Chapter 14: The Truth About the Perfect Family
Nick read the name again.
And again.
Like his brain refused to accept it.
I looked at him.
“Who is it?””
He didn’t answer.
“Nick.””
Slowly, he turned the letter toward me.
My eyes moved to the page.
And I froze.
The name written there was:
Richard Cole.
The man who had helped expose Martha.
The man who claimed he was protecting Nick’s father’s legacy.
The man who stood beside us when everything fell apart.
“No.””
Nick shook his head.
“That doesn’t make sense.””
I looked at him.
“Then why would Martha write it?””
He didn’t answer.
Because that was the question.
The truth had become impossible to separate from the lies.
We called Eleanor immediately.
When she arrived, Nick handed her the letter.
The moment she saw the name, her face changed.
“You knew.””
Nick’s voice was cold.
Eleanor looked away.
That was enough.
“You knew something.””
She sat down.
“I suspected.””
“SUSPECTED?””
Nick’s voice rose.
“You knew my mother was dangerous. You knew my uncle was involved. And now you’re telling me Richard might have been too?””
Eleanor sighed.
“I didn’t want to believe it.””
“Why?””
“Because your father trusted him.””
Nick laughed bitterly.
“That’s what everyone says.””
I reached for his hand.
He was unraveling.
Not because another secret existed.
Because he was exhausted from discovering them.
Eleanor looked at us.
“Your father’s biggest mistake was believing people could only be one thing.””
“What does that mean?””
She looked at the letter.
“Richard helped expose Martha.””
“But?””
“But he also benefited from her downfall.””
The room became quiet.
Nick stared.
“How?””
Eleanor opened her bag.
She pulled out documents.
“After your father died, Richard gained control of several business assets.””
Nick looked at the papers.
“That was legal.””
“Yes.””
Eleanor paused.
“But your father had planned to remove him.””
“Why?””
“Because he discovered Richard had been secretly competing against him.””
Nick looked sick.
“So everyone betrayed him.””
Eleanor didn’t answer.
Because the answer was obvious.
Everyone had wanted something.
Money.
Power.
Control.
Everyone except one person.
I looked at Nick.
“Your father trusted you.””
He looked at me.
“What?””
“He left clues for you.””
Eleanor nodded.
“That’s why.””
She looked at him.
“Your father believed you were the only person who would choose truth over comfort.””
Nick was silent.
Then his phone rang.
A message.
From Richard.
Nick opened it.
His face changed.
“What?””
He showed us.
A photo.
Richard standing outside the courthouse.
With a suitcase.
The message underneath was simple.
“I never wanted this to happen.””
Then another message appeared.
“I’m sorry.””
Nick immediately stood.
“He’s leaving.””
The police were contacted.
But Richard was already gone.
Except he left one thing behind.
A final recording.
It was delivered to Nick’s email.
We watched it together.
Richard appeared on screen.
He looked tired.
Older.
Broken.
“I know what you think of me.””
He paused.
“And you have every right.””
Nick watched silently.
Richard continued.
“I made mistakes.””
He looked down.
“But Martha wasn’t wrong about one thing.””
My stomach tightened.
“What?””
Richard looked directly into the camera.
“Your father’s death was not just about money.””
Nick leaned closer.
“What does that mean?””
Richard continued.
“Your father discovered someone was trying to take everything from him.””
He swallowed.
“And when he found out who it was, he was terrified.””
The video glitched.
Then came the final sentence.
“The person your father feared most was not your mother.””
The screen went black.
Nobody spoke.
Nick stared.
“Then who?””
The answer came ten seconds later.
An email arrived.
From Richard.
One final attachment.
A document.
The title alone made Nick’s face lose all color.
“DNA Results.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
He opened the file.
Read the first line.
Then looked at me.
“Emma.””
May you like
His voice broke.
“This changes everything.””
