Chapter 13: The Last Secret
For a moment, I couldn’t understand what Ethan had said.
The room was silent.
Too silent.
My hand instinctively moved toward my stomach.
The baby.
My baby.
“What do you mean?””
Ethan looked at me with a pain I had never seen before.
“Diane knew about the pregnancy before I did.””
My eyebrows tightened.
“That’s impossible.””
“She had someone following you.””
My father’s expression darkened.
“Why?””
Ethan looked at the floor.
“Because she was afraid.””
“Afraid of what?””
He hesitated.
And somehow, that hesitation scared me more than the answer.
“She thought the baby might expose her.””
My heart raced.
“What does my baby have to do with any of this?””
Ethan looked at the pendant on the table.
Then at me.
“Your mother didn’t only leave evidence behind.””
My father became still.
“What are you saying?””
Ethan took a deep breath.
“She left a message.””
I frowned.
“Where?””
“In the memory card.””
Everyone looked at the small piece of plastic sitting beside my father.
The evidence.
The thing people had spent years chasing.
My father carefully picked it up.
“We need to see what’s inside.””
We moved to the dining table.
Nobody spoke.
Nobody wanted to imagine what else could be waiting.
My father connected the memory card to his laptop.
A single video file appeared.
Created fifteen years ago.
My breath caught.
The date.
The date my mother died.
My father clicked it.
The screen flickered.
Then my mother appeared.
Older than the photograph.
Tired.
But smiling.
I covered my mouth.
“Mom…”
I had not heard her voice in years.
The room disappeared.
There was only her.
“Claire,” she said softly.
“If you’re watching this, then something happened.””
My tears fell instantly.
Her voice continued.
“I hope I was wrong.””
My father looked down.
My mother looked directly into the camera.
“I hope you never needed to see this.””
She paused.
“But if you did, it means the Carter family found out.””
Ethan closed his eyes.
My mother continued.
“There is one person you must protect.””
My heartbeat slowed.
“Your daughter.””
The room became silent.
My mother was talking about me.
“When Claire grows up, they may try to use her.””
I touched my stomach.
But then my mother said something that made me freeze.
“Because Claire carries something more important than the evidence.””
My father leaned closer.
“What?””
My mother continued.
“The truth.””
The video stopped.
Everyone stared.
“That’s it?””
My father checked the file.
“There’s more.””
Another file appeared.
A hidden audio recording.
He opened it.
My mother’s voice returned.
This time, she sounded afraid.
“If Claire ever has a child…”
I stopped breathing.
My mother knew.
Years ago.
Before I even met Ethan.
“If Claire has a child, the Carter family will try to claim what belongs to them.””
My father looked at Ethan.
Ethan looked horrified.
My mother continued.
“Because the evidence I found was never only about money.””
A pause.
“It was about inheritance.””
My hands tightened.
“What inheritance?””
Nobody answered.
Then Ethan whispered:
“My father’s family.””
My father looked at him.
“What?””
Ethan stared at the screen.
“They were hiding something bigger.””
The video ended.
Nobody moved.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message.
Unknown number.
I opened it.
A photograph appeared.
My blood froze.
It was taken outside the hospital.
Me.
Holding my newborn baby bag.
Taken before I had even left.
Below the picture was one sentence.
*“The child belongs to the Carter family.””*
My father immediately stood.
“Give me the phone.””
I handed it over.
His face changed.
Because underneath the message was something else.
A symbol.
A symbol he recognized.
“What is it?””
My father looked at me.
And for the first time, he looked afraid.
“Claire…”
“What?””
He swallowed.
“This symbol belonged to your grandfather.””
I froze.
“My grandfather?””
He nodded.
“The Carter family isn’t just connected to Ethan.””
May you like
He looked at the message.
“They’re connected to us.””
