Chapter 12: The Person From My Past
I didn’t sleep after Rachel’s call.
Not because I was afraid.
Because my mind wouldn’t stop searching through every person I had ever trusted.
Before Daniel.
Before marriage.
Before Lily.
Who could have helped Margaret?
The next morning, I met Rachel in a quiet coffee shop.
She arrived looking exhausted.
Different from the confident sister who testified against me.
She looked like someone who had finally realized what she had done.
“I’m sorry.””
Those were her first words.
I didn’t respond.
Because apologies didn’t erase signatures.
They didn’t erase messages.
They didn’t erase the fact that she had helped people build a case against me.
“You need to tell me everything.””
Rachel nodded.
“I will.””
She wrapped her hands around her coffee cup.
“When Margaret first approached me, she said she was worried about Lily.””
I almost laughed.
“She always used Lily as an excuse.””
“I know that now.””
Rachel looked down.
“She told me you had problems before Daniel.””
My stomach tightened.
“What problems?””
“She said you had a history of emotional issues.””
I stared at her.
“And you believed her?””
Rachel’s eyes filled with tears.
“I wanted to believe I was helping.””
There it was again.
Helping.
The word everyone used.
“I didn’t know she was lying.””
“What did she show you?””
Rachel swallowed.
“A report.””
“What kind of report?””
“She said it was from someone who knew you before.””
I leaned closer.
“Who?””
Rachel looked terrified.
Then she said the name.
And everything inside me froze.
Because I knew that person.
My old therapist.
The person I had seen briefly after my father died.
The person who knew my private thoughts.
My fears.
My worst moments.
“That’s impossible.””
Rachel shook her head.
“That’s what I thought.””
“Did you speak to them?””
“No.””
“Then how do you know?””
Rachel pulled out her phone.
She opened a message.
A message from Margaret.
Attached was a screenshot.
A conversation.
Between Margaret and my former therapist.
My hands trembled.
I read the first line.
*I need you to confirm Emily has always struggled with emotional regulation.*
The reply came underneath.
*I can provide a statement if necessary.*
I felt like the world tilted.
A professional.
Someone I trusted.
Someone who had been paid to help me.
Was helping destroy me.
“Why?””
Rachel whispered.
“I don’t know.””
But I did.
Money.
Control.
The same reason everything else happened.
I immediately called Detective Hayes.
When she arrived, she examined the messages.
“This changes things.””
“How?””
“Because now we may have evidence of coordinated fraud.””
I looked at her.
“Meaning?””
“Meaning multiple people may have worked together to create false evidence.””
I thought about Daniel.
Margaret.
Rachel.
The therapist.
How many people had been involved?
How long had they been planning?
Detective Hayes received a phone call.
Her expression changed while she listened.
Then she looked at me.
“Mrs. Carter.””
“What?””
“We found another account connected to Margaret.””
“What kind of account?””
She hesitated.
“A private account.””
My heart sank.
“What’s inside?””
Detective Hayes looked at the file in her hand.
“Payments.””
“To who?””
She looked directly at me.
And I knew before she answered.
“Your former therapist.””
The room went silent.
May you like
Because the person who was supposed to help me heal…
had been paid to help them destroy me.
