Chapter 13: The Betrayal Hidden in My Memory
The recording played again.
My own voice filled the room.
Calm.
Certain.
Like the woman speaking had already accepted that her world was about to collapse.
“If anything happens to me, the evidence must be released.””
Then silence.
Then the sentence that haunted me.
“The person I trust most is the one who will betray me.””
Everyone looked at everyone else.
But nobody looked at me.
Because they were waiting for me to explain.
And I couldn’t.
I had spent eight years believing I was chasing someone else’s secret.
I never imagined I was chasing my own.
Ethan stepped toward me.
“Naomi.””
I looked at him.
For the first time since we met, I saw uncertainty in his eyes.
Not because he doubted me.
Because he didn’t know how to protect me from something I couldn’t remember.
“I don’t know what this means.””
Thomas smiled.
“That’s because you still refuse to accept the truth.””
I turned toward him.
“You expect me to believe everything you say?””
“No.””
His answer surprised me.
“I expect you to remember.””
Daniel stepped between us.
“Enough.””
Thomas looked amused.
“Still protecting her?””
Daniel’s expression hardened.
“You don’t know what protection means.””
Thomas laughed.
“Neither did I, apparently.””
He looked at me.
“Do you want to know who was in that room when you recorded that message?””
My hands tightened.
“Yes.””
Thomas reached for another file.
Inside were photographs.
A meeting room.
Four people.
My old security supervisor.
Richard.
Thomas.
And someone else.
Someone whose face had been hidden.
I looked closer.
My heart stopped.
Because I recognized the watch.
The hand.
The posture.
“No.””
Ethan looked at me.
“What?””
I couldn’t breathe.
“That’s…”
I stopped.
Because saying the name would make it real.
Daniel whispered:
“Say it.””
I looked at Ethan.
“It’s your father.””
Everyone froze.
Richard’s face went pale.
Thomas smiled.
“Finally.””
Ethan turned slowly.
“Dad?””
Richard didn’t deny it.
That was the worst part.
The man who had spent days telling everyone he was protecting this family had been sitting at the center of everything.
Ethan’s voice broke.
“How long?””
Richard looked away.
“Long enough.””
I felt something inside me crack.
Not because Richard betrayed me.
I barely knew him.
But because Ethan did.
This was his entire life falling apart.
“Why?”” Ethan asked.
Richard’s silence lasted too long.
Then he answered.
“Because Thomas was going to destroy everything.””
Thomas laughed.
“And Richard thought he could control me.””
Richard ignored him.
“I hired Naomi’s team because I needed someone outside the family.””
I stared.
“You hired me to stop him?””
Richard nodded.
“Yes.””
“Then why did I almost die?””
His face changed.
“Because I failed.””
The room became silent.
For the first time, Richard Whitmore looked powerless.
“I discovered Thomas had someone inside your organization.””
I frowned.
“My team.””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
Richard looked at me.
“I never found out.””
Thomas interrupted.
“But you did.””
Everyone looked at him.
Thomas smiled.
“The person who betrayed Naomi was standing beside her every day.””
Daniel’s expression changed.
“No.””
Thomas nodded.
“Yes.””
I felt sick.
Because suddenly memories started moving.
A voice.
A laugh.
A familiar face.
Someone who always knew where I was.
Someone who always knew what I planned.
Then my phone buzzed.
Everyone turned.
A message.
Unknown number.
But this time, it wasn’t a threat.
It was a name.
*MASON REED.*
My old partner.
The person I trusted most.
The person who trained me.
The person who disappeared after Philadelphia.
I looked at Daniel.
“You knew?””
He looked devastated.
“I suspected.””
Ethan stepped closer.
“Who is Mason Reed?””
I stared at the message.
“The man who saved my life.””
A pause.
May you like
Then I whispered:
“And the man who may have tried to end it.””
