Chapter 13 - NO MORE SECRETS
“Hi.”
Jason sounded nervous.
I sat on the edge of my couch.
“Hi.”
Silence.
Then he said,
“I wasn't sure you'd answer.”
“Neither was I.”
He almost laughed.
“I won't keep you.”
“Okay.”
“I wanted you to know something before it becomes public.”
My body immediately tensed.
Jason heard it.
“No.”
He corrected himself.
“Actually, that's exactly the problem.”
“What?”
“I keep giving you information only when I think you need it.”
He exhaled.
“So I'm going to stop doing that.”
I waited.
“I'm cooperating fully with investigators.”
“I assumed you were.”
“I've also resigned from the company.”
That surprised me.
“Jason.”
“I don't know what Wilson Development becomes after this.”
“But whatever happens, I'm not inheriting control because of my last name.”
I didn't know what to say.
He continued.
“I started therapy.”
That surprised me even more.
“For what?”
“Pick something.”
I laughed despite myself.
Jason did too.
Then his voice became serious.
“I've spent my whole life adapting to my mother.”
“Avoiding conflict.”
“Hiding information.”
“Managing her reactions.”
“I thought that made me good at keeping peace.”
“It actually made me good at keeping secrets.”
I closed my eyes.
“I don't expect you to forgive me.”
“Good.”
“I don't expect another wedding.”
“Very good.”
“But I want to apologize without asking you for anything.”
I listened.
“I lied by omission.”
“I took away your ability to make an informed decision about your own future.”
“I told myself I was protecting you when I was protecting myself from losing you.”
His voice shook.
“You deserved better.”
Tears burned my eyes.
“Thank you.”
He didn't ask whether we could meet.
He didn't ask if I still loved him.
He didn't pressure me.
He simply said,
“Take care of yourself.”
Then he hung up.
Two months passed.
Then three.
The investigation continued.
Margaret eventually accepted a plea agreement on the wedding-related charges while the financial case remained separate.
Evidence couldn't establish that she'd intentionally caused Daniel's fatal crash.
But her delay in calling emergency services became part of the renewed investigation.
Charles pleaded guilty to financial crimes connected to the original scheme.
Richard testified.
Jason testified.
And slowly, the Wilson family story stopped belonging to Margaret.
One evening, I drove to the lake where Daniel's photograph had been taken.
Jason was already there.
I had invited him.
He stood near the water.
No expensive suit.
No polished image.
Just jeans.
A dark jacket.
And Daniel's old red guitar case beside him.
“You kept it.”
Jason nodded.
“I can't play.”
I smiled.
“Maybe that's safer.”
He laughed.
Then we stood quietly beside each other.
Finally, Jason asked,
“Why did you call me?”
I looked across the water.
“Because I still love you.”
He stopped breathing.
I continued before he could speak.
“But that doesn't erase what happened.”
“I know.”
“And if we try again, we're not going back.”
He looked at me.
“What does that mean?”
“It means we build something new.”
“No family secrets.”
“No decisions made for my own good.”
“No pretending problems disappear because they're uncomfortable.”
Jason nodded.
“And if my mother ever gets within ten feet of your clothes again, I tackle her.”
I stared at him.
He smiled cautiously.
I laughed.
It was the first time we'd laughed together in months.
Then Jason reached for my hand.
He didn't take it.
May you like
He waited.
So I took his.
