Chapter 16: The Secret Darius Buried
The phone slipped slightly in my hand.
Not because of what the stranger said.
Because of Darius’s reaction.
I had seen him angry.
I had seen him hurt.
I had seen him afraid.
But I had never seen him look guilty.
“Darius,” I whispered.
His eyes stayed on the floor.
That was all the answer I needed.
Marcus stepped forward.
“Who was that?””
Nobody spoke.
The voice on the phone had disappeared.
The call ended.
But the damage remained.
I looked at Darius.
“What did you do after you found my mother?””
His face tightened.
“Emily…”
“No.””
My voice broke.
“Not another secret.””
He closed his eyes.
“I found Claire after she collapsed.””
The room went silent.
“When?””
“The night she died.””
Marcus froze.
“You were there?””
Darius nodded.
“Yes.””
I felt dizzy.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
He looked at me.
“Because I was trying to protect you.””
I laughed sadly.
“Everyone says that.””
Darius accepted the pain in my words.
“I know.””
“Then tell me the truth.””
He nodded.
“I came to Claire’s house because she called me.””
My heart sank.
“She called you?””
“Yes.””
“What did she say?””
Darius looked at the old recording device.
“She said she had proof against Victor.””
Victor immediately interrupted.
“This is ridiculous.””
Darius turned toward him.
“No.””
His voice was calm.
“You’ve controlled this story for long enough.””
The room went quiet.
“I arrived at Claire’s house around midnight.””
Darius continued.
“She was on the floor.””
My hand covered my mouth.
“Was she alive?””
He nodded.
“Barely.””
Marcus looked devastated.
“Did she say anything?””
Darius looked at me.
“Yes.””
My breath caught.
“What?””
He hesitated.
Then whispered:
“She said your name.””
Tears filled my eyes.
“She said, ‘Don’t let him take Emily.’”
The room disappeared for a moment.
My mother.
Even in her final moments.
She was thinking about me.
“What happened next?””
Darius looked down.
“I called an ambulance.””
“And?””
He swallowed.
“When the police arrived, Victor was already gone.””
Everyone turned toward Victor.
He didn’t react.
Too calm.
Too controlled.
That scared me.
“You lied,” Marcus said.
Victor smiled faintly.
“You have no idea what happened that night.””
Darius looked at him.
“I know enough.””
“Do you?””
Victor stepped closer.
“You know what you saw.””
He pointed at Darius.
“You don’t know what happened before.””
Darius became silent.
My stomach tightened.
“What does that mean?””
Victor smiled.
“Ask him.””
I looked at Darius.
“Is there something else?””
A long silence.
Then Darius reached into his pocket.
He pulled out a small envelope.
I stared.
“Another letter?””
“No.””
His voice was quiet.
“A confession.””
My heart stopped.
He handed it to me.
I didn’t open it immediately.
Because suddenly I was afraid.
Afraid of losing another version of him.
Afraid the man I trusted my whole life was about to become another stranger.
“Emily,” Darius said.
“I need you to understand something.””
I looked up.
“I made mistakes.””
His voice cracked.
“But I never stopped loving you.””
I opened the envelope.
Inside was a handwritten statement.
I read the first line.
I, Darius Bennett, admit that I concealed information regarding Claire Carter’s death.
My hands shook.
I kept reading.
After finding Claire, I discovered evidence that someone had tampered with her medication.
I looked up.
Everyone froze.
“Medication?””
Darius nodded.
“She wasn’t supposed to die that night.””
Victor’s expression changed.
The same fear again.
“Darius.””
“No.””
Darius looked at him.
“I’m done being afraid.””
I read further.
I found evidence connecting Victor Carter to the changes made in Claire’s medical records.
I looked at Victor.
Then back at the paper.
But I destroyed the evidence.
The words blurred.
I couldn’t breathe.
“You destroyed it?””
Darius nodded.
“Yes.””
“Why?””
His eyes filled.
“Because Claire begged me.””
The room went silent.
“She knew Victor would come after you.””
I stared.
“She asked you to hide it?””
“Yes.””
Marcus looked angry.
“You protected him.””
Darius shook his head.
“No.””
He looked at Marcus.
“I protected Emily.””
I looked back at the paper.
The final sentence was underlined.
I regret that choice every day.
My hands trembled.
Then I noticed something.
A second page.
Attached behind the confession.
A name.
A name I had never seen before.
The person who helped Victor alter Claire’s medical records.
I read it.
And my heart stopped.
Because it wasn’t Rachel.
It wasn’t Laura.
It wasn’t anyone I expected.
May you like
It was:
*Marcus Hale.*
