Chapter 12: The Woman Behind the Betrayal
I stared at the photograph.
My mother.
Richard Bennett.
Together.
Before my wedding.
Before the baby.
Before everything collapsed.
I felt numb.
“No.””
The word came out quietly.
Because saying anything louder would make it real.
Daniel looked at the picture.
His face changed.
“You have this?””
I looked at him.
“You know about it.””
He didn’t answer.
I laughed.
A broken, exhausted laugh.
“Of course you do.””
My father closed his eyes.
“Sarah.””
“No.””
I stepped away.
“Every person in my life has been protecting a secret from me.””
Cole looked at me.
“Sarah—”
“Don’t.””
He stopped.
I looked at the picture again.
“Why was my mother with Richard?””
Nobody answered.
Then my phone rang.
Darla.
I stared at the name.
My mother.
The woman who had touched my baby’s stomach hours before I discovered her betrayal.
I answered.
“What?””
Her voice immediately broke.
“Sarah.””
I almost hung up.
“What do you want?””
“I know you found out.””
My eyes narrowed.
“Found out what?””
Silence.
Then:
“About Richard.””
My grip tightened.
“How do you know?””
“Because I’m the one who sent the picture.””
The room went still.
I looked at my father.
At Cole.
“What?””
Darla cried softly.
“I needed you to know.””
“You sent me proof that destroys you.””
“I know.””
“Why?””
Her voice shook.
“Because I’m tired of being afraid.””
That was the first thing she had said that sounded human.
Not an excuse.
Not a lie.
Fear.
“What were you doing with Richard?””
A long silence.
Then she whispered:
“I was trying to stop him.””
I frowned.
“Stop him from what?””
“He was planning something.””
My heart started racing.
“Something with Cole?””
“No.””
“With my father?””
“Yes.””
I looked at Daniel.
His face changed.
Darla continued:
“Richard wanted revenge.””
“Why?””
“Because your father destroyed him.””
I closed my eyes.
There it was again.
Revenge.
Everyone was trapped inside it.
“But why were you involved?””
Her voice broke.
“Because I was the only person Richard trusted.””
I felt sick.
“You were working with my father’s enemy?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because I was trying to protect you.””
I almost laughed.
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
I looked at the room.
“Everyone says they hurt me because they were protecting me.””
Darla cried.
“I made mistakes.””
“Yes.””
“You’re right.””
The honesty shocked me.
“I hurt you.””
I didn’t speak.
She continued.
“But there is something you need to know.””
“What?””
Her voice lowered.
“Cole wasn’t supposed to marry you.””
My stomach dropped.
“What?””
“He was supposed to marry someone else.””
I looked at Cole.
His face went pale.
“What are you talking about?””
Darla whispered:
“Richard had another plan.””
The room felt frozen.
“What plan?””
Silence.
Then she said:
“Cole was supposed to marry Hannah.””
I looked at Hannah’s name in my mind.
The missing woman.
The woman who knew too much.
“The same Hannah?””
“Yes.””
My breathing became shallow.
“Why?””
Darla whispered:
“Because Hannah was the key to destroying your father.””
I looked at Cole.
“Is that true?””
He didn’t answer.
And once again, silence was his confession.
Then Darla said the words that changed everything.
“Sarah…”
Her voice cracked.
“Hannah didn’t disappear because she was afraid of Cole.””
I waited.
“She disappeared because she found out she was pregnant.””
The room went silent.
My hand moved to my stomach.
A cold feeling spread through me.
“Pregnant?””
Darla whispered:
“Yes.””
I looked at Cole.
The man I thought I knew.
The man who had betrayed me.
The man who had hidden an entire life.
And I asked the question that made his face lose all color.
“Cole…”
May you like
My voice shook.
“Do you have another child?””
