Chapter 8: The Sister Who Knew Too Much
The name on my phone made my hands go numb.
Emily Bennett.
My stepsister.
The girl who sat across from me at the dinner table tonight and watched her mother throw me out.
The girl who had spent twelve years living beside me.
The girl I had never once considered a threat.
I stared at the message.
*Unknown Number: "Before you accuse Victoria, you need to know who actually planned your mother's accident.""*
Then the name.
*Emily Bennett.*
I looked up slowly.
Emily wasn't in the room.
But suddenly, I remembered something.
She had been there.
Every argument.
Every conversation.
Every moment when Victoria pushed me down.
Emily always stayed quiet.
I used to think she was scared.
I used to think she was just another victim of Victoria's control.
But what if I was wrong?
"What is it?""
Daniel's voice pulled me back.
I locked my phone.
"Nothing.""
He studied my face.
"Claire.""
I looked at him.
"Did my mother ever suspect Emily?""
The question changed everything.
Daniel's expression became unreadable.
That was enough.
My stomach dropped.
"You knew.""
"I knew your mother was worried about everyone close to Victoria.""
"That includes Emily.""
Daniel didn't answer.
I looked at the photograph again.
My mother and Victoria.
Smiling.
Together.
"Explain this.""
Daniel took the picture carefully.
"I've never seen it before.""
"Then why did my mother write 'the beginning of the betrayal'?""
He turned the photograph over.
There was a date.
Twelve years ago.
Three months before the accident.
Daniel's face changed.
"What?""
He looked closer.
"This was taken before Victoria married your father.""
I frowned.
"Why does that matter?""
"Because your mother believed Victoria had an accomplice.""
The room felt colder.
"Someone helping her.""
Daniel nodded.
"Someone close.""
My eyes went to the phone.
Emily.
A memory surfaced.
A small one.
Something I had forgotten.
Three days before my mother's accident, Emily had been in the kitchen with Victoria.
They stopped talking when I walked in.
Back then, I assumed they were planning a birthday surprise.
Now I wasn't sure.
"Where is Emily?""
Victoria finally spoke.
Everyone looked at her.
She had been silent for several minutes.
Too silent.
"Why do you care?""
I turned toward her.
"Because someone just told me Emily knows what happened.""
Victoria's face changed.
Only for a moment.
But it happened.
Fear.
Then anger.
"Don't be ridiculous.""
"Is she innocent?""
Victoria looked away.
That was not the answer of someone confident.
Daniel noticed too.
"Where is she?""
Victoria crossed her arms.
"She left.""
"When?""
"After dinner.""
I frowned.
"Why?""
Victoria smiled.
"Maybe she finally realized this family was falling apart.""
I didn't believe her.
Not for a second.
My phone buzzed again.
Another message.
This time from Emily.
*Emily: "Please don't trust Daniel. Please meet me alone. I can explain everything.""*
I stared at the screen.
Daniel saw my expression.
"Who is it?""
I didn't answer.
Because I didn't know who to trust anymore.
My father had lied.
Victoria had manipulated.
Daniel had hidden information.
And now Emily was asking me to meet her alone.
The girl who had always been quiet.
The girl who might have known everything.
I met Emily at the old park behind the community center.
The same park where we used to sit when we were younger.
Before everything became complicated.
Before I understood that families could hide monsters behind smiles.
Emily was standing near the fountain.
She looked nothing like her mother.
That was always what confused me.
Victoria was sharp.
Controlled.
Fearless.
Emily was soft-spoken.
Gentle.
But appearances meant nothing anymore.
"Claire.""
I stopped a few feet away.
"You knew.""
Her face fell.
"About what?""
"Don't do that.""
She looked down.
"I know about Mom.""
The words came out quietly.
My chest tightened.
"How long?""
She didn't answer.
"How long, Emily?""
She wiped her eyes.
"Years.""
I felt something break inside me.
"Years?""
"I didn't know everything.""
"But you knew something.""
She nodded.
"Yes.""
I looked away.
"Why?""
"Because I was scared.""
I almost laughed.
Everyone was scared.
My father.
Daniel.
Emily.
Everyone had an excuse.
Everyone except me.
"You watched her hurt me.""
Emily looked devastated.
"I know.""
"You watched her throw me out.""
"I know.""
"Why didn't you say anything?""
Her voice cracked.
"Because I thought you would hate me.""
I looked at her.
"I do hate what you did.""
Tears filled her eyes.
"I deserve that.""
The honesty surprised me.
"What happened?""
Emily sat on the bench.
I stayed standing.
"After your mom died, Victoria changed.""
I said nothing.
"At first, she was nice. She told me she was going to make us a real family.""
Emily laughed bitterly.
"But it didn't last.""
She looked at her hands.
"She started controlling everything.""
"Money?""
"Everything.""
She swallowed.
"Who Dad talked to. Where he went. What he signed.""
My eyes narrowed.
"Why help her?""
Emily shook her head.
"I didn't.""
"Then why was your name attached to the message?""
She looked confused.
"What message?""
I showed her.
Her face turned pale.
"I didn't send this.""
My heart stopped.
"What?""
"I swear.""
She grabbed her phone.
"No.""
She showed me her screen.
There were no messages sent.
Then she looked at mine again.
"Someone is pretending to be me.""
A cold feeling moved through me.
Someone wanted me to distrust Emily.
Someone wanted us divided.
"Who knew about the evidence?""
Emily looked at me.
Then whispered:
"My mother.""
"How?""
"Because she found out where your mother hid the recordings.""
My breathing changed.
"What?""
Emily looked terrified.
"Claire, I need to tell you something.""
"What?""
"My mother didn't plan the accident.""
I waited.
"She helped cover it up.""
The world became silent.
"Who planned it?""
Emily looked around.
Then she stepped closer.
"Your father.""
I froze.
"No.""
"He didn't mean for it to happen.""
"No.""
"He wanted to scare your mother.""
I stared at her.
"You expect me to believe that?""
Emily started crying.
"I saw the papers.""
"What papers?""
"The ones Victoria made him sign.""
My heart pounded.
"What did they say?""
"That if your mother died, everything would go to him.""
I stepped back.
"No.""
Emily shook her head.
"I don't think he wanted her dead.""
"But she died.""
"I know.""
"And he stayed silent.""
"I know.""
The pain was too much.
Because every answer created another question.
My father wasn't innocent.
Victoria wasn't alone.
And maybe the truth was darker than I imagined.
"Where are the papers?""
Emily looked toward the street.
"I don't have them.""
"Who does?""
She hesitated.
Then:
"Victoria.""
I closed my eyes.
Of course.
The missing piece.
The thing everyone was afraid of.
"Why tell me now?""
Emily looked at me.
"Because Mom is going to destroy the evidence tonight.""
"What?""
"She knows you found the recordings.""
My blood ran cold.
"How?""
Emily whispered:
"Because I told her.""
I stepped back.
The betrayal hurt more than I expected.
"You?""
She cried harder.
"I had to.""
"Why?""
"Because she threatened you.""
The anger inside me paused.
"What?""
Emily looked at me.
"She said if I didn't tell her where you were going, she would make sure you lost everything.""
I stared.
"She threatened me through you.""
Emily nodded.
"And I believed her.""
A long silence passed.
Then Emily said the words that changed everything.
"Claire, you need to get back to the house.""
"Why?""
"Because Victoria isn't looking for the recordings anymore.""
I frowned.
"Then what is she looking for?""
Emily's face went pale.
"The deed.""
I shook my head.
"She already knows about the deed.""
"No.""
Emily grabbed my arm.
"She knows the deed is not the only thing your mother left you.""
A chill ran through me.
"What else?""
Emily looked terrified.
"The original confession.""
My heart stopped.
"Confession?""
"The one your mother recorded before the accident.""
Daniel had mentioned recordings.
But not this.
Emily whispered:
"The one where she named the person responsible.""
I looked toward the road.
The answer was waiting at home.
A truth that had been buried for twelve years.
Then my phone rang.
Daniel.
I answered immediately.
His voice was urgent.
"Claire, don't go back to the house.""
"Why?""
A pause.
Then:
"Because your father is there.""
My heart sank.
"What's wrong with that?""
Daniel's voice became quieter.
"Because he just called me.""
"What did he say?""
Daniel hesitated.
Then:
"He said he finally remembered what happened the night your mother died.""
The world stopped.
"What does that mean?""
Daniel whispered:
"It means he was there.""
The call ended.
And I realized the truth I had been avoiding.
May you like
My father wasn't just hiding the truth.
He was part of it.
