Chapter 9 - Caleb’s Words
I carefully slid my thumb under the flap of the yellowed envelope and pulled out a folded sheet of lined notebook paper. The ink was slightly smeared in one corner, as if a drop of rain—or a tear—had hit it before it was sealed.
Mom,
If you’re reading this, it means Dad and I couldn't fix things, and I didn't have the courage to tell you the truth myself. I'm so sorry. I know how much you love him, and I know how hard he worked to keep our family afloat after the market crash.
But Dad isn't just balancing books anymore. He’s trapped in something he can't walk away from, and he's been using my name on the secondary transfers so the paper trail never leads back to his desk. I tried to say no, but he said it was for our future, to keep us safe.
I don't want this kind of safety. I love you, Mom. Tell Maya I'm sorry I couldn't protect her from the fallout either. Whatever happens next, please know I never meant to let you down.
— Caleb.
A single tear spilled over my lashes, hot and fast, tracking down my cheek as I clutched the paper against my sweater. The grief that had been a hard, jagged stone in my chest for three years suddenly melted into a wave of profound, agonizing release.
My son hadn't been reckless. He hadn't been driving carelessly because he was young and foolish. He had been carrying the unbearable weight of a father’s corruption, racing through the dark, desperate to find a way out.
I looked up from the letter and stared straight at Mark.
He didn't meet my eyes. He was looking toward the front doors of the terminal, where the flashing red and blue lights of a state police cruiser were just beginning to reflect against the wet glass.
"You called them?" Mark asked quietly, looking at Maya.
"I didn't have to," Maya said, her phone still clutched in her hand, though the screen was dark. "The station security guard noticed an altercation and called local dispatch ten minutes ago."
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Mark let out a long, shuddering breath. The illusion of control, of immaculate ledgers and untouchable respectability, dissolved completely around him. He didn't run. He simply stood there, waiting for the heavy glass doors to open.
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