Chapter 14: The Friend Who Betrayed Me
I called Brenda back immediately.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Harrison watched me.
“Mom.””
I looked at him.
“I don’t know what to believe.””
For the first time, he looked just as lost as I felt.
Evelyn stepped closer.
“Lorraine, listen to me.””
I looked at her.
“You knew.””
“I knew your husband suspected her.””
“But you never told me.””
“Because he asked me not to.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
The words came out before I could stop them.
Everyone had secrets.
Everyone had reasons.
And somehow, I was always the last person to know.
Harrison touched my shoulder.
“Mom.””
I looked at him.
“I spent eight years protecting everyone.””
My voice shook.
“And who protected me?””
Nobody answered.
That was the truth.
The next morning, Harrison and I went to Brenda’s house.
I didn’t want to go.
Part of me wanted to believe everything was a mistake.
That my friend was innocent.
That the woman who baked my birthday cake couldn’t have been part of destroying my family.
But when we arrived, the truth was waiting.
Her front door was open.
Inside, boxes were everywhere.
“Brenda?”” I called.
No answer.
Harrison walked through the hallway.
Then stopped.
“Mom.””
I followed his eyes.
On the table were documents.
Company documents.
My husband’s company documents.
My stomach dropped.
“No.””
I picked one up.
A transfer record.
A signature.
Brenda’s name.
Then I saw the date.
The same week my husband died.
Harrison looked at me.
“She lied.””
I couldn’t speak.
Because my mind kept replaying every memory.
Every conversation.
Every moment I trusted her.
Then I heard footsteps.
Someone behind us.
I turned.
Brenda stood in the doorway.
She looked exhausted.
Not guilty.
Broken.
“Lorraine.””
My eyes filled with anger.
“How could you?””
She closed her eyes.
“I knew this day would come.””
“Then why did you do it?””
She looked at the documents.
“I made one mistake.””
“One?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I thought I was helping my family.””
Harrison stepped forward.
“My family?””
Brenda looked at him.
“I never wanted your father hurt.””
“Then why did you help them?””
She looked away.
Because she knew the answer would destroy everything.
Finally, she whispered:
“Because Victor threatened me.””
Silence.
I stared at her.
“What?””
“He knew about my son.””
Harrison frowned.
“What about your son?””
Brenda sat down.
“He was in trouble.””
Her voice broke.
“Victor promised to fix it.””
“And you believed him?””
She nodded.
“I was desperate.””
I shook my head.
“You let him destroy my husband.””
“No.””
She looked at me.
“I tried to stop him.””
“Then why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because by then, Sloan was already involved.””
Harrison stepped closer.
“How?””
Brenda looked at him.
“Sloan found out Victor was using me.””
My blood ran cold.
“She used that against you.””
Brenda nodded.
“She forced me to help her.””
The pieces started falling into place.
Sloan.
Victor.
Brenda.
All connected.
Then Brenda reached into her bag.
She pulled out a small envelope.
“I kept this because I knew one day you would need it.””
I recognized the handwriting immediately.
My husband.
Again.
“What is that?””
Brenda looked at me.
“The real final letter.””
My breath stopped.
“The one Victor and Sloan were searching for.””
Harrison took a step forward.
“Why do you have it?””
Brenda looked at me with tears in her eyes.
“Because your husband gave it to me.””
I froze.
“He trusted you?””
She nodded.
“He knew I was weak.””
Her voice cracked.
“But he also knew I still had a conscience.””
She handed me the envelope.
I opened it slowly.
The first sentence made my entire body go cold.
*Lorraine, if you are reading this, it means the person I feared most has finally reached you.*
I kept reading.
Then I saw the final line.
And I realized the entire truth had been hidden from me.
Not because my husband didn’t trust me.
May you like
Because he was protecting me from the person who would hurt me most.
The person I called my own son.
