Chapter 11 - THE CRASH

Claire missed the patrol car by inches.

She shot through the rest-area exit and onto the access road.

One cruiser followed.

The second officer jumped out.

“Stay here!”

Daniel didn’t.

He got into Ryan’s car.

Ryan stared at him.

“You heard the cop.”

“Drive.”

“Daniel—”

“Drive.”

Emily climbed into the back.

Ryan swore and pulled out.

They didn’t chase fast.

They didn’t need to.

Police lights flashed ahead.

Then traffic stopped.

Daniel saw smoke.

“No.”

Ryan slowed.

A black sedan had jumped the curb and hit a guardrail.

Ethan’s car.

Daniel was out before Ryan fully stopped.

“Claire!”

An officer shouted at him to stay back.

He ignored him until Ryan grabbed his shoulder.

“Dan!”

The driver’s door was crushed.

Claire sat behind the wheel, dazed but conscious.

Blood ran from a small cut above her eyebrow.

Airbags filled the cabin.

A paramedic reached through the passenger side.

Claire saw Daniel.

For one moment, all the anger left her face.

“Daniel.”

He moved closer.

“Don’t move.”

“I’m scared.”

“I know.”

“Please.”

The word hit him harder than he expected.

Claire began crying.

“I’m sorry.”

Daniel stood beside the wreck.

He wanted to believe her.

For one stupid second, he wanted the entire day to disappear.

He wanted to wake up that morning again.

Before the slap.

Before Rosa.

Before the money.

Before his brother.

He wanted the woman he thought Claire was.

Then Claire grabbed his wrist.

“Tell them I panicked.”

Daniel looked at her.

“What?”

“Tell the police I panicked.”

His chest tightened.

“Claire.”

“I didn’t mean to run.”

“You almost hit a police car.”

“I was scared!”

“You stole money.”

“My mother did.”

“You framed Miguel.”

Her eyes darted away.

“Claire.”

“I didn’t frame him.”

“Then who put the envelope in his locker?”

She stared at him.

Daniel saw the calculation.

Even now.

Even trapped inside a crashed car.

She was calculating.

“What are you trying to protect?” he asked.

“Nothing.”

“Who put it there?”

Claire’s grip tightened.

“Daniel, please. If you love me at all, help me.”

He slowly removed her hand from his wrist.

Her face collapsed.

“Daniel.”

He stepped back.

“I can’t.”

“You can.”

“I won’t lie for you.”

Her sadness vanished.

Instantly.

“You self-righteous bastard.”

The paramedic froze.

Daniel almost smiled.

There she was.

Claire turned toward the officer.

“He’s doing this because I left him!”

Daniel stared.

“What?”

She pointed at him.

“He’s angry because I called off the wedding.”

Emily, standing behind Ryan, actually gasped.

Daniel laughed.

He couldn’t help it.

Claire shouted louder.

“He’s been controlling me for years!”

The officer looked at Daniel.

Daniel raised both hands.

“I’m not touching her. I’m not speaking for her. You do what you need to do.”

The paramedics pulled the door open.

Claire was placed on a stretcher.

As they wheeled her toward the ambulance, she screamed:

“You’ll regret this!”

Daniel watched her go.

Ryan stood beside him.

“You okay?”

“No.”

“Good answer.”

Emily walked over.

Her face was wet with tears.

“I’m sorry.”

Daniel looked at her.

“For what?”

“For my family.”

He sighed.

“You didn’t do this.”

She shook her head.

“You still don’t know everything.”

Daniel closed his eyes.

“Emily.”

“I know.”

“No more surprises.”

“I wish.”

She pulled out her phone.

“I just got a message from Claire’s wedding planner.”

Daniel looked at the screen.

There was a photograph.

Claire.

A man Daniel didn’t recognize.

Standing together outside a hotel.

Kissing.

The timestamp was three months old.

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