Chapter 6: The Friend Who Knew Too Much
I couldn’t move.
My best friend stood in the doorway.
Sophie Bennett.
The girl who had shared my dorm room for two years.
The person who brought me food when I worked late.
The person who listened when I cried after the rumors started.
The person I trusted more than anyone at Westbridge.
And now she was standing in the archive room, staring at my father’s notebook.
“You knew about this?””
My voice barely came out.
Sophie’s face changed.
Not guilt.
Fear.
That was worse.
“Amelia…”
“No.””
I stepped back.
“Answer me.””
Ethan watched silently.
His expression told me he was analyzing every word.
Sophie looked toward the security guards.
“Can we talk alone?””
“No.””
My answer was immediate.
“You don’t get to ask that anymore.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I was trying to protect you.””
I laughed once.
A painful sound.
“Everyone says that.””
My fingers held the notebook tightly.
“My father said it. Ethan said it. Now you say it.””
Sophie looked at the floor.
“I didn’t know it would become this.””
“What did you know?””
Silence.
Then she whispered:
“Your father left instructions.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
Sophie looked at me.
“He contacted my family years ago.””
I stared.
“Why?””
“Because he knew someone would eventually come looking for the notebook.””
I looked at Ethan.
He seemed surprised.
“Sophie, explain.””
She wiped her eyes.
“My grandfather worked with Daniel Carter before he disappeared.””
“And?””
“He promised your father he would protect you.””
I felt betrayed.
“Then why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because your father specifically told us not to.””
I shook my head.
“That doesn’t make sense.””
“It does if you knew what he knew.””
Sophie stepped closer.
“He believed someone inside your life would be used against you.””
The sentence from the notebook repeated in my mind.
The person closest to Amelia.
I looked at her.
“Was it you?””
Sophie looked hurt.
“No.””
The answer came instantly.
But she hesitated afterward.
And I noticed.
“Then who?””
She looked toward the door.
“I don’t know.””
“You’re lying.””
“I’m not.””
“You knew about the notebook.””
“Yes.””
“You knew my father was investigating Richard Hale.””
“Yes.””
“You knew someone was watching me.””
Her silence answered.
My chest tightened.
“How long?””
Sophie closed her eyes.
“Since freshman year.””
Four years.
Four years she knew something about my life that I didn’t.
“Why?””
“Because your father believed telling you would put you in danger.””
“And keeping me ignorant was safer?””
She had no answer.
Ethan finally spoke.
“Sophie, what else did Daniel leave?””
She looked at him.
“There was one more thing.””
“What?””
“A recording.””
My attention snapped back.
“Where?””
Sophie looked nervous.
“He told me never to give it to anyone unless Amelia found the notebook.””
My heart pounded.
“Where is it?””
Sophie reached into her bag.
For a moment, I thought she would hand it over.
Then her phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
Her face went pale.
“What is it?”” I asked.
She didn’t answer.
She slowly turned the phone toward me.
One message.
From an unknown number.
*WE KNOW SHE FOUND THE NOTEBOOK.*
Another message appeared.
*YOU HAVE TEN MINUTES TO FIX THIS.*
Sophie’s hands started shaking.
Ethan stepped forward.
“Who sent that?””
Sophie looked at me.
And for the first time since I had known her, she looked terrified of telling me the truth.
“Amelia…”
Her voice broke.
“The person who sent this message…”
May you like
She swallowed.
“…is someone who works inside Sterling Global.””
