Chapter 9: The Second Betrayal
The message destroyed the fragile peace we had built.
Nobody wanted to say it.
But everyone was thinking the same thing.
What if Grandma really was involved?
What if everything she said was just another lie?
I looked at her.
She looked hurt.
Not angry.
Hurt.
“Do you believe that?”” she asked Dad.
Dad didn’t answer.
And that silence broke my heart.
“Dad?””
He rubbed his face.
“I don’t know what to believe right now.””
Grandma nodded slowly.
“I understand.””
“No, you don’t.””
Dad’s voice cracked.
“You kept this from me for years.””
“I was trying to protect you.””
“You made that choice for me.””
Grandma looked away.
“And I was wrong.””
That answer surprised everyone.
She didn’t defend herself.
She didn’t argue.
She simply admitted it.
Mom sat beside her.
“Evelyn, why would Daniel send that?””
Grandma looked at the phone.
“I don’t know.””
Then she noticed something.
“Wait.””
She reached for the phone.
“What?””
“The message.””
Dad handed it to her.
She studied it carefully.
“The timing.””
“What about it?””
“Daniel was attacked.””
Dad frowned.
“Yes.””
“So why would he have time to type a message?””
Nobody answered.
Grandma pointed.
“Look.””
She showed us the screen.
“The message was sent three minutes after the call ended.””
Dad looked confused.
“So?””
Grandma shook her head.
“Daniel was using a secure phone.””
Mom frowned.
“What does that mean?””
“It means if he sent this, he had to unlock it.””
She looked at Dad.
“Someone else used his phone.””
A cold silence filled the room.
The message wasn’t from Daniel.
Someone wanted us to turn against Grandma.
Again.
Someone wanted the family divided.
Dad grabbed his jacket.
“I’m going to the archives.””
Mom stood.
“I’m coming.””
“No.””
“Marcus—”
“I need you here with Maya.””
I immediately protested.
“I’m not a child.””
Dad looked at me.
“I know.””
His expression softened.
“That’s why I’m scared.””
Nobody moved.
Then Grandma stood.
“I’m going with you.””
Dad looked at her.
“Why?””
“Because if someone is trying to frame me, I want to see exactly how.””
For a moment, they stared at each other.
Then Dad nodded.
“Okay.””
Two hours later, Mom, Grandma, and I sat in the living room waiting.
Every minute felt longer.
Every sound outside made me jump.
Finally, Dad called.
I answered immediately.
“What happened?””
His voice was tense.
“We found Daniel.””
I froze.
“Is he okay?””
A pause.
“He’s alive.””
I closed my eyes in relief.
“But?””
Dad didn’t answer.
“Dad?””
“He was attacked.””
Mom covered her mouth.
“By who?””
“We don’t know.””
“Did he have the agreement?””
Another pause.
“No.””
My heart sank.
“What do you mean?””
“The missing page is gone.””
Grandma looked devastated.
“Someone took it.””
Dad continued.
“But Daniel remembered something.””
“What?””
“He said the person who attacked him wasn’t Whitmore.””
The room went silent.
“Then who?””
Dad’s voice lowered.
“He said the person knew things only our family would know.””
I felt cold.
“What does that mean?””
Dad took a breath.
“Maya…”
His voice changed.
“He said the attacker called you by a childhood nickname.””
My heart stopped.
A nickname only my family used.
Nobody outside knew it.
Nobody.
“What nickname?””
Dad hesitated.
Then he said:
“Little Star.””
I stopped breathing.
Because there was only one person outside my family who had ever called me that.
A person I hadn’t seen in years.
A person who had been at our house many times when I was younger.
A person my father trusted completely.
Then Dad said the name.
May you like
And everything changed.
“It was your Uncle Ryan.””
