Chapter 13: The Person Behind the Mask
The name on my phone screen didn’t make sense.
For several seconds, my brain refused to process it.
Because it was impossible.
It couldn’t be them.
Not after everything.
Not after all the times they had stood beside me.
Not after all the moments I thought they were the one safe person in Daniel’s family.
I looked at the message again.
*The person who helped Linda create the plan was Vanessa Carter’s husband, Ethan.*
My hands went cold.
Vanessa noticed my expression.
“What?””
I slowly turned the phone around.
The color drained from her face.
“No.””
She said it immediately.
Not anger.
Not denial.
Fear.
“No.””
Daniel looked between us.
“Who is it?””
Vanessa whispered:
“Ethan.””
The room became silent.
The police officer took the phone and read the message.
“We need to speak with him.””
Vanessa stood up.
“I don’t understand.””
Her voice cracked.
“He hates my mother.””
I looked at her.
“You thought he did.””
She covered her mouth.
Because that was the worst part.
Evil rarely announces itself.
Sometimes it wears the face of the person who comforts you.
The officer asked:
“Where is Ethan now?””
Vanessa looked at her phone.
“He was supposed to be at home.””
The officer nodded.
“We need his address.””
Vanessa gave it.
Then she sat down.
Completely broken.
“I married him six hours ago.””
Nobody spoke.
Because there was nothing anyone could say.
The man who had just promised her forever might have been part of the reason her family was falling apart.
Daniel sat beside his sister.
“Vanessa…”
She shook her head.
“I don’t understand.””
I looked at her.
“What did Ethan say about the baby?””
Her eyes moved to mine.
At first, she didn’t answer.
Then slowly, she remembered.
“He used to joke.””
“About what?””
She swallowed.
“He said our family needed a baby.””
My stomach tightened.
“And?””
“He said my mom always knew how to fix problems.””
Daniel looked at me.
A terrible realization passed between us.
Linda wasn’t the only person who thought this way.
She had found someone who agreed with her.
Someone who believed my baby was a problem to solve.
The officer left to contact Ethan.
For the next hour, nobody moved.
Then Daniel quietly said:
“I need to tell you something.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
He looked ashamed.
“Ethan wasn’t always around.””
Vanessa looked up.
“What does that mean?””
“He started spending a lot of time with Mom after you two got engaged.””
Vanessa frowned.
“That’s normal.””
“No.””
Daniel shook his head.
“Not like this.””
He looked at me.
“He asked me questions.””
“What kind of questions?””
Daniel hesitated.
“About Sarah.””
My heart sank.
“What questions?””
“He asked how stressed you were. How you handled pregnancy. Whether you had family nearby.””
I felt sick.
“He was collecting information.””
Daniel nodded.
“I think so.””
A few minutes later, the officer returned.
His expression told us everything.
“He’s gone.””
Vanessa stood.
“What?””
“He left his house before we arrived.””
“Where did he go?””
The officer looked at his notes.
“We found a message he left.””
My stomach tightened.
“What did it say?””
The officer looked at Vanessa.
“He said he was going to finish what Linda started.””
Vanessa started crying.
And then my phone buzzed again.
Another message.
This time, a photo.
I opened it.
My breath disappeared.
It was a picture of my hospital room.
Taken from inside.
From earlier that day.
Someone had been watching me.
The message underneath said:
*Linda wanted control. I want what was promised to me.*
Daniel grabbed my phone.
“Promised?””
The officer looked serious.
“Everyone needs to stay here.””
But I already knew.
This was no longer about jealousy.
No longer about a wedding.
No longer about Linda wanting attention.
Someone had a reason.
Someone had been promised something.
Then another message arrived.
May you like
A final one.
*Ask Linda who the baby’s real guardian was supposed to be.*
