Chapter 13 - THE FINAL PIECE OF THE PUZZLE
The old house felt different.
Not because it was empty.
Because for the first time…
Ethan finally saw it for what it really was.
A place built on secrets.
A place where every room held another lie.
Margaret sat across from him.
For once, she wasn’t pretending.
No fake smile.
No calm voice.
No act.
Just a woman who knew everything she had hidden was finally coming to light.
“Where is she?”
Ethan’s voice was cold.
Margaret looked at him.
“Who?”
“My real mother.”
Silence.
Daniel stood behind Ethan.
Ava stayed beside him.
Even Lena was there.
Everyone waiting for an answer.
Margaret looked down.
“You don’t understand.”
Ethan laughed bitterly.
“No.”
He shook his head.
“I understand perfectly.”
“You stole my entire life.”
Margaret’s eyes filled with tears.
“I gave you a life.”
“No.”
Ethan stepped closer.
“You gave me a story.”
A story she wanted him to believe.
Margaret closed her eyes.
Then whispered:
“Your real mother was never supposed to find you.”
Everyone froze.
Ava looked shocked.
“Why?”
Margaret looked at Daniel.
“Because he knew.”
Daniel’s face changed.
“Don’t.”
Ethan turned.
“Knew what?”
Margaret smiled sadly.
“The truth.”
Daniel looked away.
And that was enough.
Ethan felt betrayed again.
“You too?”
Daniel sighed.
“I was trying to protect you.”
“Everyone says that.”
His voice broke.
“Everyone says they’re protecting me while destroying my life.”
Nobody spoke.
Finally, Daniel took a step forward.
“I made mistakes.”
A pause.
“Big ones.”
He looked at Ethan.
“But your mother’s plan started long before Ava.”
Detective Harris entered the room.
“We found something.”
Everyone turned.
The detective held a small evidence bag.
Inside was a flash drive.
“What is that?”
“We found it hidden inside Margaret’s office wall.”
Margaret’s face changed.
For the first time…
Real fear appeared.
Detective Harris connected it to a laptop.
A video appeared.
Margaret’s voice filled the room.
“If Ava refuses to sign, we move to the next step.”
Ethan stared.
The recording continued.
“She already survived once.”
A pause.
“She won’t survive twice.”
Ava covered her mouth.
Lena looked horrified.
But then another voice appeared.
A voice nobody expected.
Daniel.
“Are you sure this is necessary?”
Ethan turned slowly.
His father looked devastated.
“I can explain.”
Ethan stepped back.
“No.”
His voice shook.
“You knew.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“I tried to stop her.”
“But you knew.”
Silence.
The video continued.
Margaret’s voice became louder.
“The crash was only the beginning.”
Ethan felt sick.
Detective Harris stopped the recording.
Nobody moved.
Then Ava whispered:
“She planned everything.”
The detective nodded.
“But there’s one thing we still don’t understand.”
“What?”
He looked at Ethan.
“Why did she wait so many years?”
Before anyone answered…
A phone rang.
Detective Harris looked at the screen.
His expression changed.
“It’s the missing woman.”
Everyone froze.
Ethan grabbed the phone.
“Hello?”
A weak voice answered.
“Ethan…”
His entire body went still.
Because after twenty-five years…
He finally heard his real mother’s voice.
And the first words she said were:
“Your mother is not Margaret.”
A pause.
May you like
“She’s the woman who tried to kill me.”
TO BE CONTINUED…
