Chapter 13: The Engagement Lie
Emily stared at Noah as if she had never seen him before.
“You.””
Noah closed the steel door behind him.
“I'm sorry.””
She shook her head.
“You were there.””
“Yes.””
“You knew Claire.””
“Yes.””
“You knew Lily.””
His eyes moved toward Lily.
“Yes.””
Emily stepped backward.
“And you knew about my father.””
Noah didn't answer.
Richard moved between him and the girls.
“What do you want?””
Noah's expression hardened.
“The same thing your brother wants.””
“The money?””
“No.””
He pointed at the black notebook.
“The evidence.””
I held it tighter.
“What evidence?””
“The evidence that can put half the Hale family in prison.””
Richard went still.
“You're working for Marcus.””
“I was.””
“Was?””
Noah nodded.
“Until I realized what he had done.””
Lily stepped forward.
“You kidnapped me.””
“I was trying to keep you alive.””
“You tied me to a chair.””
“To stop Marcus from finding you first.””
I shook my head.
“You could have called the police.””
Noah looked at me.
“Which police?””
Silence.
He pulled a flash drive from his pocket.
“Your father knew he couldn't trust the authorities.””
Richard frowned.
“What's on it?””
“Everything.””
Noah placed it on the desk.
“Bank records. Hospital records. Security footage. Messages between Marcus and your mother.””
My mother.
I felt my stomach twist.
“No.””
Noah looked at me.
“She wasn't the person who ordered your father's death.””
I exhaled.
“But she helped cover it up.””
The room seemed to tilt.
Lily looked at me.
“Why?””
Noah answered.
“Because Marcus threatened Claire.””
I stared at him.
“My mother protected me?””
“She believed Marcus would kill you if she went to the police.””
Richard shook his head.
“She could have told me.””
“She didn't trust you.””
“Why?””
Noah's jaw tightened.
“Because your brother had already convinced her you were involved.””
Richard's face went pale.
“My own brother?””
Noah nodded.
“Marcus told Evelyn that you were part of the fraud.””
Richard looked down.
“He made her believe I was stealing from the company.””
I remembered my mother's words.
I was trying to protect the family.
Suddenly, they made sense.
Not enough to forgive her.
But enough to understand.
Emily looked at Noah.
“And me?””
He stared at her.
“What about me?””
“Did you ever love me?””
Noah's expression broke.
“Yes.””
“Then why did you lie?””
“Because Marcus found out I was investigating him.””
Emily's eyes filled.
“You proposed to me anyway.””
“I needed access to his accounts.””
She flinched as though he'd slapped her.
“So our entire relationship was a lie?””
“No.””
His voice cracked.
“The investigation was a lie. You weren't.””
Emily turned away.
I wanted to comfort her.
But my own hands were shaking.
Noah looked at me.
“Your father left one final instruction.””
He pointed at the key.
“Take that to the Hale family vault.””
Richard asked, “Where is it?””
Noah looked at me.
“Under the hotel.””
My heart stopped.
“The hotel where the engagement party was held?””
“Yes.””
“That can't be possible.””
“It is.””
He reached into his jacket and handed me a folded blueprint.
I opened it.
The hotel foundation was marked with a red circle.
Beneath the ballroom.
My mother's favorite room.
The place where she had spent the afternoon posing beside the silver McLaren.
I looked at the map.
Then at Noah.
“Why would Dad hide it there?””
“Because he knew Marcus would never search his own family’s favorite place.””
A noise echoed upstairs.
Everyone froze.
Noah whispered, “They're here.””
Richard looked toward the door.
“Who?””
Noah's face went pale.
“Marcus.””
Then another voice came from the hallway.
My mother's.
“Claire!””
I ran toward the door.
Noah grabbed my arm.
“Wait.””
“That’s my mother.””
“And that's exactly what Marcus wants you to think.””
The door suddenly shook under a heavy impact.
Once.
Twice.
Then a man's voice thundered through the steel.
“Claire, open the door.””
I looked at Noah.
“Who is it?””
He stared at the door.
“Your mother.””
The third impact made the hinges groan.
May you like
And then Mom screamed from the other side:
“Claire, don't let him open the vault!””
