Chapter 10: The Message Emily Hid From Me
I held the envelope in my hands and felt like I was holding a piece of my past.
Emily.
Her handwriting.
Her warning.
Her final secret.
The room around me disappeared.
For a moment, I wasn’t standing in an empty wedding venue surrounded by betrayal.
I was back in our kitchen.
Emily was sitting on the counter, laughing as Lily threw cereal onto the floor.
She had looked at me and said, “Promise me something, Michael.””
I smiled.
“Anything.””
“Promise me you’ll always listen to Lily.””
At the time, I thought she was talking about ordinary parenting.
I never imagined she was preparing me for this.
Sarah watched me carefully.
“You need to hear it alone.””
I looked at Ethan.
“Why?””
“Because Emily wanted you to hear the truth before anyone else could influence your decision.””
That sentence bothered me.
“Anyone else?””
Sarah lowered her eyes.
“You don’t know who you can trust yet.””
I took the envelope and walked into a private office near the ballroom.
I closed the door.
Then I opened it.
Inside was a small flash drive.
A note was attached.
Michael,
If you are watching this, it means Vanessa came back into your life.
I hope I’m wrong.
I hope you never needed this.
But if I’m right, please remember one thing.
I trusted you with Lily because you are the only person who would choose her over everything else.
My hands started shaking.
I placed the flash drive into my laptop.
A video appeared.
Emily was sitting in our bedroom.
She looked tired.
Not sick.
Not weak.
Just worried.
“Michael,” she said.
Hearing her voice almost destroyed me.
“If you’re watching this, I’m probably not there to explain everything.””
I covered my mouth.
Emily looked directly into the camera.
“I need you to know something. I didn’t tell you because I was afraid you would do exactly what you’re doing right now.””
I frowned.
“What?””
She smiled sadly.
“You would try to fix everything yourself.””
Even after death, she knew me.
“Vanessa is dangerous,” Emily continued.
“She doesn’t want our family. She wants access.””
I froze.
“But she didn’t start with you.””
The video paused for a second.
Then Emily said:
“She started with James.””
My heart dropped.
I had suspected.
But hearing it from Emily made it real.
“James was struggling financially,” she continued.
“Vanessa found out.””
The video showed documents.
Bank records.
Messages.
Payments.
“Michael, I discovered transfers from Vanessa to James before she ever met you.””
I stared at the screen.
My brother had been bought.
Not recently.
Not because of the wedding.
From the beginning.
Emily continued.
“James introduced Vanessa to you because he knew you would trust someone your family trusted.””
I felt sick.
The person I believed protected me had opened the door for the person trying to destroy me.
Then Emily said something that made me stop breathing.
“But James isn’t the person I’m most worried about.””
I leaned closer.
“Who?””
The video continued.
“Someone else helped Vanessa get information about Lily.””
Emily looked away from the camera.
Someone had clearly hurt her.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
“Michael, I found evidence that someone accessed my private medical records before I died.””
My chest tightened.
“What?””
“Someone knew how much time I had left.””
The video ended with Emily whispering:
“And that person used my illness as a countdown.””
The screen went black.
I sat there frozen.
Then someone knocked.
“Michael?””
Sarah’s voice.
I opened the door.
She immediately saw my face.
“You watched it.””
I nodded.
“Who knew about Emily’s medical records?””
Sarah hesitated.
“I don’t know.””
“You’re lying.””
She looked shocked.
“I’m not.””
“Emily knew someone did.””
Sarah looked down.
Then quietly said:
“There was one person who had access.””
My heart raced.
“Who?””
Sarah swallowed.
“Your family doctor.””
I stared.
“My doctor?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Sarah’s voice became softer.
“Because he was the person who told Emily her condition was worse than expected.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“Are you saying he lied?””
“I’m saying Emily started investigating after that appointment.””
I looked back at the laptop.
Another secret.
Another person.
Another betrayal.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message.
From an unknown number.
I opened it.
There was a picture attached.
My heart stopped.
It was Lily.
Standing outside the estate.
With Vanessa.
May you like
The message underneath said:
*If you want your daughter back, come alone.*
