Chapter 14 - EMILY’S FINAL WORDS

Nathan pressed play.

Static filled the basement.

Then Emily’s voice appeared.

“Nathan…”

His heart broke.

Even after all these years…

he missed her.

The recording continued.

“I don’t know if you will ever hear this.”

A shaky breath.

“But if you do, please understand something.”

“I tried.”

Nathan closed his eyes.

Emily sounded exhausted.

“I tried to protect our family.”

Claire covered her mouth.

Emily continued.

“The person who is hurting us is not a stranger.”

A pause.

“It’s someone who believes they are doing the right thing.”

Nathan looked at Michael.

Then Claire.

Then the recorder.

Emily continued.

“They think money and reputation matter more than people.”

A sound in the background.

A car door.

Then Emily whispered:

“I’m scared.”

Nathan felt tears forming.

“I should have told Nathan sooner.”

A pause.

“But I was afraid he would lose everyone.”

The recording became quieter.

Then Emily said the words that destroyed Nathan.

“Margaret knows.”

Nathan stopped the recording.

Nobody spoke.

His mother’s name filled the basement.

Like a ghost.

“No…”

Nathan shook his head.

“She loved Emily.”

Michael looked at him.

“Sometimes people hurt the ones they love most.”

Nathan looked at Claire.

“What happened after this?”

Claire answered quietly.

“Your mother tried to make Emily disappear.”

Nathan stared.

“She caused the accident?”

Claire hesitated.

“No.”

Everyone looked at her.

“She hired someone.”

Nathan felt sick.

“Who?”

Claire looked at Michael.

Michael answered.

“Detective Robert Hayes.”

Nathan remembered the officer.

The man who arrived after the shooting.

The man who had been protecting the secret.

Nathan grabbed his phone.

He searched.

Robert Hayes.

The information appeared.

Retired detective.

Missing records.

Sudden resignation.

Nathan looked up.

“He’s still alive.”

Michael nodded.

“And he knows where the final evidence is.”

Nathan stood.

“Where?”

Michael looked at him.

“Before Emily died, she sent a backup.”

“Where?”

Michael whispered:

“Your old family cabin.”

The place Nathan’s father owned.

The place nobody had visited in years.

Nathan grabbed his jacket.

Claire stopped him.

“You can’t go alone.”

Nathan looked at her.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then Nathan said:

“I don’t know if I can trust you.”

Claire nodded.

“I know.”

“But I know one thing.”

Nathan looked confused.

“What?”

Claire’s eyes filled with tears.

“I never stopped trying to protect your children.”

Nathan looked toward Lily and Noah’s rooms.

And for the first time…

he believed her.

They drove to the cabin before sunrise.

But when they arrived…

the front door was already open.

Someone had been there.

Nathan walked inside.

The entire place had been searched.

Furniture destroyed.

Walls damaged.

Someone was looking for something.

Then Lily called from behind.

“Dad?”

Nathan turned.

His daughter was holding an old wooden box.

“I found this.”

Nathan opened it.

Inside was a single envelope.

Written on the front:

FOR NATHAN.

His hands shook.

He opened it.

The first sentence made him freeze.

Nathan,

The person who betrayed me is someone you will never suspect.

Because they have spent years making you believe they loved you.

Nathan looked at Claire.

Then continued reading.

The truth about my death is hidden in the one place nobody would look.

The police report.

Nathan looked confused.

“What?”

Claire picked up the paper.

Then her face changed.

“Oh my God.”

Nathan looked at her.

“What?”

Claire pointed at the report.

“The accident location.”

Nathan looked closer.

The location was wrong.

Emily’s crash was recorded three miles away from where the car was found.

Someone had changed the report.

Someone had changed history.

Then Nathan heard a sound outside.

A car engine.

He looked through the window.

A black SUV.

The same one.

Someone was watching them.

And this time…

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