Chapter 10: The Person Who Watched Us
Nobody moved.
The photo on my phone was impossible.
It showed us standing in the basement.
Daniel.
Vanessa.
Mark.
And me.
Taken from above.
Taken moments ago.
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“Someone was here.””
Daniel looked toward the ceiling.
“We need to leave.””
For once, I didn’t argue.
Not because I trusted him.
Because I finally understood something.
This was bigger than our family.
Someone had been watching us.
Someone had known about the box.
Someone knew exactly what we were about to find.
Mark slowly walked toward the stairs.
“No.””
Daniel grabbed his arm.
“What are you doing?””
“I’m checking.””
“You’re not going up there.””
Mark looked at him.
“Then who will?””
Nobody answered.
The house felt like it was holding its breath.
I held my mother’s journal against my chest.
My entire life had been built on missing pieces.
Now those pieces were finally appearing.
And every one of them was uglier than the last.
A sound came from upstairs.
A door closing.
Then footsteps.
Someone was leaving.
Daniel rushed toward the stairs.
“Wait!””
I grabbed his arm.
“Why?””
He looked at me.
“Because if that’s who I think it is…”
He stopped.
“Who?””
His face went pale.
“I don’t know.””
That answer terrified me.
We searched the house room by room.
Nothing.
The front door was locked.
The back door was closed.
No broken windows.
No signs of anyone entering.
But on the kitchen counter was something that wasn’t there before.
A single envelope.
My name was written on it.
Emily.
I stared at it.
“No.””
Daniel looked at me.
“What?””
“This is what they want.””
“What do you mean?””
“They want me to keep opening things.””
Vanessa stood quietly behind us.
For once, she didn’t have a sarcastic comment.
She looked scared.
I picked up the envelope.
It was heavier than it should have been.
Inside was a flash drive.
And a note.
Three words.
*Watch the video.*
My stomach tightened.
Mark stepped closer.
“Don’t open it.””
I looked at him.
“Why?””
He didn’t answer.
“Why, Mark?””
His jaw tightened.
“Because I know what’s on it.””
The room went silent.
Daniel looked at him.
“You knew?””
Mark looked away.
I plugged the flash drive into my laptop.
Everyone gathered around.
A video file appeared.
The date was from three years ago.
The same year everything started.
I pressed play.
The screen showed an office.
My father’s old office.
Daniel was there.
Younger.
More confident.
And sitting across from him was Mark.
I froze.
Because they weren’t alone.
A third person was sitting between them.
Vanessa.
The video had no sound at first.
Then the audio started.
Daniel’s voice came through.
“I don’t want to do this.””
Mark leaned forward.
“You don’t have a choice.””
Vanessa looked nervous.
“You said nobody would get hurt.””
Mark smiled.
“Nobody will know.””
I felt sick.
I looked at Daniel.
“That’s you.””
He couldn’t deny it.
The video continued.
Mark placed papers on the desk.
“Once the authorization is completed, the accounts will be protected.””
Daniel shook his head.
“She’s my daughter.””
Vanessa looked at him.
“You said you would save the company.””
The screen went black.
I stared.
“That’s it?””
Then another file appeared.
A newer date.
I clicked it.
This time, it was a recording from inside my house.
My bedroom.
My savings notebook was on the desk.
And Vanessa was standing there.
Holding my documents.
My breath stopped.
“She was in my room.””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“Emily…”
I turned toward her.
“You watched me save that money.””
She looked broken.
“I never wanted…”
“No.””
My voice shook.
“You don’t get to say that.””
The video continued.
Vanessa opened my drawer.
Pulled out my notebook.
Then she made a phone call.
A man answered.
I heard his voice.
Mark.
“Did you find what we need?””
Vanessa replied:
“Yes.””
The video ended.
Nobody spoke.
Then Daniel whispered:
“Vanessa…”
She looked at him.
“I can explain.””
I stared at her.
“No.””
I closed the laptop.
“You’re going to tell me everything.””
She looked at me.
May you like
And for the first time, she didn’t look powerful.
She looked trapped.
