Chapter 7: The Woman Who Was Supposed To Be Dead
For five seconds, nobody moved.
Not me.
Not Vanessa.
Not even Sophie.
We just stared at the photograph.
Because sometimes your mind refuses to accept something your eyes already understand.
The picture was old.
Slightly faded.
The edges were worn.
But there was no mistaking the person standing in the middle of it.
Emily.
My wife.
Sophie’s mother.
The woman I buried three years ago.
She was standing outside a small brick building.
Alive.
Smiling.
Looking directly at the camera.
On the back of the photograph, written in black ink, were three words.
I AM SORRY.
My fingers started shaking.
“No.””
The word came out before I could stop it.
Vanessa stepped closer.
“Daniel…”
“No.””
I looked at the photo again.
“This isn’t possible.””
Sophie was watching me.
“Dad?””
I immediately turned the picture face down.
She didn’t need to see it.
Not yet.
Not until I understood.
I put the photograph back into the package.
“What is this?””
Nobody answered.
Then my phone rang.
Marcus.
I answered immediately.
“Where are you?””
His voice was urgent.
“I’m outside the building.””
“Come up.””
“Why?””
A pause.
“Because I think someone has been inside your office.””
My stomach tightened.
I looked at the package in my hand.
Someone wanted me here.
Someone wanted me to find this.
“Marcus,” I said quietly, “did you send me something?””
“No.””
The answer was instant.
“Why?””
“Because I just got here.””
I looked around the lobby.
The receptionist.
The security cameras.
The empty elevator.
Someone had moved faster than us.
Someone had been watching.
I ended the call.
“We’re leaving.””
Vanessa looked confused.
“What?””
“Now.””
“Daniel—”
“No questions.””
I grabbed Sophie’s hand.
But before we reached the door, the elevator behind us opened.
A woman stepped out.
She was wearing a long gray coat.
Her hair was pulled back.
And the moment she saw me, she stopped.
Not surprised.
Not confused.
Like she had been waiting.
My entire body went cold.
Because I knew her face.
Not because I had met her.
Because I had seen her.
In Emily’s journal.
A name written in the corner of one page.
Rebecca Mills.
The woman who had been hired to take my daughter away.
She looked at Sophie.
Then at me.
“You found it.””
I stepped in front of my daughter.
“Who are you?””
Her eyes filled with sadness.
“I think you know.””
“Are you the person who gave Sophie that key?””
She nodded.
Vanessa immediately stepped forward.
“You were involved?””
Rebecca looked at her.
“You don’t understand what’s happening.””
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“Neither do you, apparently.””
Rebecca ignored her.
She looked at me.
“I need to tell you the truth before someone else does.””
My jaw tightened.
“You mean the truth about my wife?””
She looked down.
“Yes.””
The lobby felt smaller.
“What happened to Emily?””
Rebecca swallowed.
“She wasn’t supposed to die.””
The words hit harder than I expected.
Because I had spent three years forcing myself to accept something I never wanted to accept.
“What does that mean?””
Rebecca looked toward Sophie.
“She found something.””
“What?””
“Evidence.””
“Of what?””
She hesitated.
Then whispered:
“Of someone close to your family.””
My eyes moved toward Vanessa.
She noticed.
Her face changed.
“Daniel.””
“I didn’t say anything.””
“But you thought it.””
I didn’t answer.
Rebecca shook her head.
“Not Vanessa.””
Everyone went silent.
I looked at Rebecca.
“Then who?””
Before she could answer, the lights in the lobby went out.
Darkness swallowed everything.
Sophie grabbed my hand.
“Dad.””
“I’m here.””
A crash sounded near the front desk.
Someone was moving.
I pulled Sophie behind me.
Vanessa whispered:
“Daniel.””
“Stay quiet.””
A phone flashlight turned on.
A figure moved across the lobby.
Then the emergency lights flickered back.
The person was gone.
But something had been left behind.
A small black folder.
Rebecca walked toward it.
“No.””
She stopped.
“Don’t touch it.””
I looked at her.
“Why?””
May you like
Her face went pale.
“Because that’s exactly how Emily got involved.””
