Chapter 12: The Woman Who Was Never Rebecca
The drive home was silent.
Nobody spoke.
Not me.
Not Michael.
Not Rebecca.
She sat in the back seat because I couldn’t stand having her beside me.
The woman I almost married.
The woman who smiled while planning my daughter’s disappearance.
The woman who had a secret identity.
Rachel Morgan.
A name that meant something to my brother.
Something he still wasn’t telling me.
When we arrived home, Emily was sitting at the kitchen table drawing.
She looked up.
“Daddy.””
Then she saw Rebecca.
Her expression changed immediately.
Fear.
Not anger.
Fear.
I hated that.
A seven-year-old child should not look at someone and wonder if they are safe.
I stepped between them.
“Emily, go upstairs with Mrs. Carter for a little while.””
She looked at me.
“Are you okay?””
I forced a smile.
“Yes.””
She didn’t believe me.
But she nodded.
After she left, I turned to Michael.
“Start talking.””
He sat down.
“I met Rachel five years ago.””
“Where?””
“At work.””
“And?””
“She was different.””
I stared.
“That’s your explanation?””
“No.””
He looked ashamed.
“I knew she had problems.””
“What kind?””
“Debt.””
“Criminal?””
He hesitated.
“Yes.””
The word hit hard.
“What did she do?””
Michael rubbed his hands together.
“She worked with people who moved money illegally.””
My stomach turned.
“And you still brought her into my life?””
“I didn’t know she would target you.””
“But she did.””
“Yes.””
I looked at Rachel.
She didn’t deny it.
“Why me?””
She answered quietly.
“Because you were vulnerable.””
I clenched my jaw.
“You mean because Claire died.””
“Yes.””
The honesty hurt.
She continued.
“I saw a man who had lost everything.””
“And you saw an opportunity.””
She looked down.
“Yes.””
I waited for anger.
For excuses.
But she just sat there.
Broken.
“I didn’t expect to care about Emily.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Care?””
“Yes.””
“When?””
“When she called me Mommy the first time.””
The room went quiet.
I hated that part of me understood.
Because there had been moments when Rebecca seemed genuine.
Moments when she laughed with Emily.
Moments when she looked happy.
Maybe some feelings had been real.
But real feelings didn’t erase terrible choices.
“You still planned to send her away.””
Rachel closed her eyes.
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because I was afraid.””
“Of what?””
“That if I stayed, everything I did would come out.””
I looked at the recording.
“Claire knew.””
“Yes.””
“What happened that night?””
Rachel looked terrified.
“I didn’t cause the accident.””
I waited.
“But?””
She swallowed.
“But I was there when it happened.””
The room became silent.
“Tell me.””
She looked at Michael.
Then at me.
“Claire confronted me.””
“About what?””
“About the money. About Michael. About my identity.””
“And?””
“She told me she would tell you everything.””
My hands tightened.
“What did you do?””
“I begged her not to.””
“That’s all?””
“Yes.””
I studied her face.
She was crying now.
“I left.””
“Before the crash?””
“Yes.””
“Then why does the recording cut?””
Her face changed.
“I don’t know.””
Michael suddenly stood.
“Wait.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
He grabbed the recorder.
“The file was damaged because someone edited it.””
“Someone?””
He looked at Rachel.
She shook her head.
“Not me.””
Michael pressed a button.
A hidden second file appeared.
All three of us froze.
Someone had hidden another recording.
I pressed play.
Static.
Then Claire’s voice.
But this time, she wasn’t afraid.
She was angry.
“Daniel, if you’re hearing this, then they failed to stop me.””
My heart stopped.
“They?””
Claire continued.
“I know who is behind this.””
A sound.
A door opening.
Then another voice.
A man’s voice.
My blood turned cold.
Because I recognized it.
Claire whispered:
“You.””
The man answered.
“You should have stayed quiet.””
I looked at Michael.
His face had gone completely white.
Because he knew the voice too.
The recording continued.
Claire said:
“I trusted you.””
The man replied:
“And that was your mistake.””
Then the audio ended.
I stared at the device.
A single question filled my mind.
May you like
Who was the man Claire trusted?
And why did Michael look like he already knew the answer?
