Chapter 13: The Night Rachel Died
I stared at the photo on my phone.
The hospital room.
The machines.
The dim light.
Rachel lying in the bed.
And me.
Standing beside someone whose face was hidden by the angle of the picture.
My hands went cold.
Because I knew that room.
I knew that night.
I had spent five years trying to remember every second of it.
Rachel’s final breath.
Her last smile.
The way her fingers slowly loosened around mine.
But there was one thing I didn’t remember.
Someone else being there.
“Daniel?””
Claire’s voice pulled me back.
I looked up.
Everyone was watching me.
“What is it?””
I didn’t answer.
I turned the phone around.
Claire stepped closer.
The second she saw the image, her expression changed.
“No.””
Mark looked over her shoulder.
“Who is that?””
I zoomed in.
The person standing beside me was wearing a dark jacket.
Their face was turned away.
But there was something familiar.
Something I had seen before.
Vanessa stared at the screen.
Then she whispered:
“That’s impossible.””
I looked at her.
“You know who it is.””
She shook her head.
“No.””
“Don’t lie to me.””
Her eyes filled with fear.
“I don’t know.””
But she was lying.
I knew it.
Everyone knew it.
The unknown number sent another message.
This time, there was a video.
My finger hovered over the screen.
I didn’t want to press play.
Because some part of me already knew.
But I did.
The video was shaky.
Someone had recorded it from the hallway outside Rachel’s hospital room.
The date appeared in the corner.
Five years earlier.
The night Rachel died.
The camera moved slowly toward the door.
Then I heard voices.
My voice.
And Vanessa’s.
My entire body froze.
“Daniel, you have to listen to me.””
Vanessa.
In the video.
Five years ago.
“You can’t let Rachel tell anyone.””
My breathing stopped.
The video continued.
My voice sounded exhausted.
“What are you talking about?””
Vanessa answered:
“She doesn’t know what she’s saying anymore.””
I closed my eyes.
No.
That wasn’t how I remembered it.
“She’s my wife,” I heard myself say.
“She’s dying.””
Vanessa’s voice became softer.
“I’m trying to protect you.””
The video ended.
The room was silent.
Nobody moved.
I looked at Vanessa.
“What was that?””
She was crying now.
“Daniel…”
“No.””
My voice shook.
“You were there.””
She covered her face.
“I wanted to help.””
“You were there.””
“I was scared.””
“Why?””
She looked at me.
And then she said something I never expected.
“Because Rachel knew about you.””
I felt confused.
“About me?””
Vanessa nodded.
“She knew you weren’t telling the truth.””
The room went silent.
My heart started racing.
“What truth?””
Nobody answered.
Not Vanessa.
Not Claire.
Not Mark.
Then Claire looked at me.
“Daniel…”
Her voice was different.
Not angry.
Not accusing.
Just sad.
“What happened that night?””
I swallowed.
“I told you.””
“No.””
Claire shook her head.
“You told us what you remembered.””
A chill moved through me.
“What are you saying?””
She looked at the photo.
“Rachel’s last words weren’t about Vanessa.””
My stomach dropped.
“What?””
“She wasn’t afraid of Vanessa.””
I stepped back.
“Then who?””
Claire looked directly at me.
“She was afraid you would never forgive yourself.””
The room became silent.
Memories came rushing back.
The hospital.
The argument.
Rachel crying.
Me leaving the room.
Only for ten minutes.
I had always blamed myself for those ten minutes.
Because when I came back…
Rachel was worse.
I looked at my hands.
“What did I do?””
Claire shook her head.
“You need to remember.””
“I don’t.””
“Yes, you do.””
A new message appeared on my phone.
The sender.
The same unknown number.
A single sentence.
“Ask Daniel why Rachel was crying before Vanessa arrived.””
My heart stopped.
Because I knew.
May you like
I knew exactly why.
And I had spent five years pretending I didn’t.
