Chapter 10: The Man in the Video
The room disappeared.
At least, that was what it felt like.
I could still hear people breathing.
I could still hear the rain beginning to hit the windows outside.
But everything around me became distant.
Because the person standing beside my mother’s car was my father.
Marcus Carter.
The man who taught me how to ride a bike.
The man who sat beside my bed when I was sick.
The man who promised me he would never let anyone hurt me.
My hands went cold.
“No.””
The word came out quietly.
Nobody moved.
I looked at the screen again.
The video was grainy.
Old.
But the person was clear enough.
A tall man.
A bald head.
A dark jacket.
Standing beside my mother’s car.
David looked at Marcus.
“Explain.””
My father didn’t answer.
“Marcus.””
His voice was different now.
Not angry.
Afraid.
I stared at my father.
“Dad?””
He looked at me.
And the pain in his eyes told me something I didn’t want to know.
He wasn’t shocked because the video was fake.
He was shocked because it existed.
“You were there,” I whispered.
Marcus closed his eyes.
“Yes.””
My chest tightened.
Everyone reacted at once.
Vanessa stepped back.
“You were there?””
Denise stared at him.
“You lied to me too?””
Marcus looked at nobody except me.
“I never wanted you to see this.””
I laughed once.
A painful sound.
“You keep saying that.””
“Maya…”
“No.””
My voice cracked.
“You all keep deciding what I can handle.””
I pointed at the phone.
“My whole life has been built on things people refused to tell me.””
Marcus looked devastated.
“I was trying to protect you.””
“From what?””
The question hung there.
“From knowing that my own father was standing beside my mother’s car the night she died?””
His face broke.
“No.””
“Then tell me why.””
Nobody spoke.
Finally, Marcus sat down.
“I was there because I followed her.””
“Why?””
“Because she asked me to.””
That confused everyone.
David frowned.
“Why would she ask you to follow her?””
Marcus looked at the video.
“Because she knew someone was watching her.””
The room became quiet again.
“She called me that night.””
His voice lowered.
“She said she didn’t feel safe.””
I swallowed.
“Then why did the video show you?””
“Because I arrived before she did.””
I froze.
“What?””
Marcus nodded.
“The person in the video wasn’t me.””
Everyone stared.
David stepped closer.
“But it looks like you.””
“I know.””
Marcus looked at the screen.
“Because someone was wearing my jacket.””
A chill moved through me.
Denise whispered:
“You’re saying someone framed you?””
Marcus looked at her.
“Yes.””
Nobody answered.
Because suddenly the story had changed again.
The villain wasn’t as simple as we thought.
The truth wasn’t a straight line.
It was a maze.
Marcus looked at me.
“Your mother found out someone was using my identity.””
“What does that mean?””
“She discovered messages sent from my phone that I never wrote.””
My eyes widened.
“Someone had access to your phone?””
He nodded.
“Someone close.””
Everyone looked around.
The meaning was obvious.
Someone in the house.
Someone who knew everything.
Vanessa looked at Denise.
Denise looked offended.
“You think it was me?””
Vanessa said nothing.
Marcus shook his head.
“I don’t know.””
That scared me.
My father not knowing was worse than him lying.
“Then why didn’t you tell the police?””
His expression changed.
“Because after the accident, your mother’s phone disappeared.””
David looked surprised.
“Her phone?””
“Yes.””
Marcus looked at the floor.
“The evidence was gone.””
I remembered the message.
The letter.
The secrets.
Someone had been hiding things for years.
I looked at the video again.
“Who sent this?””
Nobody knew.
Then Vanessa’s phone buzzed.
Everyone turned.
She looked at the screen.
Another message.
Ask Marcus about the night Maya was born.
My stomach dropped.
“What?””
Marcus looked at the phone.
And his face changed.
Again.
That terrified me.
“Dad?””
He didn’t answer.
Vanessa slowly looked up.
“What does Maya’s birth have to do with this?””
Marcus stared at the message.
Then at me.
And I saw something I had never seen before.
Regret.
“Maya…”
My heart started racing.
“What?””
He whispered:
May you like
“Your mother wasn’t supposed to have you.””
The room went silent.
