Chapter 7: The Person Sarah Trusted
The room stayed silent after Mr. Collins read the final sentence.
“If anything happens to me, look at what my own family member did.””
Nobody wanted to ask the question.
Because everyone already knew what it meant.
Someone close to Sarah had betrayed her.
Someone she trusted.
My mother looked around the room.
“Sarah had no enemies.””
Her voice broke.
“She loved everyone.””
I looked at Daniel.
For years, Sarah had defended him.
Even when I begged her to leave.
Even when I told her the messages were enough proof.
She always said the same thing.
“Daniel is still Lily’s father.””
She had spent her entire marriage protecting the person who hurt her.
Mr. Collins picked up the paper again.
“The message was sent from Sarah’s personal email account to mine.””
Daniel frowned.
“Then why don’t you tell us who it is?””
The lawyer looked at him.
“Because Sarah attached instructions.””
He unfolded another page.
“She wanted the name revealed only after everyone present understood the full situation.””
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“So she planned a performance?””
I stared at him.
“No.””
My voice came out colder than I expected.
“She planned protection.””
Daniel looked away.
Mr. Collins continued.
“Sarah was concerned that if she confronted certain people before securing evidence, important information could disappear.””
My stomach tightened.
She knew.
She knew someone might try to cover this up.
Lily sat quietly beside my mother.
I moved closer to her.
“Are you okay?””
She nodded, but tears were running down her face.
“Did Mommy know she was going to die?””
The question crushed everyone.
I looked at Mr. Collins.
The lawyer hesitated.
“Sarah was afraid something could happen.””
Daniel immediately interrupted.
“She was paranoid.””
I turned toward him.
“Stop.””
He looked at me.
“What?””
“She’s not here to defend herself anymore.””
My voice shook.
“So maybe for once, you can stop calling her crazy.””
The room went quiet.
Mr. Collins opened the attached file.
Inside were screenshots.
Messages.
Dates.
Photos.
“Sarah began documenting conversations three months before her death.””
He placed the first page down.
It showed a conversation between Daniel and another number.
Daniel leaned forward.
Then froze.
Because the message was not from Olivia.
It was from someone else.
The first line read:
She’s becoming suspicious.
My heart raced.
Who was this?
The next message:
Don’t worry. I’ll handle it.
Daniel’s face changed.
Olivia noticed.
“Daniel?””
He didn’t answer.
“Who is that?””
Still nothing.
Mr. Collins looked at him.
“Would you like to explain?””
Daniel stood suddenly.
“I don’t have to explain anything.””
“You do if you want to avoid further legal action.””
Daniel stared at him.
“You’re threatening me?””
“No.””
The lawyer calmly replied.
“I’m informing you.””
Daniel paced across the room.
“This is ridiculous. Sarah was sick. She misunderstood things.””
My hands clenched.
“She wasn’t misunderstanding when she wrote your messages down.””
He stopped.
Then he looked at me.
“You think I killed her?””
Nobody answered.
Because the accusation was never spoken.
But it was hanging in the air.
Mr. Collins stepped between us.
“We are not making accusations without evidence.””
He looked at Daniel.
“But Sarah clearly believed she was in danger.””
The word echoed.
Danger.
My sister.
My beautiful, kind sister.
She had been sitting alone at that kitchen table, writing instructions because she didn’t know who she could trust.
Then Mr. Collins pulled out a small envelope.
“There is one more thing.””
Daniel closed his eyes.
“How many more things did she leave?””
The lawyer looked down.
“One thing that Sarah personally requested Emily receive.””
My name made me freeze.
Me?
Mr. Collins handed me the envelope.
My fingers shook as I opened it.
Inside was a handwritten note.
I recognized her handwriting immediately.
Emily,
If you are reading this, I need you to know something.
I almost couldn’t continue.
The words blurred.
I wiped my eyes and kept reading.
I’m sorry I didn’t tell you everything.
I wanted to protect you.
But I need you to find the truth.
The truth about what happened the night before I went to the hospital.
My heart stopped.
The night before?
I looked up.
“What happened that night?””
Nobody answered.
Then I read the final sentence.
The one that made my blood run cold.
Sarah had written:
*“Emily, ask Daniel why he was at my mother’s house that night.””*
I slowly lowered the letter.
Because Daniel had never told us he was there.
And my mother suddenly whispered:
“Wait…”
Everyone looked at her.
May you like
“He was there.””
Daniel’s face went pale.
