Chapter 4: The Woman Who Wanted My Father
Dad spent the entire afternoon reading the notebook.
I watched him from the stairs.
Every few minutes, he would turn a page.
Every few minutes, his face would become more devastated.
I had never seen my father look helpless before.
Finally, he closed the notebook.
“Maya.””
I walked downstairs.
“What?””
He held it out.
“I’m sorry you had to see this.””
I didn’t take it.
“What does it say?””
He looked away.
“Things about your mother.””
My chest tightened.
“Tell me.””
He hesitated.
Then he opened the notebook.
“She wrote about meeting me before your mother died.””
I felt sick.
“Before?””
Dad nodded.
“Nicole knew me before.””
That changed everything.
“She worked at the company where I had meetings.””
I sat down.
“She knew about Mom?””
“Yes.””
My hands became cold.
Dad looked ashamed.
“She wrote that she noticed how unhappy I was after your mother got sick.””
I whispered:
“She waited.””
Dad didn’t answer.
Because we both knew.
She waited.
She watched.
She chose the moment when we were vulnerable.
That night, Dad called Nicole downstairs.
She walked in calmly.
Too calmly.
“You wanted to talk?””
Dad placed the notebook on the table.
Her expression changed.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
“You went through my things?””
“No.””
Dad’s voice was steady.
“Jordan found it.””
Nicole looked at him.
Then at me.
“You’re using a child against me?””
Dad shook his head.
“No. I’m listening to the truth.””
She crossed her arms.
“You’re really going to believe a notebook?””
“I’m going to believe evidence.””
She laughed.
“You think you know everything.””
Dad stared.
“Did you write that you wanted to replace Maya’s mother?””
Silence.
Nicole’s face became pale.
“I never said that.””
“You wrote it.””
She looked at me.
“Maya, tell him.””
I froze.
“Tell him what?””
“That I loved you.””
The words sounded fake.
Because love didn’t feel like hunger.
Love didn’t feel like fear.
Love didn’t come with rules.
Dad shook his head.
“No more.””
Nicole’s eyes narrowed.
“You’ll regret choosing her.””
My heart dropped.
There it was.
The threat.
Not hidden.
Not whispered.
Open.
Dad noticed too.
“You need to leave.””
She stared.
“What?””
“You need to leave this house.””
For the first time, Nicole looked truly angry.
“You can’t do this.””
“I can.””
She grabbed her bag.
But before she left, she stopped beside me.
Her voice became soft.
Almost sweet.
“Maya.””
I didn’t answer.
“You think you won.””
I looked at her.
“But you don’t know the whole story.””
Then she walked out.
I thought it was over.
I was wrong.
The next morning, Dad received a letter.
Not a message.
Not a phone call.
A legal letter.
He opened it at the kitchen counter.
Then he went completely silent.
“What is it?”” I asked.
He looked at me.
And the fear in his eyes scared me.
“Nicole is claiming custody.””
My stomach dropped.
“She can’t.””
Dad looked at the papers again.
“She says I’m unstable.””
I stared.
“She’s saying you’re a bad father?””
He nodded.
Then he handed me the final page.
At the bottom was Nicole’s signature.
May you like
And underneath it was a sentence that made my blood run cold.
*Maya has always had behavioral problems and a history of lying.*
