Chapter 7 - The Woman Who Knew EverythingThe photograph sat in the middle of the table.
Nobody touched it.
Nobody needed to.
The truth was already staring at us.
Victoria.
Standing behind me.
Watching.
The words beneath the picture burned into my mind.
“She knows everything.”
I looked at my mother-in-law.
The same woman who slapped me hours earlier.
The same woman who spent years making me feel like I didn’t belong.
And now…
She was connected to the biggest secret of my life.
Daniel looked at his mother.
“Mom.”
His voice was different.
Not angry.
Not defensive.
Afraid.
“Is this true?”
Victoria didn’t answer.
That silence was louder than any confession.
Richard slowly stood.
“Victoria.”
She looked at him.
“How long?”
Her eyes filled slightly.
“I didn’t want this.”
Nobody believed her.
“You knew Emily’s parents.”
Richard said.
“You knew who she was.”
A pause.
“And you said nothing.”
Victoria looked at me.
“I was trying to protect you.”
I almost laughed.
Protect me?
That word had been used too many times.
Everyone who hurt me seemed to have the same excuse.
“I’m tired of hearing that.”
My voice surprised even me.
Victoria looked at me.
“You don’t understand.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“I understand perfectly.”
I pointed at the photograph.
“You knew the truth about my life.”
A pause.
“You knew I was connected to this house.”
Another pause.
“And you still treated me like I was worthless.”
Victoria lowered her eyes.
For the first time…
She had nothing cruel to say.
Daniel looked between us.
“Mom, tell me the truth.”
Victoria closed her eyes.
“I knew your parents.”
“How?”
“They came to us for help.”
Richard looked away.
Because he remembered.
Victoria continued:
“They were afraid.”
“Of who?”
Daniel asked.
She hesitated.
“Of someone powerful.”
Thomas stepped forward.
“Say her name.”
Victoria looked at him.
She knew.
She had always known.
“Bianca.”
The room froze.
Even hearing the name made everything feel colder.
“Bianca?”
I whispered.
Victoria nodded.
“She was not always who you think she was.”
Thomas frowned.
“Explain.”
Victoria sat down.
“Before she became rich, before she entered powerful circles…”
A pause.
“She was working for people who wanted control of your family’s assets.”
Richard added:
“She learned how to manipulate people.”
Victoria looked at me.
“And your parents were the only ones who discovered her plan.”
My heart raced.
“So she killed them?”
Nobody answered immediately.
Then Victoria whispered:
“She didn’t do it herself.”
Silence.
“Who did?”
Victoria looked at Richard.
And I saw fear in her eyes.
“The person who helped her.”
“Who?”
She swallowed.
“Your father.”
Everyone froze.
I stared.
“My father?”
Victoria shook her head quickly.
“No.”
She looked terrified.
“Not your biological father.”
A pause.
“The man who raised you.”
The room went silent.
My entire life suddenly felt like a story written by someone else.
I couldn’t breathe.
“Explain.”
Victoria looked at me.
“Your mother knew someone was trying to take you away.”
“From who?”
“From everyone.”
A pause.
“She made a deal.”
“What deal?”
Victoria whispered:
“She asked Richard to hide your identity.”
I looked at Richard.
“You knew?”
He nodded slowly.
“Yes.”
My chest tightened.
“You knew I was connected to this house.”
“Yes.”
“You knew my parents.”
“Yes.”
“And you let me live like I had no one.”
Richard’s eyes filled with regret.
“I was trying to keep you alive.”
I looked away.
Because I didn’t know what hurt more.
The lies.
Or the fact that everyone believed they had the right to choose my life for me.
Then Thomas suddenly looked toward the window.
His expression changed.
“Someone is outside.”
Everyone turned.
“What?”
Daniel asked.
Thomas walked closer.
The snow outside was untouched.
Almost.
Except for a set of footprints.
Someone had been standing there.
Watching us.
Richard immediately called security.
But before anyone arrived…
A rock crashed through the window.
Everyone screamed.
A small piece of paper was tied around it.
I picked it up.
Daniel immediately said:
“Emily, don’t.”
But I opened it.
Only one sentence.
Written in black ink.
“Ask Victoria why she abandoned your mother.”
I looked at Victoria.
Her face turned completely pale.
“Is that true?”
She didn’t answer.
And this time…
I knew.
Because guilt has a way of speaking louder than words.
“Victoria.”
My voice shook.
“What did you do to my mother?”
She looked at me.
Tears filled her eyes.
“I didn’t abandon her.”
A pause.
“I tried to save her.”
“Then why did she disappear?”
Victoria whispered:
“Because she found out the person closest to her…”
Her voice broke.
“…was the one who betrayed her.”
Everyone froze.
“Who?”
I asked.
Victoria looked at the door.
Then whispered:
“The person standing outside this house right now.”
The lights suddenly went out.
A scream came from upstairs.
Everyone rushed toward the sound.
And when the emergency lights turned on…
I saw something that made my blood run cold.
My bedroom door was open.
On my bed…
Was an old diary.
My mother’s diary.
And on the first page…
A message written directly to me.
“Emily, if you found this, it means I failed to protect you.”
I turned the page.
May you like
The next sentence destroyed everything I thought I knew.
“The man you call your father was the reason I had to run.”
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