When my estranged father, who left 20 years ago, called from his deathbed, I was torn between anger and curiosity. His final wish was something I never expected, and what he revealed about his disappearance shattered everything I thought I knew.

I was getting ready for bed when my phone buzzed with a text: “ALICE, THIS IS YOUR DAD. PLEASE CALL, I AM IN THE HOSPITAL.” After twenty years, I called back.

“Dad?”

“Alice, it’s me. I… I don’t have much time.”

“Why are you calling now?”

“I need to explain… Your grandfather, Harold, paid me to disappear. He thought I was a failure and found someone else for your mom.”

“Grandpa did that?”

“Yes. I was struggling with addictions. I took the money to build a future for you.”

“So you just left us for money?”

“I invested it. I was always there, watching. I saw your graduation, your volleyball games, from a distance.”

“Why didn’t you come back?”

“Part of the deal. I couldn’t approach you. I wrote letters every year. They’re in a safety deposit box.” He handed me a key. “I love you, Alice. Always have.”

The next day, I used the key to open the safety deposit box. Inside were financial documents and letters, each one filled with his regrets, love, and hopes for my future.

When I confronted my mom, she admitted, “I knew about the offer. I thought it was best for you.”

I decided to use the money to start a scholarship fund in my father’s name, honoring his efforts and sacrifices. With the truth out in the open, I felt a sense of peace, ready to move forward.