Chapter 9: The Person Who Betrayed Me
The footsteps stopped at the top of the stairs.
My mother grabbed my arm.
“Don’t move.””
Every instinct told me to run.
But another part of me wanted to know.
Who had followed me?
Who was helping Ryan?
The basement door opened.
And a familiar voice called out.
“Emily?””
I froze.
Not because I recognized the voice.
Because I never expected to hear it here.
“Patricia?””
Ryan’s mother slowly walked down the stairs.
Her perfectly styled hair.
Her expensive coat.
Her calm expression.
Everything about her looked exactly the same.
Except now I knew who she really was.
My mother stepped forward.
“What are you doing here?””
Patricia ignored her.
She looked at me.
“You found the letter.””
It wasn’t a question.
I stared at her.
“You knew.””
Patricia sighed.
“Emily, you don’t understand.””
“No.””
My voice became sharper.
“I understand perfectly.””
She looked disappointed.
Like I was the one causing trouble.
“Ryan was scared.””
I laughed.
“Scared?””
She nodded.
“He knew something was wrong.””
“He cheated on me.””
“He made a mistake.””
I felt my anger rise.
“Everyone keeps calling it a mistake.””
I stepped closer.
“He didn’t accidentally hide money. He didn’t accidentally hire an investigator. He didn’t accidentally hit me.””
Patricia looked away.
For the first time, she looked uncomfortable.
“You were never supposed to find out this way.””
My heart dropped.
“What does that mean?””
She didn’t answer.
And that was the answer.
I looked at my mother.
Then back at Patricia.
“You helped him.””
Patricia crossed her arms.
“I helped my son.””
The honesty was worse than a lie.
“You knew from the beginning?””
“No.””
A pause.
“Not from the beginning.””
I waited.
She continued.
“Ryan discovered the trust after you were married.””
“How?””
Patricia looked at the floor.
“Your grandmother contacted me.””
The room went silent.
My grandmother contacted Patricia?
“Why?””
“Because she knew Ryan was interested in your finances.””
I stopped breathing.
“She knew?””
Patricia nodded.
“She warned me.””
My hands started shaking.
“Then why didn’t you warn me?””
Patricia’s face hardened.
“Because I thought Ryan would change.””
I stared at her.
“You watched him destroy my life because you thought he would change?””
She didn’t answer.
That was enough.
My phone suddenly rang.
Ryan.
Again.
Patricia looked at the screen.
“He knows I’m here.””
“How?””
She looked away.
And that tiny movement told me everything.
“You’re still helping him.””
“Emily—”
“No.””
I stepped back.
“You came here to get the letter.””
Patricia’s silence confirmed it.
She wasn’t here because she cared.
She was here because Ryan needed something.
I held the letter tightly.
“You’re too late.””
Patricia’s expression changed.
“What do you mean?””
I looked at her.
“I already sent a copy to my attorney.””
For the first time, Patricia looked afraid.
Then her phone buzzed.
She checked it.
And her face went pale.
“What happened?”” I asked.
She didn’t answer.
I took one step closer.
“Patricia.””
Slowly, she looked up.
And whispered:
“Ryan isn’t the only person who has been hiding something.””
My stomach tightened.
“What?””
She looked at me with fear in her eyes.
“Your grandmother didn’t create the trust because she didn’t trust strangers.””
A pause.
“She created it because she didn’t trust someone in the family.””
I felt the room spin.
“Who?””
Patricia looked toward the letter in my hand.
May you like
Then she said the one name I never expected.
“Your mother.””
