Chapter 9: The Truth Hidden in Sarah’s Records
The word hung in the room.
Poisoned.
For a moment, nobody understood how to react.
My sister had died.
We knew that.
But we had never questioned why.
Sarah had been tired.
Stressed.
Under pressure.
Everyone assumed her body simply gave out.
But now…
My hands went cold.
“She was poisoned?””
My voice barely came out.
Mr. Collins nodded slowly.
“The hospital is conducting further investigation.””
Daniel immediately stepped backward.
“No.””
Everyone looked at him.
“No?””
He shook his head.
“This is impossible.””
Olivia stared at him.
“Why are you acting like you already knew?””
Daniel looked at her.
“I don’t.””
But his answer came too quickly.
Too defensively.
My mother stood.
“Sarah trusted you.””
Daniel looked at her.
“Don’t do this.””
“No.””
My mother’s voice became stronger.
“You don’t get to tell us how to grieve anymore.””
Daniel looked around the room.
At the family he had deceived.
At the evidence Sarah had left behind.
And for the first time, he looked completely alone.
Mr. Collins gathered the papers.
“The authorities will handle the investigation.””
Daniel laughed nervously.
“So everyone just assumes I did something?””
“No one said that.””
The lawyer looked at him.
“But Sarah’s evidence raises serious questions.””
Daniel turned toward me.
“Emily, you know me.””
I stared at him.
Did I?
I knew the man Sarah married.
The man who brought flowers home after arguments.
The man who played games with Lily.
But the person standing in front of me felt like a stranger.
“You’re asking me to defend someone who couldn’t defend my sister.””
He looked hurt.
But I couldn’t feel sorry.
Not anymore.
Then Olivia stepped forward.
“I have something.””
Daniel looked at her sharply.
“What?””
She reached into her purse.
She pulled out her phone.
“I kept messages.””
Daniel’s face changed.
“Olivia.””
She ignored him.
“Because I was scared.””
Everyone watched as she unlocked the phone.
“There were times Daniel said things that didn’t make sense.””
Mr. Collins extended his hand.
“May I?””
She gave him the phone.
He scrolled.
Then stopped.
His expression became serious.
“What?””
I asked.
He looked at me.
“These messages were sent three days before Sarah’s death.””
Daniel closed his eyes.
“No.””
The lawyer read quietly.
“Did she sign the paperwork?””
My heart raced.
Paperwork?
The next message:
Not yet. She’s refusing.
Then Daniel’s reply:
Then we need another way.
The room became silent.
I felt dizzy.
“What paperwork?””
Nobody answered.
Mr. Collins kept reading.
“There is another message.””
He looked at Daniel.
“This one was sent the night Sarah became sick.””
Daniel didn’t move.
The lawyer read:
She knows too much.
My mother gasped.
I covered my mouth.
Daniel suddenly grabbed the phone.
Mr. Collins stepped back.
“Do not do that.””
Daniel released it.
But his panic was obvious.
Olivia started crying.
“You told me nobody would get hurt.””
Daniel stared at her.
“Stop talking.””
“You said everything would be easy.””
The room froze.
Because those words meant something.
Something much bigger.
Mr. Collins quickly collected the evidence.
“We need to preserve this.””
Daniel looked furious.
“You’re all acting like I’m guilty.””
I looked at him.
“No.””
I shook my head.
“We’re acting like Sarah deserved the truth.””
At that moment, my phone rang.
I looked down.
Unknown number.
Normally, I would have ignored it.
But something told me not to.
I answered.
“Hello?””
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then a woman’s trembling voice whispered:
“Emily?””
My heart stopped.
Because I knew that voice.
It was Sarah’s closest friend.
And she sounded terrified.
“Your sister left something with me.””
I stood frozen.
“What?””
The woman took a shaky breath.
“She told me if anything happened to her, I had to give this to you.””
I looked around the room.
Daniel was watching me.
The woman continued:
“But Emily…”
Her voice dropped.
“You need to know the truth before you open it.””
My grip tightened around the phone.
“What truth?””
A pause.
May you like
Then she whispered:
“Sarah wasn’t the only person Daniel was trying to get rid of.””
