Chapter 10: The Voice Behind The Plan
The recording ended.
But nobody moved.
The room was silent except for the faint hum of Laura’s computer.
I stared at the screen, waiting for something to change.
Waiting for someone to tell me there was an explanation.
A mistake.
A misunderstanding.
Anything.
But there wasn’t.
Because I knew that voice.
I had heard it at birthday parties.
At family dinners.
In my own home.
My father looked at me carefully.
“Emma…”
I couldn’t answer.
My mind was fighting against what my ears had already accepted.
“No,” I whispered.
Laura paused the recording.
“We need to be certain before we make any assumptions.””
I looked at her.
“You heard it too.””
“Yes.””
“Then you know.””
She didn’t deny it.
That was worse.
I walked away from the table and stared out the window.
Eight years.
The person helping Michael wasn’t a stranger.
It was someone close enough to know my life.
Close enough to know my routines.
Close enough to know exactly how to hurt me.
My father stood beside me.
“Who was she?””
I closed my eyes.
There were only a few women who had been around us that closely.
Then one name came to mind.
My stomach dropped.
“No.””
My father looked at me.
“Emma?””
I turned around slowly.
“Karen.””
Laura looked confused.
“Who is Karen?””
I swallowed.
“My old friend.””
The words felt strange.
Because suddenly I didn’t know if they had ever been true.
Karen had been my best friend since college.
She was there when I met Michael.
She was there when we got engaged.
She was the first person I called after finding out I was pregnant.
She knew everything.
Every fear.
Every weakness.
Every detail about my life.
Laura reopened the recording.
“Let’s listen again.””
This time, we focused on the background.
The sound of a room.
A clock.
A television.
Then, beneath Michael’s voice, there was another sound.
A small laugh.
A familiar laugh.
My hands went cold.
Because I knew that laugh.
Karen.
The woman who hugged me after my wedding.
The woman who held Sophie when she was born.
The woman who told me I was lucky to have such a wonderful husband.
I felt sick.
“She helped him.””
My father’s expression hardened.
“Then we find out why.””
But I already knew.
Because people like Karen didn’t betray someone for no reason.
There was always something underneath.
Money.
Jealousy.
Anger.
Pain.
Laura contacted the authorities and arranged surveillance.
But before we could do anything else, my phone rang.
Unknown number.
Everyone looked at me.
I answered.
“Hello?””
For several seconds, there was only silence.
Then a voice.
“Emma.””
My blood froze.
“Karen?””
She exhaled softly.
“I was hoping you wouldn’t find out this way.””
I couldn’t speak.
“You knew?””
“I knew eventually you would.””
My grip tightened around the phone.
“You helped him.””
“Emma—”
“You helped my husband destroy my life.””
Her voice became emotional.
“You don’t understand.””
“No.””
I looked at the recording.
“I understand perfectly.””
There was a pause.
Then Karen said something I never expected.
“I tried to stop him.””
I laughed bitterly.
“After helping him?””
“No.””
Her voice cracked.
“After realizing what he was.””
I froze.
“What does that mean?””
Silence.
Then:
“Michael was never supposed to hurt you.””
My heart pounded.
“What?””
“He promised me he would only use your money.””
I felt like I couldn’t breathe.
“You knew?””
“I didn’t know he would become violent.””
The room blurred.
Karen continued.
“I thought he was just manipulating you.””
“Manipulating me?””
My voice broke.
“He put his hands around my throat.””
“I know.””
“You knew?””
“I saw the police report.””
I closed my eyes.
“You weren’t trying to protect me.””
Karen started crying.
“I was scared.””
“Of him?””
“Yes.””
“Then why didn’t you tell me?””
Her answer came quietly.
“Because I was afraid he would expose what I did.””
The silence after that was unbearable.
“What did you do, Karen?””
She didn’t answer.
“Karen.””
Finally, she whispered:
“I helped Michael choose you.””
My body went still.
“What?””
“I introduced you two.””
The world stopped.
Because I remembered that night.
The party.
The first time Michael walked into my life.
Karen had smiled and said:
“Emma, you two need to meet.””
I thought it was fate.
I thought it was luck.
I thought it was the beginning of my love story.
But it wasn’t.
May you like
It was the beginning of a plan.
And Karen had been there from the first page.
