Chapter 8: The Night Rachel Disappeared
Daniel watched the video one more time.
Then again.
And again.
Each time, the same image appeared.
Victoria walking toward Rachel’s car.
Victoria sitting in the driver’s seat.
Victoria leaving the mansion that night.
The night Rachel died.
His hands were numb.
His mind refused to accept what his eyes had seen.
For years, he had blamed a dark road.
A storm.
A terrible accident.
Now he was looking at a person.
Someone he had shared a home with.
Someone who kissed him goodnight.
Someone who told him she loved his daughter.
Daniel closed the laptop.
The room was silent.
Too silent.
Then he heard footsteps.
He looked up.
Victoria stood in the doorway.
She had changed into a simple sweater and jeans.
No makeup.
No jewelry.
For the first time since Daniel met her, she looked vulnerable.
“You know.””
It wasn’t a question.
Daniel stared at her.
“How long were you going to keep lying?””
Victoria swallowed.
“I knew this day would come.””
“That’s your answer?””
“No.””
She stepped into the room.
“My answer is that you don’t know what you saw.””
Daniel laughed quietly.
“You were in Rachel’s car.””
“Yes.””
The admission surprised him.
He stood.
“So you admit it?””
“Yes.””
The calmness of her answer made him angrier.
“Then explain.””
Victoria looked down.
“I drove her.””
The words hung in the air.
Daniel felt his chest tighten.
“Why?””
“Because Rachel asked me to.””
“No.””
“Yes.””
“You expect me to believe that?””
Victoria looked at him.
“She was going to leave.””
“Leave?””
“Take Lucas and Emma away.””
Daniel froze.
“Emma?””
Victoria nodded.
“Rachel was scared. She thought someone was coming after her.””
“Who?””
Victoria looked away.
“I don’t know.””
Daniel stepped closer.
“You’re still doing it.””
“Doing what?””
“Giving me pieces.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Because the whole truth is worse.””
“Try me.””
Victoria sat down.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then she whispered:
“Rachel called me that night.””
Four years earlier.
The rain had been falling for hours.
Victoria remembered every sound.
The thunder.
The windshield wipers.
Rachel’s shaking hands.
The fear in her voice.
“I need your help.””
That was what Rachel said when she called.
Victoria had rushed to the mansion.
Rachel was standing in the hallway holding a bag.
Inside were documents.
Photos.
Medical records.
Everything she had collected.
“Where are you going?”” Victoria asked.
Rachel looked toward the stairs.
Toward Emma’s room.
“I’m leaving.””
“Leaving Daniel?””
Rachel nodded.
“And taking the children.””
Victoria remembered the shock she felt.
“The children?””
Rachel’s face changed.
“You know about Lucas.””
“Yes.””
“But Daniel doesn’t.””
Victoria had been silent.
Rachel continued.
“I’m going to tell him.””
Victoria remembered those words.
Because they changed everything.
“You can’t.””
Rachel looked at her.
“Why?””
“Because he loves Lucas.””
“He deserves to know.””
“He deserves a choice.””
Rachel shook her head.
“No. He deserves the truth.””
The argument lasted for almost an hour.
Then Rachel received a phone call.
Her expression changed.
Victoria remembered that moment.
Because after that call…
Rachel looked terrified.
“Who was it?”” Victoria asked.
Rachel didn’t answer.
Instead, she grabbed her keys.
“I have to go.””
“Where?””
“I need to fix this.””
Victoria followed her.
Not because she wanted to.
Because Rachel looked like someone walking toward danger.
Daniel listened without speaking.
“So you drove her.””
Victoria nodded.
“Yes.””
“What happened next?””
Victoria looked at the floor.
“She received another call.””
“From who?””
“I don’t know.””
“You expect me to believe that?””
“It was hidden.””
Daniel’s expression hardened.
“Then what?””
“She told me to stop the car.””
“Where?””
“Near the old highway.””
Daniel felt a chill.
The same highway where Rachel’s accident happened.
“She got out.””
Victoria’s voice became quieter.
“She told me to wait.””
“Did you?””
“Yes.””
“How long?””
“Twenty minutes.””
Daniel stared.
“Twenty minutes?””
“Yes.””
“And then?””
Victoria looked up.
“Then I heard a crash.””
The room went silent.
Daniel searched her face.
“What did you do?””
Victoria’s eyes filled with tears.
“I ran.””
“To her?””
“Yes.””
“What did you see?””
Victoria looked away.
“She was alive.””
Daniel froze.
“What?””
“She was alive.””
The words were barely audible.
“Rachel was alive when you found her?””
Victoria nodded.
“She grabbed my hand.””
Daniel felt sick.
“What did she say?””
Victoria closed her eyes.
“She said…”
Her voice broke.
“She said, ‘Don’t let him find Lucas.’”
Daniel stared.
“Who?””
Victoria didn’t answer.
“Who was she talking about?””
“I don’t know.””
“You’re lying.””
“I’m not.””
“Then why didn’t you call an ambulance?””
Victoria looked destroyed.
And that was the first time Daniel saw something beyond fear.
Guilt.
“I did.””
“Then why?””
“Because someone called me.””
Daniel went still.
“What?””
“Before I could explain where we were, my phone rang.””
“Who?””
Victoria shook her head.
“I don’t know.””
“What did they say?””
Victoria whispered:
“They said if I helped Rachel, Emma would disappear too.””
Daniel’s anger paused.
Because suddenly, another fear appeared.
A larger one.
“What happened after?””
Victoria wiped her face.
“I stayed.””
“Why?””
“Because Rachel grabbed my hand.””
Victoria looked at him.
“She knew she was dying.””
Daniel looked away.
“And?””
“She gave me something.””
“What?””
“A key.””
Victoria stood.
She walked to the cabinet near the wall.
From inside, she pulled out a small metal key.
Daniel stared.
“What does it open?””
Victoria looked at him.
“The truth.””
They returned to the basement.
The key fit into a small hidden compartment beneath the desk.
Daniel watched as Victoria unlocked it.
Inside was a second folder.
Different from the others.
Older.
More carefully hidden.
Victoria didn’t touch it.
“Rachel hid this because she didn’t trust anyone.””
Daniel picked it up.
Inside were pages of notes.
Names.
Dates.
Financial records.
Then he saw something.
A company name.
His company.
Daniel’s face changed.
“What is this?””
Victoria looked worried.
“I don’t know.””
He read the documents.
Someone had been moving money through hidden accounts.
Large amounts.
Millions.
And the transactions began shortly before Rachel died.
Then he saw the name connected to them.
His own.
But not his signature.
A forged one.
Daniel’s blood ran cold.
“Someone used my identity.””
Victoria nodded.
“That’s why Rachel was afraid.””
Daniel looked at her.
“And you knew?””
“No.””
“You knew enough.””
“I knew Rachel was investigating something.””
“Who?””
Victoria shook her head.
“Daniel, please.””
“No.””
He held up the documents.
“I am done protecting secrets.””
Then something caught his attention.
A photograph slipped from the folder.
Daniel picked it up.
It showed three people.
Rachel.
Michael.
And another man.
A man Daniel recognized.
His business partner.
The person who had helped him build his company.
The person he trusted with billions of dollars.
Daniel stared.
“No.””
Victoria looked at the picture.
Her face changed.
“You know him?””
Daniel couldn’t answer.
Because suddenly, the mystery had become much bigger.
Rachel wasn’t just hiding a child.
She wasn’t just investigating a personal betrayal.
She had uncovered something connected to his entire empire.
His phone rang.
Ethan.
Daniel answered immediately.
“Tell me.””
Ethan’s voice was urgent.
“Sir, we found something.””
“What?””
“The unknown number that has been sending you messages.””
Daniel gripped the phone.
“Who is it?””
A pause.
Then Ethan said:
“It belongs to a man who was declared dead four years ago.””
Daniel’s eyes narrowed.
“Who?””
Ethan lowered his voice.
“Lucas Carter.””
Daniel stopped breathing.
“That’s impossible.””
“I know.””
“Lucas is alive.””
“Yes.””
“Then how can he be dead?””
Ethan didn’t answer immediately.
Then he said:
“Because someone officially registered him as deceased.””
Daniel looked at the photograph in his hand.
Rachel.
Michael.
The hidden child.
The lies.
Everything connected.
Then another message arrived.
This time, from Lucas.
May you like
Only four words.
*I know who killed her.*
