Chapter 10: The Woman Who Knew the Truth
The abandoned farmhouse stood at the edge of the city, hidden behind rows of dead trees and an overgrown driveway.
When we arrived, the police were already there.
That was the first thing that scared me.
Not the broken windows.
Not the empty rooms.
The police.
Because people only called them when something had already gone wrong.
Ethan stepped out of the vehicle first.
I followed.
My heart was pounding so hard I could barely hear anything else.
“Where is she?”” I asked.
A detective approached us.
“Are you Amelia Carter?””
“Yes.””
He looked at Ethan.
Then back at me.
“Your grandmother is alive.””
My knees almost gave out.
Alive.
After all these years.
Alive.
“But she was injured,” the detective continued.
“She’s being treated inside.””
I rushed toward the house.
“Amelia.””
Ethan’s voice stopped me.
I turned.
“What?””
His expression was serious.
“Remember what your father recorded.””
Trust no one.
I understood.
This wasn’t only a rescue.
It was another trap.
Inside the farmhouse, I saw her.
An elderly woman sitting on a medical chair.
Gray hair.
Tired eyes.
But the moment she saw me, those eyes filled with tears.
“Amelia?””
I froze.
I had imagined meeting my grandmother hundreds of times.
But never like this.
I walked closer.
“Do you know me?””
She reached for my hand.
“You look exactly like your mother.””
My eyes burned.
“You knew where I was?””
She closed her eyes.
“I watched from a distance.””
“Why?””
Her face tightened.
“Because your father asked me to.””
I pulled my hand away.
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
The frustration came out before I could stop it.
“My father wanted this. My father wanted that. Everyone made decisions for me.””
She looked hurt.
And somehow that made me feel guilty.
But I was tired.
Tired of being protected through lies.
“I deserved to know the truth.””
She nodded slowly.
“You did.””
The room became quiet.
Then she looked at Ethan.
“You finally brought her.””
Ethan lowered his head.
“I promised Daniel.””
My grandmother stared at him.
“And you waited too long.””
The words shocked me.
“You blame him?””
She looked at me.
“I blame everyone who thought they could decide what was best for you.””
Ethan accepted the criticism.
That surprised me.
My grandmother took a deep breath.
“Your father discovered Richard Hale wasn’t working alone.””
“Who helped him?””
She looked toward the window.
“A woman.””
“Who?””
Her fingers tightened around mine.
“Someone inside Westbridge.””
My mind immediately went through every name.
Professor Lang.
Dean Whitmore.
Administrators.
Then she said:
“Someone who had access to student records.””
My heart stopped.
“Who?””
Before she answered, the lights went out.
The farmhouse became completely dark.
Security immediately moved.
“What happened?”” Ethan asked.
No response.
Then a sound came from the hallway.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Controlled.
Someone was inside.
My grandmother grabbed my hand.
“Amelia.””
Her voice trembled.
“Do not let them take that notebook.””
I looked down.
The notebook was still in my hand.
A figure appeared at the end of the hallway.
Security moved forward.
But the person didn’t run.
They simply stood there.
Watching.
Then the emergency lights turned on.
And I saw the face.
My breath disappeared.
Because I knew her.
Everyone at Westbridge knew her.
The person standing in the hallway was wearing a university administration badge.
And she looked directly at me.
“Amelia.””
May you like
Her voice was calm.
“You finally found me.””
