Chapter 6: The Woman Who Wanted My Daughter
Gabriel did not move.
Neither did Marlene.
For several seconds, the only sound in the basement was the hum of the old computer.
Then Gabriel slowly stood.
“You knew about this.””
Marlene’s face was unreadable.
“Yes.””
The honesty shocked him more than a lie would have.
“You knew Nora recorded that?””
“Yes.””
“And you hid it.””
“Yes.””
Gabriel stared at the woman who had raised him.
The woman who had held Amelia after Nora died.
The woman who had told him she was helping.
“How long?””
Marlene looked away.
“Since before Nora died.””
The words were quiet.
But they destroyed something.
“What did you do?””
Marlene’s eyes filled.
“I tried to protect Amelia.””
“No.””
Gabriel stepped forward.
“You tried to take her.””
“That’s not true.””
“You isolated her.””
“She was struggling.””
“You made her eat on the floor.””
Marlene flinched.
“She needed discipline.””
“She needed love.””
The silence that followed was brutal.
Marlene looked at the floor.
“You don’t understand.””
“Then explain.””
She sat down slowly.
“When Nora became sick, everything changed.””
Gabriel frowned.
“What sickness?””
Marlene looked up.
“The doctors thought stress was making her paranoid.””
Gabriel went still.
“What?””
“She was overwhelmed.””
“My wife was not paranoid.””
“I didn’t say she was.””
“You implied it.””
Marlene looked away.
“Because I didn’t know what else to call it.””
Gabriel felt anger rising.
“She was trying to protect Amelia.””
“She was afraid of everyone.””
“Maybe because someone gave her a reason.””
Marlene’s expression cracked.
For a moment, she looked less like a villain.
More like someone trapped by her own choices.
“I made mistakes.””
Gabriel laughed quietly.
“Mistakes?””
“Yes.””
“You don’t accidentally hide legal documents.””
She looked at him.
“You found those?””
“Yes.””
Marlene closed her eyes.
Then she whispered:
“I was going to tell you.””
“When?””
“When you were ready.””
Gabriel shook his head.
“No.””
He picked up the flash drive.
“You were waiting until nobody could question you.””
“That’s unfair.””
“Is it?””
Marlene stood.
“Your father told you about the money.””
“Yes.””
“He didn’t tell you everything.””
Gabriel paused.
“What else?””
She looked toward the ceiling.
Toward Amelia’s room.
“Nora was planning to leave you.””
The words hit.
Hard.
Gabriel stared.
“That’s a lie.””
“No.””
“She loved me.””
“I know.””
“Then why?””
Marlene swallowed.
“Because she thought you would choose your family over her.””
Gabriel felt his anger shift.
Not disappear.
Shift.
“Why would she think that?””
Marlene didn’t answer.
Because the answer was obvious.
Because he had been absent.
Because he had trusted the wrong people.
Because he had assumed love was enough.
His phone rang.
Claire.
He answered immediately.
“Gabriel.””
Her voice sounded urgent.
“You need to come to my office.””
“Why?””
“I found the original custody paperwork.””
Gabriel tightened his grip.
“What paperwork?””
“The documents your mother prepared.””
“And?””
A pause.
Then Claire said:
“They were never meant for a court.””
Gabriel frowned.
“What does that mean?””
“It means someone edited them before they were filed.””
“Who?””
Claire lowered her voice.
“Gabriel, there’s something else.””
“What?””
“The signature on the documents.””
A pause.
“It isn’t your mother’s.””
Gabriel felt cold.
“Whose is it?””
Claire hesitated.
Then:
“Your signature.””
The call ended.
Gabriel stared at the phone.
Impossible.
He had never signed anything.
Never.
Unless—
Unless someone had forged it.
Unless someone had planned this long before Nora died.
He looked at Marlene.
She was watching him.
And for the first time, he noticed something.
She wasn’t afraid of being caught.
She was afraid of what he would discover next.
“Mom.””
She said nothing.
“Who else was involved?””
Her lips parted.
But before she answered, a sound came from upstairs.
A scream.
“Daddy!””
Gabriel ran.
He reached Amelia’s room in seconds.
The window was open.
Rain blew inside.
Biscuit was barking wildly.
And on Amelia’s bed was a folded piece of paper.
Gabriel picked it up.
Only three words were written.
*I remember everything.*
Underneath was a name.
May you like
A name Gabriel never expected to see.
*Everett Hart.*
