Chapter 6: The Father Who Forgot My Face
I ended the call before Evelyn could say anything else.
My hands were shaking.
Not because Vanessa was there.
Because she looked calm.
Too calm.
Like someone who had already decided how this story would end.
She walked into the library.
People glanced at her.
She ignored them.
Her eyes never left mine.
“Nia.””
I stood.
“What are you doing here?””
She smiled softly.
The same smile she used when other people were watching.
“I was worried about you.””
I almost laughed.
“Worried?””
“Yes.””
“Now?””
Her expression tightened.
“You don’t understand what you’re doing.””
I stepped back.
“No. I understand exactly.””
“Nia—”
“You lied to me.””
A few people looked over.
Vanessa lowered her voice.
“Not here.””
“Why? Afraid someone will hear?””
Her face changed.
Only for a second.
But I saw fear.
“You’re confused.””
“No.””
I pulled out my father’s letter.
“I finally know who I am.””
Vanessa stared at it.
Her expression hardened.
“You should not have found that.””
There it was.
Not denial.
Not surprise.
Regret.
“You knew.””
She said nothing.
“You knew my father was alive.””
Her silence answered again.
I felt sick.
“How could you?””
Vanessa looked away.
For the first time, she seemed tired.
“I did what I thought was necessary.””
“Necessary?””
“You were a child.””
“I was your niece.””
“You were Michael’s daughter.””
The way she said it made my chest hurt.
Like being his daughter was a crime.
“He took everything from me.””
I stared at her.
“My father?””
“My family.””
“No.””
My voice became stronger.
“He chose his own life.””
Vanessa’s eyes flashed.
“You don’t know what happened.””
“Then tell me.””
She looked at me.
And for one second, I thought she would.
But then her phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
The color drained from her face.
She answered.
“Hello?””
She listened.
Then whispered:
“How did you find out?””
My heart stopped.
She turned away from me.
But I heard enough.
“Keep him away from her.””
My stomach dropped.
Him.
My father.
Vanessa ended the call.
I stepped closer.
“Who was that?””
She looked at me.
“Nia…”
“Who was that?””
She didn’t answer.
And that was when I knew.
The truth was bigger than I imagined.
I walked away.
I didn’t know where I was going.
I only knew I couldn’t stay near her.
An hour later, Evelyn sent me an address.
A small town two hours away.
A name.
Michael Bennett.
My father.
Alive.
I stared at the screen.
My entire life had been built around someone who didn’t exist.
And now the person I thought I lost was waiting somewhere.
I took a bus.
The entire ride, I imagined him.
Would he recognize me?
Would he know my voice?
Would he hate me for believing the lie?
When I finally arrived, it was raining.
The house was small.
A blue door.
A broken fence.
Nothing like the mansion I grew up in.
I stood there for five minutes before knocking.
The door opened.
And everything stopped.
The man standing there looked older than the picture.
Gray hair.
Tired eyes.
A face carrying twelve years of pain.
He looked at me.
Confused.
Afraid.
Then his eyes moved to the necklace around my neck.
The necklace my mother gave me.
His face changed.
“No.””
The word came out like a whisper.
I couldn’t speak.
He stepped closer.
“Where did you get that?””
I touched the necklace.
“My mother.””
His eyes filled instantly.
“My daughter…”
The words broke something inside me.
Nobody had ever said them.
Not like that.
Not with love.
He reached toward me.
Then stopped.
Like he was afraid I would disappear.
“I was told you were dead.””
My eyes filled.
“I was told you were too.””
The rain fell harder.
And for the first time in twelve years…
I was standing in front of my father.
But before either of us could say another word, a car pulled into the driveway.
Michael looked past me.
His face turned pale.
Because he recognized the car.
“Get inside,” he whispered.
“What?””
“Now.””
The car door opened.
May you like
And Michael said the words that made my blood run cold.
“She found us.””
