Chapter 8: The Man Who Knew Too Much
We spent the next hour going through Ethan’s hidden phone.
Not everything was accessible.
But enough was there to make me sick.
Messages.
Encrypted files.
Unknown names.
Dates.
Plans.
My father sat at the dining table, reading through printed copies.
I stood by the window, watching the street.
Waiting for Ethan to appear.
Part of me wanted him to.
I wanted him to explain.
I wanted him to look me in the eyes and tell me everything was a misunderstanding.
But deep down, I knew he wouldn’t.
Because innocent people don’t hide second phones.
They don’t track their wives before marriage.
They don’t disappear when their pregnant wife collapses.
“Claire.””
I turned.
My father held up a document.
“This is important.””
I walked over.
“What is it?””
He placed it in front of me.
A bank transfer record.
My name was on it.
My hands went cold.
“That’s impossible.””
My father shook his head.
“No.””
The date was three years earlier.
The exact month I met Ethan.
“Someone transferred money using your identity.””
I stared.
“Why?””
My father didn’t answer immediately.
Then he said:
“To make it look like you were connected to something illegal.””
I felt dizzy.
“So Ethan planned to frame me?””
“Possibly.””
The word scared me.
Not because it wasn’t certain.
Because it meant we still didn’t know how far he had gone.
A knock came at the door.
Both of us froze.
My father closed the folder.
“Stay behind me.””
The door opened before we reached it.
A woman stood outside.
She looked around forty.
Her face was tired.
Her eyes were full of regret.
“Claire?””
I stepped back.
“Who are you?””
She looked at my father.
Then back at me.
“My name is Rachel.””
My father’s expression changed.
“Why are you here?””
Rachel swallowed.
“Because I know what Ethan was planning.””
The room became silent.
I stared.
“How do you know my husband?””
She looked down.
“I used to work for his father.””
My heart tightened.
The Carter family again.
My father stepped forward.
“You shouldn’t be here.””
Rachel’s voice shook.
“I know.””
“Then why did you come?””
She looked at me.
“Because I saw what happened to your mother.””
My entire body went still.
My mother.
The word alone made everything stop.
“What did you say?””
Rachel’s eyes filled with tears.
“I was there that night.””
My father’s face changed.
“Rachel…”
“No.””
She looked at him.
“She deserves to know.””
I stepped closer.
“What happened?””
Rachel took a deep breath.
“Your mother discovered that Ethan’s father was using a charity organization to move illegal money.””
My father closed his eyes.
“And?””
“And she planned to expose him.””
My fingers tightened.
“What happened after that?””
Rachel looked at me.
“She trusted someone.””
A pause.
“Someone who promised to help her.””
I felt a chill.
“Who?””
Rachel looked toward my father.
Then whispered:
“Your husband.””
I stopped breathing.
“No.””
Rachel nodded sadly.
“Ethan was young. He wasn’t the person controlling everything.””
My father stared.
“Then who was?””
Rachel looked at the window.
Like she was afraid of someone seeing her.
“His father.””
The room went silent.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A distorted voice spoke.
“Stop digging.””
My blood ran cold.
“Who is this?””
A pause.
Then the voice said:
“If you want your baby to grow up with a mother…”
The line went silent.
I looked at my father.
Someone knew.
May you like
Someone was watching.
And they knew exactly what mattered most to me.
