Chapter 9: The Betrayal Inside My Own Family
I barely made it to the car before I demanded an answer.
"Who?""
Emily stood beside the passenger door, gripping her purse.
"Your brother.""
I stared at her.
"My brother, Daniel?""
She nodded.
I laughed in disbelief.
"Daniel has nothing to do with Lily's trust.""
"That's what Rachel thought at first.""
"What did he do?""
Emily looked around before lowering her voice.
"Rachel discovered that Daniel had been contacting Vanessa before the accident.""
I felt nodded.
I laughed in disbelief.
"Daniel has nothing to do with Lily's trust.""
"That's what Rachel thought at first.""
"What did he do?""
Emily looked around before lowering her voice.
"Rachel discovered that Daniel had been contacting Vanessa before the accident.""
I felt the ground shift beneath me.
"Why?""
"She didn't know. But she found messages between them.""
I opened the car door.
"Show me.""
Emily took out her phone and opened an old folder.
There were screenshots of text messages.
The first was the ground shift beneath me.
"Why?""
"She didn't know. But she found messages between them.""
I opened the car door.
"Show me.""
Emily took out her phone and opened an old folder.
There were screenshots of text messages.
The first was dated six months before Rachel died.
*Daniel:* Has she agreed to change the beneficiary?
*Vanessa:* Not yet. She's suspicious.
*Daniel:* You need dated six months before Rachel died.
*Daniel:* Has she agreed to change the beneficiary?
*Vanessa:* Not yet. She's suspicious.
*Daniel:* You need to be patient.
*Vanessa:* I'm running out of time.
*Daniel:* Once Michael marries you, everything becomes easier.
I read the last message twice.
Once Michael marries you.
My hands to be patient.
*Vanessa:* I'm running out of time.
*Daniel:* Once Michael marries you, everything becomes easier.
I read the last message twice.
Once Michael marries you.
My hands went cold.
I looked at Emily.
"These are real?""
"Rachel showed me the originals.""
I scrolled.
Another message appeared.
*Vanessa:* What if Rachel refuses?
*Daniel:* Then we use the medical records.
*Vanessa:* And Lily?
*Daniel:* Lily is went cold.
I looked at Emily.
"These are real?""
"Rachel showed me the originals.""
I scrolled.
Another message appeared.
*Vanessa:* What if Rachel refuses?
*Daniel:* Then we use the medical records.
*Vanessa:* And Lily?
*Daniel:* Lily is the reason this has to happen carefully.
I stared at the screen.
"What does that mean?""
Emily shook her head.
"I don't know.""
I called Daniel.
He answered cheerfully.
"Hey, little brother. Everything okay the reason this has to happen carefully.
I stared at the screen.
"What does that mean?""
Emily shook her head.
"I don't know.""
I called Daniel.
He answered cheerfully.
"Hey, little brother. Everything okay?""
I couldn't believe how normal his voice sounded.
"Where are you?""
"At the office. Why?""
"We need to talk.""
"About what?""
"Vanessa.""
Silence.
Then Daniel cleared his throat.
"What about her?""
"Did you know her before I did?""
A pause.
"Not really.""
"Did?""
I couldn't believe how normal his voice sounded.
"Where are you?""
"At the office. Why?""
"We need to talk.""
"About what?""
"Vanessa.""
Silence.
Then Daniel cleared his throat.
"What about her?""
"Did you know her before I did?""
A pause.
"Not really.""
"Did you exchange messages with her?""
"Michael, what is this?""
"Answer me.""
He sighed.
"Listen, I don't know what she's told you, but—"
"I you exchange messages with her?""
"Michael, what is this?""
"Answer me.""
He sighed.
"Listen, I don't know what she's told you, but—"
"I have the messages.""
Another silence.
Then his voice changed.
"Where did you get those?""
"Rachel.""
He exhaled sharply.
"Look, things weren't what they seemed.""
I have the messages.""
Another silence.
Then his voice changed.
"Where did you get those?""
"Rachel.""
He exhaled sharply.
"Look, things weren't what they seemed.""
I closed my eyes.
"Did you help Vanessa get close to my wife?""
"Michael—"
"Did you?""
Daniel didn't answer.
I ended the call.
Emily watched me.
"There's more.""
I turned.
"Of course there is.""
She opened another file.
It was closed my eyes.
"Did you help Vanessa get close to my wife?""
"Michael—"
"Did you?""
Daniel didn't answer.
I ended the call.
Emily watched me.
"There's more.""
I turned.
"Of course there is.""
She opened another file.
It was a scanned letter from Rachel to her attorney.
The letter described a meeting between Rachel, Daniel, and Vanessa.
According to Rachel, Daniel had proposed that the trust be reorganized so that a portion could be used for household investments.
Rachel refused.
a scanned letter from Rachel to her attorney.
The letter described a meeting between Rachel, Daniel, and Vanessa.
According to Rachel, Daniel had proposed that the trust be reorganized so that a portion could be used for household investments.
Rachel refused.
Daniel allegedly became angry.
He told her that Michael was financially irresponsible and that the money would be wasted if it remained inaccessible.
I read the last paragraph.
I am beginning to believe Vanessa and Daniel have been planning this for months. I don't know whether Michael knows. I don't think he does.
I feltDaniel allegedly became angry.
He told her that Michael was financially irresponsible and that the money would be wasted if it remained inaccessible.
I read the last paragraph.
I am beginning to believe Vanessa and Daniel have been planning this for months. I don't know whether Michael knows. I don't think he does.
I felt physically ill.
My own brother.
The man who stood beside me at Rachel's funeral.
The man who held Lily and promised to look after her.
I had trusted him.
I drove to the police station with Emily physically ill.
My own brother.
The man who stood beside me at Rachel's funeral.
The man who held Lily and promised to look after her.
I had trusted him.
I drove to the police station with Emily and handed over the documents.
Detective Harris listened carefully.
"We'll need to verify the messages and establish their source," he said.
"Can you question Daniel?""
"We can request an interview. But I don't want you confronting him yourself.""
I nodded.
Then my phone rang.
Daniel and handed over the documents.
Detective Harris listened carefully.
"We'll need to verify the messages and establish their source," he said.
"Can you question Daniel?""
"We can request an interview. But I don't want you confronting him yourself.""
I nodded.
Then my phone rang.
Daniel.
I answered and put it on speaker.
"Michael, please. We need to talk.""
"Go ahead.""
"I made a mistake.""
Emily looked at me.
Daniel continued.
"Vanessa approached me. She said she was worried about you. She said Rachel was controlling and that you were struggling financially.""
"So you helped her?""
"I.
I answered and put it on speaker.
"Michael, please. We need to talk.""
"Go ahead.""
"I made a mistake.""
Emily looked at me.
Daniel continued.
"Vanessa approached me. She said she was worried about you. She said Rachel was controlling and that you were struggling financially.""
"So you helped her?""
"I thought I was helping.""
"By discussing my daughter's inheritance?""
"She said the money could be invested for the family.""
"Did you know she was planning to marry me?""
He was silent.
"Daniel?""
"Yes.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"How long?""
"Before Rachel thought I was helping.""
"By discussing my daughter's inheritance?""
"She said the money could be invested for the family.""
"Did you know she was planning to marry me?""
He was silent.
"Daniel?""
"Yes.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"How long?""
"Before Rachel died.""
I closed my eyes.
"Did you know Vanessa was going to be in the car that night?""
"No.""
"Did you know she was driving?""
"I wasn't there.""
"Did you know Rachel was frightened of her?""
Daniel's voice cracked.
"I didn't think she would hurt anyone.""
I leaned forward.
"Did you receive money?""
Sil died.""
I closed my eyes.
"Did you know Vanessa was going to be in the car that night?""
"No.""
"Did you know she was driving?""
"I wasn't there.""
"Did you know Rachel was frightened of her?""
Daniel's voice cracked.
"I didn't think she would hurt anyone.""
I leaned forward.
"Did you receive money?""
Silence.
Then:
"Some.""
Emily closed her eyes.
"How much?"" I asked.
"Twenty thousand.""
I almost dropped the phone.
"For what?""
"Consulting. That's what she called it.""
"Consulting?""
"I swear I didn't know aboutence.
Then:
"Some.""
Emily closed her eyes.
"How much?"" I asked.
"Twenty thousand.""
I almost dropped the phone.
"For what?""
"Consulting. That's what she called it.""
"Consulting?""
"I swear I didn't know about the food situation. I didn't know what she was doing to Lily.""
I stared at the floor.
"You helped a woman get close to my dying wife, encouraged her to pursue my daughter's inheritance, and took money for it.""
"I know the food situation. I didn't know what she was doing to Lily.""
I stared at the floor.
"You helped a woman get close to my dying wife, encouraged her to pursue my daughter's inheritance, and took money for it.""
"I know.""
"No, Daniel. You don't.""
He began crying.
"Michael, please. I'm still your brother.""
I looked at Emily.
Then I said the words.""
"No, Daniel. You don't.""
He began crying.
"Michael, please. I'm still your brother.""
I looked at Emily.
Then I said the words I had been holding back for years.
"So was Rachel your sister-in-law.""
I ended the call.
Detective Harris asked me to forward the recording.
I did.
An hour later, another development came through.
The original dash-camera manufacturer had confirmed that a backup copy of Rachel's recording existed in an old I had been holding back for years.
"So was Rachel your sister-in-law.""
I ended the call.
Detective Harris asked me to forward the recording.
I did.
An hour later, another development came through.
The original dash-camera manufacturer had confirmed that a backup copy of Rachel's recording existed in an old cloud account.
The footage had been recovered.
I watched it with Detective Harris and Emily.
The camera showed the inside of Rachel's car.
Vanessa was driving.
Rachel sat in the passenger seat.
They were arguing.
"Please take me home," Rachel said.
Vanessa kept her eyes on the road.
"You promised you would listen cloud account.
The footage had been recovered.
I watched it with Detective Harris and Emily.
The camera showed the inside of Rachel's car.
Vanessa was driving.
Rachel sat in the passenger seat.
They were arguing.
"Please take me home," Rachel said.
Vanessa kept her eyes on the road.
"You promised you would listen.""
"I listened. I said no.""
"You don't understand how much money we're talking about.""
"It's Lily's money.""
"She won't even remember any of this.""
Rachel turned toward her.
"She's my daughter.""
Vanessa's voice became colder.
"And Michael.""
"I listened. I said no.""
"You don't understand how much money we're talking about.""
"It's Lily's money.""
"She won't even remember any of this.""
Rachel turned toward her.
"She's my daughter.""
Vanessa's voice became colder.
"And Michael is going to be my husband.""
Rachel stared at her.
"You're not marrying Michael.""
Vanessa laughed.
"That's not your decision.""
Then Rachel reached toward the dashboard.
The car suddenly accelerated.
Rachel screamed.
"Vanessa! Slow down!""
Vanessa turned toward her.
And for one is going to be my husband.""
Rachel stared at her.
"You're not marrying Michael.""
Vanessa laughed.
"That's not your decision.""
Then Rachel reached toward the dashboard.
The car suddenly accelerated.
Rachel screamed.
"Vanessa! Slow down!""
Vanessa turned toward her.
And for one terrible second, she took her eyes off the road.
The footage shook violently.
A horn blared.
Then the screen went black.
I couldn't breathe.
Detective Harris paused the video.
"We're having the footage authenticated and compared with the accident investigation.""
I stared at the frozen terrible second, she took her eyes off the road.
The footage shook violently.
A horn blared.
Then the screen went black.
I couldn't breathe.
Detective Harris paused the video.
"We're having the footage authenticated and compared with the accident investigation.""
I stared at the frozen image.
"Was it an accident?""
He answered carefully.
"We're not making that determination yet.""
Emily was crying.
I was too.
Then another notification appeared on my phone.
A message from an unknown number.
*If you want the whole truth, ask Daniel what image.
"Was it an accident?""
He answered carefully.
"We're not making that determination yet.""
Emily was crying.
I was too.
Then another notification appeared on my phone.
A message from an unknown number.
If you want the whole truth, ask Daniel what happened to Rachel's original medical records.
I looked at the detective.
He read the message.
"Whoever is sending these knows more than we've uncovered.""
My phone rang again.
This time, it was Mason.
I answered immediately.
"Dad?""
"What's wrong, buddy?""
His happened to Rachel's original medical records.*
I looked at the detective.
He read the message.
"Whoever is sending these knows more than we've uncovered.""
My phone rang again.
This time, it was Mason.
I answered immediately.
"Dad?""
"What's wrong, buddy?""
His voice was shaking.
"Mom is here.""
I stood so quickly that my chair fell backward.
"Where?""
"Outside the house.""
"Stay inside. Don't open the door.""
"She's talking to Lily.""
My blood turned to ice.
"What is she saying?""
Mason began voice was shaking.
"Mom is here.""
I stood so quickly that my chair fell backward.
"Where?""
"Outside the house.""
"Stay inside. Don't open the door.""
"She's talking to Lily.""
My blood turned to ice.
"What is she saying?""
Mason began crying.
"She's telling Lily that she knows something about Mommy Rachel.""
I grabbed my keys.
Then Mason whispered:
"Dad, she says Lily isn't really your daughter.""
I stopped breathing.
And before I could answer, he added:
"She says she has proof.""
crying.
"She's telling Lily that she knows something about Mommy Rachel.""
I grabbed my keys.
Then Mason whispered:
"Dad, she says Lily isn't really your daughter.""
I stopped breathing.
May you like
And before I could answer, he added:
"She says she has proof.""
