Chapter 10: The Meeting Behind My Back
The photo stayed on my phone for almost a full minute.
I didn’t move.
I didn’t blink.
I just stared at the image of Rebecca standing outside a hotel with Ethan’s father.
The two people I least expected to be connected were standing together like they had planned it.
My hands felt cold.
“Who sent you that?”” Chloe asked.
I looked up.
“Ethan.””
Her face changed.
“Does he know?””
“I don’t know.””
That was the worst part.
I didn’t know anything anymore.
Not about my sister.
Not about my aunt.
Not even about the people I thought I could trust.
I called Ethan immediately.
He answered on the first ring.
“Did you see it?””
“Yes.””
A pause.
“Where are you?””
“With Chloe.””
Another pause.
Then his voice lowered.
“Don’t confront Rebecca yet.””
I frowned.
“Why?””
“Because we don’t know what she’s doing.””
“She’s meeting your father.””
“I know.””
The way he said it made me stop.
“You know?””
“Yes.””
My stomach tightened.
“What aren’t you telling me?””
I heard him breathe out.
“I found out two days before the wedding.””
My chest tightened.
“Two days?””
“I was trying to figure it out.””
“Without telling me?””
“I was trying to protect you.””
I closed my eyes.
Everyone kept using those words.
Protect you.
Like hiding the truth was the same as keeping me safe.
“Ethan, I need honesty right now.””
“You’re right.””
His voice softened.
“I’m sorry.””
I sat down.
“What did you find out?””
“My father contacted Rebecca.””
“Why?””
“He wanted information about me.””
“What kind of information?””
A pause.
“About our marriage.””
I looked at Chloe.
She was watching me carefully.
“Why would he care?””
“Because my father has debt.””
I frowned.
“And?””
“He thinks if he can convince me to reconnect with him, he can use my reputation and my business connections to solve his problems.””
I felt a chill.
“Rebecca was helping him?””
“I think so.””
I looked back at the photo.
“But why would she help him?””
Ethan didn’t answer immediately.
Then he said:
“I don’t know.””
That scared me.
Because Ethan always had an answer.
When he didn’t, something was seriously wrong.
After the call ended, Chloe spoke quietly.
“She wasn’t trying to ruin your wedding.””
I looked at her.
“Who?””
“Rebecca.””
I waited.
“She was trying to ruin your marriage.””
The words landed heavily.
I remembered Rebecca’s smile.
Her hug.
Her advice.
“You deserve someone who chooses you.””
Was it all fake?
I drove home and found Ethan waiting outside.
The moment he saw me, he walked over.
“I’m sorry.””
I stopped.
“For what?””
“For every secret.””
I looked at him.
“I don’t know how to feel right now.””
“I know.””
“No, you don’t.””
He nodded.
“You’re right.””
That honesty surprised me.
He didn’t defend himself.
He didn’t explain.
He just stood there.
“I should have told you about my father.””
“Yes.””
“I was scared.””
“Of losing me?””
He looked at me.
“Yes.””
The answer hurt because it was human.
Not an excuse.
A fear.
We went inside.
Ethan opened his laptop.
“There’s something else.””
I sighed.
“What now?””
He pulled up a document.
“I hired a private investigator after I saw Rebecca meeting my father.””
I stared.
“You did?””
“Yes.””
“And?””
He turned the screen toward me.
There were bank transfers.
Emails.
Names.
I read through them.
Then I saw something.
A payment.
From Ethan’s father.
To Rebecca.
My heart sank.
“She was paid?””
Ethan nodded.
“Three payments.””
“For what?””
“That’s what we need to find out.””
I looked at the dates.
The first payment was one month before my wedding.
The second was two weeks before.
The third was the day before.
I whispered:
“The day before.””
Ethan nodded.
“What happened that day?””
I thought back.
The rehearsal dinner.
Rebecca’s smile.
Her compliment.
Her hand on my shoulder.
Everything suddenly felt different.
Then Ethan’s laptop made a notification sound.
A new email arrived.
From the investigator.
Ethan opened it.
His face changed.
“What?””
He looked at me.
“The investigator found the reason.””
My heart started racing.
“What reason?””
He turned the screen around.
The email contained one sentence.
*Rebecca wasn’t paid to destroy your wedding. She was paid to stop you from discovering what Ethan’s father already knew.*
I looked at Ethan.
“What did your father know?””
He stared at the screen.
May you like
Then quietly said:
“I think he knew something about my mother’s death.””
