Chapter 13 - The Husband Who Was Part Of The Plan
I stared at the message on Emma’s phone.
Three words.
Three words that made my entire body go cold.
“Target identified.”
“Begin operation.”
The screen blurred in front of my eyes.
I looked at Callan.
Waiting.
Hoping.
Praying he had an explanation.
Anything.
But he didn’t speak.
And his silence hurt more than any confession.
“Tell me.”
My voice shook.
“Tell me this is fake.”
Callan looked broken.
“Anastasia…”
“No.”
I stepped back.
“Do not say my name.”
“Just answer me.”
“Was I a target?”
His eyes filled with guilt.
“Yes.”
The word destroyed me.
Even though I already knew.
Even though a part of me expected it.
Hearing it from him was different.
“You used me.”
“No.”
“You found me because of my father.”
“Yes.”
“You married me because of what I could lead you to.”
His silence became unbearable.
Then he whispered,
“At first.”
I closed my eyes.
The pain was overwhelming.
At first.
Two words.
Two words that meant everything we had built started with a lie.
“You knew who I was before we met.”
“Yes.”
“You knew my family.”
“Yes.”
“You knew about my father.”
“Yes.”
I laughed quietly.
A broken laugh.
“And you still looked me in the eyes and told me you loved me.”
Callan looked away.
“Because I did.”
I shook my head.
“I don’t know what was real anymore.”
He stepped closer.
“I was supposed to find the evidence.”
“But then I met you.”
“And everything changed.”
I looked at him.
“Then why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I was afraid.”
“Again.”
He lowered his head.
“Yes.”
I wanted to scream.
Everyone had the same excuse.
Fear.
Fear.
Fear.
But while they were afraid…
I was the one being destroyed.
Then Emma interrupted.
“Anastasia.”
She pointed at the message.
“There’s something else.”
I looked at her.
“What?”
“The message was not sent from Callan’s personal phone.”
“What?”
“It was from an old company device.”
Callan immediately looked up.
“What?”
Emma continued.
“The device belonged to Harrington Security Systems.”
The room went silent.
“So someone used Callan’s identity.”
Callan looked shocked.
“I never sent that.”
I studied his face.
And for the first time in days…
I believed him.
Because he looked just as betrayed as I felt.
Someone had been controlling him too.
Then my phone buzzed.
A new message.
Unknown number.
One sentence.
“Now you finally understand.”
Attached was a photo.
A photo of my wedding day.
Me walking down the aisle.
Callan smiling beside me.
But behind us…
Standing near the entrance…
Was Richard Hale.
Watching.
I felt sick.
He had been there.
The entire time.
Then another message appeared.
“You married into the family that destroyed yours.”
“And you married the man who helped them.”
I looked at Callan.
Because there was one question left.
One question that could change everything.
“Did you know Richard Hale was at our wedding?”
Callan looked at the photograph.
His face lost all color.
“No.”
Then he whispered,
May you like
“But my mother did.”
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