Then go find your sister.””
A strange smile crossed his face.
“Because when you do…”
He paused.
“You’ll finally understand why your mother really disappeared.””
My mother went pale.
“No.””
I turned.
“What?””
She looked terrified.
“Daniel, don’t listen to him.””
My father walked toward the door.
“Ask Lily what she remembers.””
Then he stopped.
“And ask her who she thinks saved her.””
The door closed.
I looked at my mother.
“What does that mean?””
She didn’t answer.
Because she was crying.
May you like
And for the first time since I found her…
I realized she was afraid of what my sister might say. :::
