Chapter 14: The Truth They Buried
Nobody spoke.
The silence after my grandmother’s confession was louder than any argument.
I looked at Ethan.
Waiting.
For anger.
For denial.
For an explanation.
But he just stood there.
Broken.
“You were with him.””
Ethan nodded.
“Yes.””
My chest tightened.
“Then tell me the truth.””
“I will.””
“Now.””
He closed his eyes.
“The night Daniel disappeared, he called me because he knew someone was following him.””
I listened.
“When I arrived, Richard Hale was already there.””
My grandmother looked down.
“You said Daniel was alone.””
“He was.””
Ethan looked at her.
“When I arrived.””
The words mattered.
“What happened after?””
Ethan walked toward the desk.
“Daniel gave me the evidence.””
“The notebook?””
“No.””
He shook his head.
“The original files.””
My eyes widened.
“Then where are they?””
Ethan looked at me.
“Hidden.””
“Where?””
A painful pause.
“Inside Sterling Global.””
I stared.
“All this time?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because Daniel knew nobody would search there.””
I felt overwhelmed.
“Then why didn’t you give them to me?””
“Because the evidence wasn’t complete.””
“What was missing?””
Ethan looked at the letter.
“You.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“Daniel believed the only way to expose everyone was to let you become strong enough to stand against them.””
I hated that answer.
Not because it was cruel.
Because part of me understood.
My father knew I would need proof.
Not protection.
“After that night,” Ethan continued, “someone attacked Daniel.””
My breath caught.
“Was he alive?””
Ethan looked away.
That was answer enough.
My eyes filled.
“Where is he?””
“I don’t know.””
The words hurt.
Even after all these years, there was still no ending.
No goodbye.
No body.
No closure.
Then Dean Whitmore suddenly spoke.
“Wait.””
Everyone turned.
She looked at Ethan.
“The evidence.””
“What about it?””
She swallowed.
“If Richard wanted it destroyed, why did he allow Amelia to find the notebook?””
Ethan’s face changed.
“What are you saying?””
“I’m saying this was planned.””
The room went silent.
Dean continued.
“Someone wanted Amelia to uncover the truth.””
I looked at her.
“Why?””
“Because they needed her to bring everyone together.””
My stomach tightened.
A trap.
All of us.
The notebook.
The recording.
The office.
Everything.
Then Ethan’s phone finally received a signal.
One message appeared.
From an unknown number.
*CHECK THE SAFE.*
Everyone looked toward the wall behind my father’s desk.
There was an old painting.
I removed it.
Behind it was a small safe.
My father’s initials were carved into the metal.
Ethan stepped forward.
“No.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
“Daniel told me never to open this unless we knew everyone involved was in the same room.””
My eyes widened.
“Everyone involved?””
A terrible realization formed.
The trap wasn’t designed to bring us together.
It was designed to expose someone.
I entered the code written inside the letter.
The safe opened.
Inside was a small recorder.
And one final document.
Dean Whitmore picked up the document.
Her face changed.
“What?””
She looked at me.
“This is a list.””
“Of what?””
Her hands trembled.
“Payments.””
Ethan took it.
Then he froze.
“What?””
He looked at me.
“This isn’t possible.””
I stepped closer.
“Whose name is on it?””
Ethan didn’t answer.
I grabbed the paper.
And saw the final signature.
The person who had been moving behind everyone.
The person who had manipulated Veronica.
The person who had used Sterling Global access.
The person who had destroyed my father’s life.
My hands went cold.
Because the name at the bottom was not Richard Hale.
It was someone nobody suspected.
Someone who had been helping us.
May you like
Someone who had stood beside me from the beginning.
*Sophie Bennett.*
