CHAPTER 3: THE MOTHER WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD
CHAPTER 3: THE MOTHER WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Olivia Harper stared at the phone in her hand.
The call had ended.
But the voice remained.
A voice filled with fear.
A voice that belonged to someone who should not exist.
Noah's mother.
Alive.
Somewhere.
Waiting.
Noah stood frozen in the middle of the room.
His small face had gone completely pale.
"My mom..."
The words came out like a whisper.
"My mom is alive?"
Nobody answered.
Because nobody knew how.
Vanessa looked at the floor.
Daniel looked away.
And Olivia realized something terrifying.
Every adult in Noah's life knew more than they had ever told him.
Eight years of secrets.
Eight years of lies.
And Noah had been the only person left in the dark.
"Tell me the truth."
Noah's voice was quiet.
Too quiet.
He wasn't crying anymore.
That frightened Olivia more than anything.
"Please."
He looked at Vanessa.
"Just tell me the truth."
Vanessa opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Then she slowly sat down on the edge of the bed.
She looked older suddenly.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
Like the weight of the secret had finally become too heavy.
"Your mother..."
She stopped.
Then tried again.
"Your mother is named Emily."
Noah stared.
"I know."
His voice cracked.
"I have her pictures."
Vanessa nodded.
"But you don't know what happened."
Olivia crossed her arms.
"Then explain."
Vanessa looked at Daniel.
"I never wanted him involved."
Daniel gave a bitter laugh.
"Funny."
"You involved everyone except the person who deserved the truth."
Vanessa ignored him.
"Eight years ago, Michael and Emily were having problems."
Noah looked confused.
"My parents loved each other."
"They did," Vanessa said softly.
"That was the problem."
Olivia frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Vanessa looked toward the window.
"The person who hurt Emily wanted them separated."
"Who?"
Vanessa didn't answer.
Instead she whispered:
"Someone close to the family."
The room became silent.
Daniel stepped forward.
"Stop protecting him."
Noah looked at Daniel.
"Who?"
Daniel's expression hardened.
"Your grandfather."
The words hit like a bomb.
Noah blinked.
"My grandfather?"
"Michael's father," Daniel said.
"Richard Bennett."
Olivia felt a chill.
"Why would he do that?"
Daniel looked at Vanessa.
"Because he believed Michael was weak."
Vanessa closed her eyes.
"He wanted control."
Daniel continued:
"Control of the company. Control of the family. Control of everything."
Noah shook his head.
"No."
The boy stepped back.
"My grandfather loved me."
Daniel looked at him sadly.
"Maybe he did."
A pause.
"But he loved power more."
The truth was becoming worse with every second.
Olivia looked at Vanessa.
"What happened to Emily?"
Vanessa hesitated.
Then she said:
"The accident."
Noah looked at her.
"The car accident?"
Vanessa nodded.
"Everyone thought she died."
"Everyone?"
Olivia repeated.
"Or someone made everyone think that?"
Vanessa didn't answer.
She didn't need to.
Daniel did.
"Emily survived."
Noah stopped breathing.
"But she disappeared."
"Why?"
Daniel looked at him.
"Because someone tried to finish the job."
A cold silence filled the room.
Olivia felt anger rising.
An innocent woman had been attacked.
A child had grown up believing his mother was dead.
And everyone had carried on.
"Where is she now?"
No one answered.
Then Olivia remembered.
The call.
"She said don't let them find her."
She looked at Daniel.
"Who is looking for her?"
Daniel's face became serious.
"Not who."
A pause.
"What."
Olivia frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Before Daniel could answer, the lights went out.
The house became completely dark.
Noah grabbed Olivia's hand.
"He's here."
Everyone froze.
Vanessa stood quickly.
"Who?"
A sound came from downstairs.
A window breaking.
Then footsteps.
Someone entering.
Daniel immediately moved toward the door.
"Stay here."
Olivia grabbed his arm.
"Why should we trust you?"
Daniel looked at her.
"Because the person coming upstairs wants Noah dead."
That was enough.
Olivia pulled Noah behind her.
Vanessa grabbed a heavy lamp from the table.
Everyone listened.
Footsteps.
One.
Two.
Three.
Coming closer.
The bedroom door slowly opened.
A shadow appeared.
Olivia prepared herself.
But the person who stepped inside wasn't a stranger.
It was Michael.
Noah's father.
Everyone froze.
"Dad!"
Noah ran toward him.
But Michael didn't move.
His eyes were fixed on the damaged cast.
On the recording device.
Then on Vanessa.
"What happened?"
His voice was shaking.
Vanessa stared at him.
"You knew."
Michael looked away.
That was all Olivia needed.
The answer was in his silence.
"You knew about Emily."
Michael closed his eyes.
"No."
The word was weak.
Not convincing.
Noah stopped.
"Dad?"
Michael looked at his son.
And the pain on his face was unbearable.
"I wanted to tell you."
"When?"
Noah's voice broke.
"When I'm ten?"
"When I'm twenty?"
"When I'm old enough that it doesn't hurt?"
Michael fell silent.
Because there was no answer.
Noah's eyes filled with tears.
"You lied too."
Michael took a step forward.
"Noah..."
"Don't."
The boy stepped back.
"Everyone lied."
His voice became louder.
"My whole life is a lie!"
Michael looked destroyed.
Then suddenly Daniel said:
"We don't have time."
Everyone turned.
Daniel pointed toward the window.
Outside, a black vehicle stopped near the house.
The engine was still running.
Michael's face changed.
Because he recognized it.
"Who is that?"
Olivia asked.
Michael whispered:
"Someone I hoped I'd never see again."
The front door downstairs opened.
A man's voice echoed through the house.
"Michael."
Everyone froze.
The voice was calm.
Confident.
Familiar.
Michael looked terrified.
"No..."
Vanessa whispered:
"He's back."
Noah looked between them.
"Who?"
Michael answered.
And for the first time in eight years...
he said the name out loud.
"Richard Bennett."
The grandfather Noah believed loved him.
The man everyone thought was gone.
The man who had been hiding in the shadows.
Had returned.
And he wanted Noah.
May you like
Alive.
Or dead.
