Chapter 7: The Person Standing Beside Him
Ethan read the sentence again.
Then again.
The words refused to change.
*The person who betrayed me is not your enemy. They are someone standing beside you.*
His fingers tightened around the paper.
For years, Ethan had believed his family’s tragedy had one simple explanation.
His mother left.
His father stayed.
His childhood was damaged by a woman who disappeared.
But now every piece of that story was falling apart.
And the worst part was realizing the truth had been hidden by the people he trusted most.
Ethan slowly looked around the room.
His father.
His uncle.
His wife.
Someone standing beside him.
The phrase echoed in his mind.
Sophia noticed where his eyes stopped.
For the first time all night, confidence disappeared from her face.
“Ethan,” she said quietly.
He looked at her.
“Did you know what this said?””
Sophia didn’t answer immediately.
That hesitation was enough.
“You knew.””
“I suspected.””
“You suspected?””
Ethan laughed softly.
A painful laugh.
“You found my mother’s letter, hid the second page, accused my father, and now you’re telling me you only suspected?””
Sophia stepped closer.
“I was trying to uncover the truth.””
“No.””
Ethan shook his head.
“You were controlling the truth.””
Richard watched his son carefully.
For the first time that night, he saw something change in Ethan.
The anger was still there.
But it wasn’t blind anymore.
It was becoming awareness.
Daniel walked toward the table.
“Ethan, your mother spent months investigating before she disappeared.””
Ethan looked at him.
“What exactly was she investigating?””
Daniel opened the leather bag again.
He pulled out a folder.
Inside were copies of financial records.
“She found money transferred from your father’s company into accounts that didn’t belong there.””
Ethan looked through the documents.
The numbers were enormous.
Millions of dollars.
“Who had access?””
Richard answered quietly.
“Only senior executives.””
Daniel nodded.
“And family members.””
Ethan looked up.
“Family members?””
Richard’s expression became painful.
“My brother.””
The room went silent.
Ethan stared.
“You had a brother?””
Richard nodded.
“Michael.””
Daniel added, “Your uncle.””
Ethan frowned.
“But you said Daniel was my uncle.””
“You have more than one,” Richard said.
The realization hit him.
Another secret.
Another person he never knew existed.
“Where is Michael now?””
Richard looked at Daniel.
Daniel answered.
“Dead.””
Ethan swallowed.
“When?””
“Three years after your mother disappeared.””
The timing felt wrong.
Too convenient.
Sophia crossed her arms.
“Interesting, isn’t it?””
Richard looked at her.
“What?””
“Your brother steals money. Your wife discovers it. Then your brother dies before anyone can question him.””
Ethan looked at Richard.
“Did you investigate?””
Richard’s face tightened.
“I tried.””
“And?””
“And someone destroyed the evidence.””
Nobody spoke.
The rain outside became louder.
Ethan looked down at the documents.
Then something caught his attention.
A signature.
His eyes narrowed.
“Wait.””
Everyone looked at him.
“This name.””
He pointed.
Richard stepped closer.
“What about it?””
Ethan looked at the signature.
“Why does Sophia’s father’s name appear here?””
The room froze.
Sophia’s expression changed instantly.
Daniel looked at her.
“You never told him.””
Ethan turned toward his wife.
“Told me what?””
Sophia remained silent.
“Sophia.””
Her face hardened.
“My father worked for your father’s company.””
Richard nodded.
“He was my accountant.””
Ethan stared.
“And he was involved?””
Sophia looked angry.
“Don’t do this.””
“Do what?””
“Act like you understand everything.””
Ethan stepped closer.
“No. I’m trying to understand why every road leads back to you.””
Sophia’s eyes flashed.
“Because your father destroyed my family.””
The accusation was sharp.
Richard looked confused.
“What are you talking about?””
Sophia laughed bitterly.
“You really don’t remember?””
Richard said nothing.
And that scared Ethan.
Because his father looked genuinely confused.
Sophia walked toward the window.
“My father was blamed for the missing money.””
Daniel’s expression changed.
“Because someone framed him.””
Sophia turned.
“Yes.””
She looked directly at Richard.
“And you let it happen.””
Richard went pale.
“No.””
“You knew.””
“I didn’t.””
“You knew enough.””
Ethan watched the two of them.
A new possibility formed.
Maybe Sophia wasn’t just a villain.
Maybe she was someone who had been hurt.
But that didn’t erase what she had done.
She had framed an innocent man.
She had manipulated Ethan.
And she had watched him attack his own father.
“Why me?”” Ethan asked.
Sophia looked at him.
“What?””
“Why did you marry me?””
The question landed harder than anything else.
Sophia’s face changed.
For a moment, she looked guilty.
Then her phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
Her expression turned completely pale.
Ethan noticed.
“Who is it?””
Sophia didn’t answer.
Richard stepped forward.
“Give me the phone.””
“No.””
Her voice was suddenly afraid.
The phone continued ringing.
Then a message appeared.
Everyone saw it.
One sentence.
*She knows you found the second page. Leave before they discover the rest.*
Ethan looked at Sophia.
“Who sent that?””
Sophia slowly raised her eyes.
May you like
And whispered:
“The person who killed your mother.””
