Chapter 14 - THE PERSON WHO FINALLY SPOKE
Her name was Emily Carter.
For two years, she worked for Tove.
She handled appointments.
Schedules.
Personal errands.
And apparently…
Secrets.
I met her at a small coffee shop across town.
She arrived ten minutes late.
Looking over her shoulder the entire time.
“You shouldn’t have contacted me.”
I looked at her.
“You contacted me.”
She swallowed.
“I know.”
“Then tell me the truth.”
Emily looked down at her hands.
“I was afraid.”
“Of Tove?”
She nodded.
“Of what she could do.”
I leaned forward.
“What happened?”
She took a deep breath.
“Tove wasn’t always like this.”
I listened carefully.
Because I didn’t care about excuses.
I cared about my daughter.
“After you married her, she started changing.”
“How?”
“She became obsessed with controlling everything.”
Emily looked at me.
“Especially Mireya.”
My jaw tightened.
“Why?”
“Because she believed Mireya was the reason she would never be your first priority.”
I closed my eyes.
That sentence explained everything.
Emily continued.
“She started documenting everything.”
“Documenting?”
“Things Mireya did.”
“What things?”
“Normal child behavior.”
Emily shook her head.
“But Tove wrote them down like evidence.”
I felt sick.
“She was building a case.”
“Yes.”
“Against my daughter?”
Emily looked away.
“Against you.”
Then she reached into her bag.
And placed a small memory card on the table.
“What is this?”
“Security footage.”
My heart jumped.
“From where?”
“Your house.”
I looked at her.
“How did you get this?”
Emily whispered:
“Because Tove didn’t know I copied it.”
I grabbed the card.
“What’s on it?”
Emily’s eyes filled with guilt.
“The night of the inhaler incident.”
I froze.
“You recorded it?”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“The house cameras recorded everything.”
I stared at the memory card.
All this time…
The truth had been sitting somewhere.
Waiting.
“Why didn’t you come forward earlier?”
Emily looked at me.
“Because Tove threatened me.”
“With what?”
She lowered her voice.
“She said if I talked, she would make sure nobody ever believed me.”
I stood up.
“Thank you.”
But before I left…
Emily grabbed my arm.
“There’s something else.”
“What?”
Her voice became serious.
“Daniel isn’t the person controlling everything.”
I stopped.
“What are you talking about?”
Emily looked terrified.
“There is someone else.”
“Who?”
She hesitated.
Then whispered:
“The person who told Tove what to do.”
My heart started beating faster.
“Who?”
Emily looked toward the window.
Like she was afraid someone was watching.
May you like
Then she said:
“Someone who has known your family for years.”
