Chapter 10: The Night Everything Changed
Brooke’s words stayed in the air.
“I wasn’t alone that night.””
For six months, I replayed the accident in my head.
The rain.
The headlights.
The sound of metal crushing.
The hospital room where I woke up and realized my entire future had changed.
But there was one thing I never questioned.
I was alone.
Or at least, I thought I was.
I looked at Brooke.
“Who was with you?””
She didn’t answer.
Her hands shook.
Marcus stepped closer.
“Brooke.””
She closed her eyes.
“My mother.””
Nobody moved.
The room became silent.
Richard looked away.
Like he had expected this.
I felt anger rising.
“You were with Victoria?””
Brooke nodded slowly.
“She called me that night.””
“Why?””
“She said she needed to talk.””
“About what?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I don’t know.””
I stared at her.
“Brooke.””
“I swear.””
She wiped her face.
“She told me she was going to meet someone. She was upset. She kept saying everything was falling apart.””
I looked at the note again.
Ask Brooke what she remembers.
“Then why didn’t you tell me?””
She looked down.
“Because I was scared.””
I almost laughed.
That word again.
Everyone was scared.
Everyone had a reason.
Everyone had a secret.
Except me.
“I woke up in a hospital,” I said quietly.
“I spent months trying to understand why the woman I loved disappeared.””
Brooke looked broken.
“I wanted to tell you.””
“But you didn’t.””
“No.””
“Why?””
Her voice became barely audible.
“Because my mother told me if I said anything, you would never forgive me.””
I looked at Richard.
Then Marcus.
“Did she threaten you?””
Brooke nodded.
“She said people would believe I was involved.””
I looked at Isabella.
She looked at Brooke differently now.
Not with anger.
With understanding.
Because she knew what it felt like to be trapped by someone else’s actions.
“What exactly happened that night?”” Marcus asked.
Brooke took a deep breath.
“I met my mother at a restaurant.””
“When?””
“About an hour before the crash.””
“Who was she meeting?””
Brooke hesitated.
Then said:
“Chad.””
My jaw tightened.
Of course.
Chad.
The man who stood beside her at the gala.
The man who laughed when I was humiliated.
The man who knew more than he admitted.
“Why was Chad meeting your mother?””
“I don’t know.””
“Brooke.””
“I really don’t.””
She looked at me.
“But I heard them arguing.””
“About what?””
She swallowed.
“My mother said, ‘You promised me he wouldn’t get hurt.’”
The room froze.
I felt my hands tighten.
“She said that?””
Brooke nodded.
“Chad told her everything would go according to plan.””
Marcus immediately pulled out his phone.
“We need to find him.””
But before he could move, the building alarm suddenly sounded.
Everyone froze.
Daniel’s voice came through the security speakers.
“Mr. Vance?””
I grabbed the intercom.
“What happened?””
A pause.
Then:
“Someone is in the archive room.””
Richard’s face changed.
“The archive room?””
“Yes.””
He moved immediately.
“No.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
“That room contains everything.””
“Exactly.””
We rushed down the hallway.
The old archive room was located below the executive floor.
Most employees didn’t even know it existed.
My uncle always said important things should be kept away from people who wanted easy access.
When we reached the door, it was open.
Inside, papers covered the floor.
Files had been pulled from shelves.
Someone was searching.
Not stealing.
Searching.
Marcus looked around.
“They were looking for something specific.””
Richard stepped inside.
Then stopped.
“What?””
He pointed.
A small box sat on the table.
Untouched.
I approached slowly.
“What is it?””
Richard looked at me.
“My brother’s records.””
My father.
The words hit me.
He opened the box.
Inside were old documents.
Photos.
Letters.
And one small audio recorder.
Richard picked it up.
“I thought this was lost.””
“What is it?””
He looked at me.
“The last recording your father ever made.””
The room became silent.
My heart started racing.
My father died when I was young.
I remembered almost nothing.
Only a voice.
A smile.
A hand on my shoulder.
Richard pressed play.
Static filled the room.
Then a familiar voice.
My father.
“If you’re hearing this, something happened.””
I stopped breathing.
The recording continued.
“I don’t know who I can trust anymore.””
Everyone listened.
“I found out who has been taking money from the foundation.””
A pause.
Then my father said:
“It’s someone in the Vance family.””
Richard stepped back.
I looked at him.
The recording continued.
“And the person helping them is…”
The audio cut out.
The screen on the recorder went black.
Marcus checked it.
“Battery died.””
I stared at the device.
One sentence unfinished.
One name hidden.
Then my phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
May you like
A message appeared.
*“You want the name? Come alone.””*
