Chapter 3: The Message That Changed Everything
For several seconds, neither Noah nor I moved.
The message sat on his tablet like a threat.
Delete that video. I know you have it.
Noah's fingers began trembling.
“How does she know?””
I took the tablet and checked the notification.
“Did you send the video to anyone?””
He shook his head.
“No.””
“Did you upload it?””
“No. I only showed you.””
I looked at the message again.
Brielle hadn't asked what the video contained.
She hadn't asked whether Noah had recorded anything.
She knew.
And that meant one of two things.
Either she had somehow discovered the recording herself, or she had been watching us more closely than we realized.
I locked the tablet.
“Don't answer her.””
Noah swallowed.
“Is she going to take it away?””
“Not if we can help it.””
I copied the recording onto my phone, then sent it to my email account.
After that, I made another copy and uploaded it to a private cloud folder.
I wanted the video in more than one place.
Noah watched me silently.
“What if she takes my tablet?””
“Then she'll still have to explain why she's trying so hard to destroy the evidence.””
He nodded, but he didn't look convinced.
A knock came from downstairs.
Then my father's voice.
“Aaliyah! Come down here.””
I slipped my phone into my pocket.
“Stay here, Noah.””
He grabbed my sleeve.
“Don't let them make you leave.””
I bent down and kissed his forehead.
“I won't stop fighting.””
I walked downstairs.
My father was standing in the dining room with his phone in his hand.
Brielle sat at the table, sipping sparkling water.
Sienna was beside her, scrolling through her phone.
The three of them looked almost like a happy family.
Almost.
Dad pointed toward a chair.
“Sit down.””
I remained standing.
“What do you want?””
His expression tightened.
“I've been speaking with someone about your situation.””
“What situation?””
“Your aunt Renee may be able to take you in temporarily.””
I stared at him.
“You called Aunt Renee?””
“Yes.””
“Did you tell her what happened today?””
He hesitated.
“I explained that we've been having difficulties.””
“Did you tell her Brielle slapped me?””
Brielle put down her glass.
“Damon, this is exactly what I mean. She keeps twisting everything.””
I turned toward her.
“Did you or did you not slap me?””
“I disciplined you because you were behaving aggressively.””
“I'm seventeen, not seven!””
My father raised his voice.
“Stop shouting!””
I pressed my lips together.
He continued.
“I don't want this family falling apart because everyone refuses to compromise.””
I looked at him.
“Everyone?””
He nodded.
“Yes. Everyone.””
I couldn't believe it.
Sienna had broken the plates, lied about me, and watched Brielle hit me.
Yet somehow, I was expected to compromise.
“What exactly do you want me to compromise on?”” I asked.
“Should I apologize for the plates? Should I pretend Brielle didn't hit me? Should I pack my things and leave so everyone can enjoy dinner?””
My father stood.
“Don't be dramatic.””
I laughed once.
“I'm not the one planning to throw a seventeen-year-old out of her home.””
Brielle leaned forward.
“You're not being thrown out. We're trying to find an environment where you can receive the attention you clearly need.””
I looked at her.
“You mean somewhere you can't be exposed.””
Her expression changed.
Just slightly.
But I noticed.
“What did you say?”” she asked.
I held her gaze.
“You heard me.””
My father stepped between us.
“That's enough. I've made my decision. You're going to stay with your aunt until we figure out what happens next.””
I felt my stomach turn.
“And if Aunt Renee says no?””
“She won't.””
“You've already arranged everything?””
He didn't answer.
I looked at him for a long moment.
Then I asked the question I had been afraid to ask.
“Dad, do you even want me here?””
His face changed.
“Aaliyah, don't do this.””
“Just answer me.””
He looked down at the table.
Brielle reached for his hand.
That small gesture told me more than his silence ever could.
I nodded slowly.
“Okay.””
I turned and walked away.
I didn't cry until I reached the staircase.
Upstairs, Noah was waiting outside my bedroom.
He took one look at my face.
“Are they making you leave?””
I nodded.
He immediately started crying.
“That's not fair!””
I pulled him into my arms.
“I know.””
“Dad can't do that!””
I closed my eyes.
“He thinks he can.””
Noah pulled away.
“Then we have to show him.””
I looked at the tablet.
“Maybe we should.””
He unlocked it and opened the video.
This time, he played it from the beginning.
We watched Sienna enter the kitchen.
We watched her glance toward the hallway.
We watched her deliberately push the plates.
Then Noah paused the recording.
“Look.””
He zoomed in on the image.
At first, I didn't understand what he was pointing at.
Then I saw it.
In the reflection of the polished black oven door, someone was standing in the hallway.
Brielle.
She wasn't surprised when the plates fell.
She wasn't rushing into the kitchen after hearing the crash.
She was already watching.
I leaned closer.
“Can you make that bigger?””
Noah enlarged the image.
The reflection became blurry, but her position was unmistakable.
She had been standing there before Sienna knocked the plates down.
My skin prickled.
“Wait,” I whispered.
Noah dragged the video back a few seconds.
Just before Sienna entered the kitchen, Brielle appeared in the reflection again.
She looked directly toward the bookshelf.
Toward the tablet.
Then she walked out of view.
I stared at the screen.
“She knew you were recording.””
Noah nodded slowly.
“Maybe she thought the camera wasn't working.””
We watched the next few seconds.
Sienna looked toward the hallway.
Then she looked down at her phone.
A notification appeared on the screen.
Noah zoomed in as far as he could.
The message was blurry, but one word was visible.
*NOW.*
My stomach dropped.
“Can you see who sent it?””
Noah shook his head.
“Not from this angle.””
I took a screenshot.
Then I noticed something else.
After Sienna smashed the plates, Brielle entered the kitchen.
But before she slapped me, she looked briefly toward the oven.
Toward the reflection.
She knew where the camera was.
She had seen it.
And yet she had still accused me.
My phone vibrated.
A message from Aunt Renee appeared.
Sweetheart, your father just called me. He says you attacked Sienna and that Brielle is afraid of you. Is that really what happened?
I felt sick.
Brielle had already started spreading her version of events.
I typed a reply.
No. I didn't touch Sienna. She broke the plates herself, and Noah recorded everything.
Before I could send it, another message appeared.
Don't send anything to your father yet. I need to tell you something.
I frowned.
Then my phone rang.
It was Aunt Renee.
I answered immediately.
“Aunt Renee?””
Her voice was low.
“Aaliyah, listen carefully. Your father didn't just call me about you leaving.””
“What do you mean?””
“He asked whether I could take you immediately. When I asked why everything was happening so suddenly, he said Brielle had found something.””
My stomach tightened.
“Found what?””
There was a long silence.
Then Renee whispered:
“Your mother's old documents.””
I looked at Noah.
He was staring at me.
“What documents?”” I asked.
“The ones your mother left behind. Damon said Brielle discovered a box in the attic, and now she's insisting that it needs to be dealt with before you turn eighteen.””
My heartbeat quickened.
“What was in the box?””
“I don't know everything. But your mother told me years ago that she had left something important for you.””
I gripped the phone.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because I thought your father knew about it. I never imagined Brielle would get her hands on it.””
I glanced toward the ceiling.
The attic.
My mother's belongings.
Brielle's sudden interest in clearing everything out.
The fake accusations.
The rush to send me away.
None of it felt accidental anymore.
“Aunt Renee,” I whispered, “what did my mother leave me?””
Her voice trembled.
“She told me that when you turned eighteen, you were supposed to receive something your father had promised to protect.””
“What?””
Before she could answer, I heard a door slam on her end.
Then her voice dropped even lower.
“Aaliyah, I think Brielle knows I've spoken to you.””
The call abruptly disconnected.
I stared at my phone.
A second later, someone knocked on my bedroom door.
It was my father.
“Open the door, Aaliyah.””
I looked at Noah.
He quickly locked the tablet.
I opened the door.
Dad stood in the hallway holding a large brown envelope.
His face was pale.
“Where did you hear about your mother's documents?””
My throat went dry.
“I don't know what you're talking about.””
He looked past me.
Then his eyes landed on Noah's tablet.
“Give me that device.””
Noah stepped backward.
“Why?””
My father held out his hand.
“Because I said so.””
I moved between them.
“Dad, why are you suddenly interested in Noah's tablet?””
He looked at me.
For the first time that afternoon, he seemed genuinely frightened.
Then he opened the envelope.
Inside was an old photograph of my mother.
And beneath it was a document with her signature.
My father's voice dropped to a whisper.
“Because your mother left instructions that could change everything we know about this family.””
May you like
He looked directly into my eyes.
“And Brielle has already started destroying them.””
