Chapter 15: The Friend I Never Suspected
I read the message ten times.
Not because I believed it.
Because I wanted to know why it affected me.
Rachel.
My closest ally.
The person who helped me uncover everything.
The person who stood beside me when my world collapsed.
Could she be involved?
No.
My mind rejected it instantly.
But that was the problem.
That was how Damon fooled me.
That was how Claire fooled me.
I trusted my instincts when they were comfortable.
Not when they were painful.
I didn’t tell Rachel about the message.
That decision bothered me immediately.
But I needed to know.
So I did something I never thought I would do.
I tested the people around me.
The next morning, I told Rachel I had found a hidden document.
A fake document.
One that wasn’t real.
I watched her reaction.
Nothing.
No panic.
No confusion.
Just curiosity.
“What kind of document?””
“A transfer agreement.””
She frowned.
“Between who?””
“Victoria and Damon.””
Rachel’s expression changed slightly.
Not fear.
Concern.
“Emily, you need to be careful.””
I nodded.
Inside, I felt guilty.
Because she sounded exactly like someone protecting me.
But I couldn’t ignore the message.
Later that afternoon, I met the person who claimed they knew about my mother.
Alone.
At least, that was what they thought.
Rachel had secretly tracked my location.
I saw her car parked two blocks away.
She was watching.
Protecting me.
Or spying.
I still didn’t know.
The meeting place was an old bookstore.
A woman was waiting near the back.
She looked familiar.
Older.
Tired.
Then I recognized her.
Dr. Harris.
My doctor.
My pregnancy doctor.
The person who had helped me from the beginning.
“What are you doing here?””
She looked around nervously.
“I knew your mother.””
I froze.
“What?””
“Not well. But enough.””
I sat down.
“Tell me.””
She took a deep breath.
“Your mother came to me before she died.””
My hands tightened.
“She was injured.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
“She came to my office terrified.””
“Why didn’t you tell anyone?””
“Because she begged me not to.””
I stared.
“She said if Victoria knew she talked to me, I would become a target too.””
I felt sick.
“What happened that night?””
Dr. Harris looked down.
“Your mother discovered Damon’s identity.””
I already knew that.
But then she said something I didn’t expect.
“She also discovered someone inside Victoria’s organization was helping her.””
My heart raced.
“Who?””
Dr. Harris looked toward the window.
“I don’t know.””
“But you said you could prove what happened.””
She reached into her bag.
“I can prove someone was there.””
She handed me a small envelope.
Inside was a photograph.
A security image.
My mother leaving a building.
A person beside her.
Their face was hidden.
But I recognized the clothing.
The watch.
The hand.
A detail I had seen many times.
My blood ran cold.
Because the person helping my mother was someone I knew.
Someone who had been near me every day.
The photograph slipped from my fingers.
“No.””
Dr. Harris looked at me sadly.
“I’m sorry.””
I picked it up again.
The person was standing beside my mother the night before she died.
The person who knew the truth.
The person who had helped hide it.
The person who had been protecting me all along.
Rachel.
My phone buzzed.
A message from Rachel.
*I know you’re with Dr. Harris. We need to talk before you make a mistake.*
I looked up.
Dr. Harris whispered:
May you like
“She knows.””
Then the bookstore lights went out.
