Chapter 6: The Secret My## Chapter 6: The Secret My Mother Left Behind
I read the sentence a third Mother Left Behind
I read the sentence a third time.
The person making you choose has already made their decision.
Outside Rachel's studio, traffic moved through the afternoon rain. Inside, the sewing time.
The person making you choose has already made their decision.
Outside Rachel's studio, traffic moved through the afternoon rain. Inside, the sewing machine hummed while Margaret carefully attached the final pearls to my mother's dress.
But I couldn't hear anything except the question pounding through my head.
What had my mother known about my father and Victoria?
"Rachel," I said, holding up machine hummed while Margaret carefully attached the final pearls to my mother's dress.
But I couldn't hear anything except the question pounding through my head.
What had my mother known about my father and Victoria?
"Rachel," I said, holding up the letter, "I need you to tell me everything.""
Rachel pulled a chair away from the cutting table.
"Sit down, Emily.""
"I don't want to sit down. I want to know why my mother wrote this.""
She glanced at the letter, "I need you to tell me everything.""
Rachel pulled a chair away from the cutting table.
"Sit down, Emily.""
"I don't want to sit down. I want to know why my mother wrote this.""
She glanced at Margaret.
Margaret stopped sewing.
"Elena made me promise not to tell you anything until you were old enough to understand the difference between protecting someone and protecting a lie," Rachel said.
My stomach tightened.
"What lie?""
"Your father Margaret.
Margaret stopped sewing.
"Elena made me promise not to tell you anything until you were old enough to understand the difference between protecting someone and protecting a lie," Rachel said.
My stomach tightened.
"What lie?""
"Your father didn't meet Victoria by accident.""
I stared at her.
"Everyone meets someone somehow.""
"I know how that sounds. But your mother knew Victoria long before your father did.""
The room didn't meet Victoria by accident.""
I stared at her.
"Everyone meets someone somehow.""
"I know how that sounds. But your mother knew Victoria long before your father did.""
The room seemed to tilt.
"That's impossible. Dad met Victoria at a charity fundraiser three years ago.""
"That's when he introduced her to you," Rachel corrected gently.
"It wasn't when they first crossed paths.""
I sat down.
Rachel opened the cardboard folder and removed a photograph. It showed my mother standing outside a small design seemed to tilt.
"That's impossible. Dad met Victoria at a charity fundraiser three years ago.""
"That's when he introduced her to you," Rachel corrected gently.
"It wasn't when they first crossed paths.""
I sat down.
Rachel opened the cardboard folder and removed a photograph. It showed my mother standing outside a small design studio, her arm around a younger Victoria.
They couldn't have been more than thirty.
Victoria's hair was darker, her smile wider. She wore a studio, her arm around a younger Victoria.
They couldn't have been more than thirty.
Victoria's hair was darker, her smile wider. She wore a simple blue dress and held a roll of fabric beneath one arm.
On the back, my mother had written a date.
Eleven years before Dad's wedding.
I looked up.
"Why was Victoria with my mother?""
"They worked together briefly simple blue dress and held a roll of fabric beneath one arm.
On the back, my mother had written a date.
Eleven years before Dad's wedding.
I looked up.
"Why was Victoria with my mother?""
"They worked together briefly," Rachel explained.
"Victoria was helping with the business side of a small fashion company Elena had started with another investor. It didn't last very long.""
"What happened?""
Rachel hesitated.
"Money went missing. Elena discovered discrepancies in the company's accounts," Rachel explained.
"Victoria was helping with the business side of a small fashion company Elena had started with another investor. It didn't last very long.""
"What happened?""
Rachel hesitated.
"Money went missing. Elena discovered discrepancies in the company's accounts. She believed someone had been using business funds for personal expenses.""
"Was it Victoria?""
"We never proved that.""
"Did Mom accuse her?""
"She asked questions. Victoria left the company shortly afterward.""
I. She believed someone had been using business funds for personal expenses.""
"Was it Victoria?""
"We never proved that.""
"Did Mom accuse her?""
"She asked questions. Victoria left the company shortly afterward.""
I looked down at the photograph again.
"Did Dad know?""
"Not at first.""
Rachel pulled another paper from the folder. It was a copy of an old letter, addressed to my father.
I recognized his looked down at the photograph again.
"Did Dad know?""
"Not at first.""
Rachel pulled another paper from the folder. It was a copy of an old letter, addressed to my father.
I recognized his handwriting on the envelope.
Rachel explained that my mother had written to Dad about the missing funds and her suspicions. The letter had been returned to her studio after Dad changed offices, and she had kept it with her business records.
"Did she ever send it again?"" I asked.
"Not handwriting on the envelope.
Rachel explained that my mother had written to Dad about the missing funds and her suspicions. The letter had been returned to her studio after Dad changed offices, and she had kept it with her business records.
"Did she ever send it again?"" I asked.
"Not that I know of.""
"Why not?""
Rachel looked at the floor.
"Because she became ill. And because she worried that a public accusation would damage your father's career before she had proof.""
I pressed my fingers against my temples.
My mother had been dying that I know of.""
"Why not?""
Rachel looked at the floor.
"Because she became ill. And because she worried that a public accusation would damage your father's career before she had proof.""
I pressed my fingers against my temples.
My mother had been dying while carrying a secret about the woman who would eventually become my stepmother.
"Did Victoria know about the trust?"" I asked.
Rachel nodded slowly.
"She knew Elena had set money aside for you. I don't know whether she knew the full amount.""
"And while carrying a secret about the woman who would eventually become my stepmother.
"Did Victoria know about the trust?"" I asked.
Rachel nodded slowly.
"She knew Elena had set money aside for you. I don't know whether she knew the full amount.""
"And you think Samantha knows?""
"I think she may have discovered some of the old paperwork. Last month, she came to the studio.""
I looked up sharply.
"What?""
Rachel walked to a filing cabinet and opened the top you think Samantha knows?""
"I think she may have discovered some of the old paperwork. Last month, she came to the studio.""
I looked up sharply.
"What?""
Rachel walked to a filing cabinet and opened the top drawer.
"She said she was looking for a designer to alter a handbag. While she was here, she asked whether Elena had left any valuable designs or business interests behind.""
"Why would she ask that?""
"I asked her the same question. drawer.
"She said she was looking for a designer to alter a handbag. While she was here, she asked whether Elena had left any valuable designs or business interests behind.""
"Why would she ask that?""
"I asked her the same question. She said she was helping Victoria organize family documents.""
My mouth went dry.
"Did you tell her anything?""
"No. But she saw the old photograph of Victoria and Elena. She asked She said she was helping Victoria organize family documents.""
My mouth went dry.
"Did you tell her anything?""
"No. But she saw the old photograph of Victoria and Elena. She asked why I had it.""
Rachel closed the drawer.
"I told her it was none of her business.""
I stood so quickly that my chair scraped against the floor.
"She knew. She knew there was something connected to my mother, and she destroyed the why I had it.""
Rachel closed the drawer.
"I told her it was none of her business.""
I stood so quickly that my chair scraped against the floor.
"She knew. She knew there was something connected to my mother, and she destroyed the dress anyway.""
"Emily," Margaret said softly, "we don't know exactly what she knew.""
"But we know she was looking.""
My phone vibrated.
Dad's name appeared on the screen.
I answered immediately.
"Emily, where are you?"" he dress anyway.""
"Emily," Margaret said softly, "we don't know exactly what she knew.""
"But we know she was looking.""
My phone vibrated.
Dad's name appeared on the screen.
I answered immediately.
"Emily, where are you?"" he asked. His voice sounded strained.
"At Rachel's studio. We're repairing the dress.""
"Good. That's good. Listen, sweetheart, I need you to come home before the ceremony.""
"Why?""
"Victoria has found some documents in my office. She says they asked. His voice sounded strained.
"At Rachel's studio. We're repairing the dress.""
"Good. That's good. Listen, sweetheart, I need you to come home before the ceremony.""
"Why?""
"Victoria has found some documents in my office. She says they belong to Elena, and she wants to discuss them.""
My heart began racing.
"What documents?""
A pause.
"Financial records. Old company paperwork. I'm not sure exactly what she's talking about.""
"Did she say anything about belong to Elena, and she wants to discuss them.""
My heart began racing.
"What documents?""
A pause.
"Financial records. Old company paperwork. I'm not sure exactly what she's talking about.""
"Did she say anything about a trust?""
Silence.
Then Dad asked, "Who told you about that?""
I closed my eyes.
"Mom left me a letter.""
Another pause.
"Emily, don't let anyone take that letter from you. Do you understand?""
The urgency in his voice frightened a trust?""
Silence.
Then Dad asked, "Who told you about that?""
I closed my eyes.
"Mom left me a letter.""
Another pause.
"Emily, don't let anyone take that letter from you. Do you understand?""
The urgency in his voice frightened me more than anything Rachel had said.
"Dad, what's going on?""
"I'll explain when you get here. Just promise me you'll keep the documents with you.""
"I promise.""
"And Emily?""
"Yes?""
"If Victoria asks you to sign anything, don't.""
The call ended.
I stood in the middle of the studio, holding the phone against my me more than anything Rachel had said.
"Dad, what's going on?""
"I'll explain when you get here. Just promise me you'll keep the documents with you.""
"I promise.""
"And Emily?""
"Yes?""
"If Victoria asks you to sign anything, don't.""
The call ended.
I stood in the middle of the studio, holding the phone against my ear.
Margaret rose from the sewing table.
"What did he say?""
I told her.
Rachel went pale.
"Then we need to finish this dress.""
"Why?""
"Because your mother didn't leave you those letters so you could spend your graduation day hiding from your family.""
She turned ear.
Margaret rose from the sewing table.
"What did he say?""
I told her.
Rachel went pale.
"Then we need to finish this dress.""
"Why?""
"Because your mother didn't leave you those letters so you could spend your graduation day hiding from your family.""
She turned back to the gown.
"We have two hours.""
For the next ninety minutes, the studio became a blur of needles, steam, and whispered instructions.
Rachel reinforced the seams. Margaret replaced the last damaged pearls. I held the skirt while back to the gown.
"We have two hours.""
For the next ninety minutes, the studio became a blur of needles, steam, and whispered instructions.
Rachel reinforced the seams. Margaret replaced the last damaged pearls. I held the skirt while they fitted the restored panels into place.
At last, Rachel stepped back.
"Try it on.""
I slipped into the dress.
The satin settled over my shoulders. The new silk panels flowed naturally into the original design, and the pearls caught the light like tiny stars.
It wasn't untouched.
It wasn't perfect.
But neither was I.
Margaret fastened the back while I they fitted the restored panels into place.
At last, Rachel stepped back.
"Try it on.""
I slipped into the dress.
The satin settled over my shoulders. The new silk panels flowed naturally into the original design, and the pearls caught the light like tiny stars.
It wasn't untouched.
It wasn't perfect.
But neither was I.
Margaret fastened the back while I watched myself in the mirror.
I saw my mother's eyes in my own face.
And for the first time, I didn't feel like a little girl waiting for someone to tell her everything would be all right.
watched myself in the mirror.
I saw my mother's eyes in my own face.
And for the first time, I didn't feel like a little girl waiting for someone to tell her everything would be all right.
I looked like a woman who could survive hearing the truth.
Rachel handed me the letters.
"Keep these safe.""
I slipped them into a small envelope inside my graduation bag.
Then my phone buzzed again.
A message from Samantha appeared.
*Mom says you'reI looked like a woman who could survive hearing the truth.
Rachel handed me the letters.
"Keep these safe.""
I slipped them into a small envelope inside my graduation bag.
Then my phone buzzed again.
A message from Samantha appeared.
Mom says you're snooping through private family documents. Bring those papers home. Now.
I stared at the screen.
Before I could respond, another message arrived.
And don't think wearing that dress makes you untouchable. Dad won't choose you forever.
I put the phone away.
Margaret helped me remove the dress and pack snooping through private family documents. Bring those papers home. Now.*
I stared at the screen.
Before I could respond, another message arrived.
And don't think wearing that dress makes you untouchable. Dad won't choose you forever.
I put the phone away.
Margaret helped me remove the dress and pack it carefully into a garment bag.
Then she placed one hand on my shoulder.
"Your mother was a good judge of character," she said.
"But she was also human. She may not have known everything.""
"I know.""
"And whatever you discover it carefully into a garment bag.
Then she placed one hand on my shoulder.
"Your mother was a good judge of character," she said.
"But she was also human. She may not have known everything.""
"I know.""
"And whatever you discover today, don't let anger make your decisions for you.""
I nodded.
I was trying to follow that advice when we reached the front door of the studio.
Rachel stopped me.
"Emily, one more thing.""
She took a small flash drive from her desk.
"Victoria visited Elena's studio two days before your mother died. I found this among the today, don't let anger make your decisions for you.""
I nodded.
I was trying to follow that advice when we reached the front door of the studio.
Rachel stopped me.
"Emily, one more thing.""
She took a small flash drive from her desk.
"Victoria visited Elena's studio two days before your mother died. I found this among the old business files after she left.""
I stared at it.
"What's on it?""
"An audio recording. I never listened to it. Your mother's note said it was meant for Daniel, but she never gave old business files after she left.""
I stared at it.
"What's on it?""
"An audio recording. I never listened to it. Your mother's note said it was meant for Daniel, but she never gave it to him.""
My fingers tightened around the drive.
"Why are you giving it to me?""
"Because I think it's time the truth reached the people who need to hear it.""
I slipped the drive into my bag beside the letters.
Then I it to him.""
My fingers tightened around the drive.
"Why are you giving it to me?""
"Because I think it's time the truth reached the people who need to hear it.""
I slipped the drive into my bag beside the letters.
Then I stepped into the rain.
May you like
I had a graduation ceremony to attend.
And a family secret to uncover.
