Chapter 7: The Memory She Tried to Bury
The house felt different after Vanessa admitted it.
Not louder.
Not more chaotic.
Worse.
It felt like every wall had been listening.
Every room held a secret.
I sat at the kitchen table with the medical report in front of me, staring at the same sentence until the words stopped looking like words.
Possible medication interference.
My fingers tightened around the paper.
“Nia,” I said softly.
She was sitting beside Ava on the couch.
“Can you take Ava upstairs for a minute?””
Ava looked nervous.
She looked between me and Vanessa.
“Are you sure?””
I nodded.
“I need to talk to your mom.””
Nia stood slowly.
Before leaving, she touched my shoulder.
A small gesture.
A reminder.
I was still her father.
Even if someone had spent years trying to make me forget.
When the girls disappeared upstairs, I looked at Vanessa.
“Sit down.””
She did.
For once, she didn’t argue.
That scared me more than anger.
“When did you start giving me something?””
She stared at the table.
“After the accident.””
I felt a cold wave move through me.
“After?””
“Yes.””
“Not before?””
Her silence answered before she spoke.
“I gave you something before too.””
I stood so quickly the chair moved backward.
“Why?””
She flinched.
“Marcus, please.””
“No.””
My voice shook.
“No more please. No more explanations that come after you’ve already destroyed everything.””
She covered her face.
“I was scared.””
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
I pointed toward the stairs.
“Do you know what fear did to her?””
Vanessa cried silently.
“I know.””
“No, you don’t.””
My voice cracked.
“You don’t know what it feels like to be a child wondering why your own mother doesn’t love you.””
She looked up.
“I never stopped loving her.””
I stared.
“Then why did you make her feel unloved?””
She had no answer.
I sat back down.
“Tell me exactly what happened.””
Vanessa took a deep breath.
“After Nia was born, Daniel disappeared. You helped me. You helped us.””
I listened.
“You and I became close because you were the only person who stayed.””
My jaw tightened.
“You said I was just a friend.””
“You were.””
“Then why did I adopt Nia?””
She looked down.
“Because you loved her.””
The answer hurt.
Because it sounded so simple.
So pure.
“You loved her before you loved me.””
I froze.
“What?””
Vanessa wiped her eyes.
“You don’t remember, but you were always there for her.””
A memory flickered.
A tiny hand.
A playground.
A little girl laughing.
I closed my eyes.
“I remember pieces.””
Vanessa looked up.
“Of course you do.””
“Why?””
“Because I couldn’t erase everything.””
The way she said it made my skin crawl.
I stared.
“What does that mean?””
She looked away.
“I wanted to.””
The room became silent.
“You wanted to erase my memories?””
“I wanted you to stop looking for the old life.””
I couldn’t breathe.
“Because you were afraid I would leave?””
“Yes.””
I laughed quietly.
“You were afraid I would leave after learning the truth, so you created a life where I could never know the truth.””
She looked broken.
“I loved you.””
I shook my head.
“You loved having control.””
Her eyes filled.
“That’s not fair.””
“Fair?””
I leaned forward.
“You drugged me.””
She closed her eyes.
“You don’t understand.””
“Then explain.””
She whispered:
“You were getting your memories back.””
I stopped.
“What?””
“Before the accident.””
I stared.
“When?””
“Months before.””
She looked terrified.
“You started remembering things.””
“What things?””
“Nia.””
My chest tightened.
“You remembered her birth.””
“Yes.””
“You remembered Daniel.””
“Yes.””
“And you?””
She looked at me.
“You remembered everything.””
A strange calm came over me.
A terrifying calm.
“So you knew.””
She nodded.
“I knew you were going to leave.””
I stared.
“And instead of accepting that, you tried to make sure I couldn’t.””
She started crying harder.
“I thought if you forgot the pain, we could rebuild.””
“You didn’t rebuild.””
I stood.
“You stole.””
I walked away.
I needed air.
I needed to leave before I said something I couldn’t take back.
But before I reached the door, my phone rang.
Unknown number.
Again.
I answered.
“Hello?””
A woman’s voice.
“Is this Marcus?””
“Yes.””
“My name is Dr. Elaine Carter.””
I frowned.
“I don’t know you.””
“You don’t remember me.””
The sentence made my stomach tighten.
“Why are you calling?””
A pause.
Then:
“Because I was the doctor who treated you after your accident.””
I looked back at Vanessa.
She had gone completely still.
“What do you want?””
“I found your old records.””
My grip tightened.
“And?””
The doctor lowered her voice.
“There was something suspicious about your recovery.””
My heart raced.
“What kind of suspicious?””
“The medication levels in your blood were not consistent with the treatment plan.””
I looked at Vanessa.
The truth was no longer hidden.
It was standing in front of me.
“Doctor…”
“Yes?””
“Did someone alter my medical records?””
Silence.
Then she answered:
“Yes.””
I swallowed.
“Who?””
Another pause.
May you like
Then:
“Your wife.””
