Chapter 17: The Person Who Played Us All
Nobody wanted to open the file.
That was the truth.
We had spent so long uncovering painful secrets that another revelation felt impossible.
But the file had my name.
And my father created it.
So I clicked.
The screen showed a series of scanned emails.
Messages.
Financial records.
Phone logs.
All organized by date.
My father had been investigating someone.
Not my mother.
Not Michael.
Someone else.
Victoria leaned closer.
“He knew.””
“Knew what?””
“That the person behind this was still watching the family.””
A chill moved through me.
“Watching?””
Victoria nodded.
“Your father believed the person would wait until the right moment.””
Sarah looked at the screen.
“What right moment?””
Victoria pointed.
“The moment when the family was vulnerable.””
Daniel looked down.
“The wedding.””
Exactly.
The wedding wasn’t the beginning.
It was the opportunity.
I scrolled through the emails.
Most were between my father and his attorney.
Then I saw a message that stopped me.
*Subject: The child’s involvement.*
I clicked.
The email opened.
My father had written:
I am concerned that Emily has been unknowingly placed in the middle of this.
I froze.
Unknowingly.
Victoria looked at me.
“Keep reading.””
The message continued.
She believes she is helping her family, but someone has been guiding her decisions for years.
My hands tightened.
Someone had been guiding me?
I thought about every time I said yes.
Every time I took responsibility.
Every time I solved problems nobody asked me to solve.
Who had been pushing me?
The answer came from the next line.
The person has convinced Emily that being needed is the same as being loved.
I stopped reading.
Because that wasn’t just a strategy.
That was my entire life.
Sarah touched my arm.
“Emily.””
I looked at her.
She looked sad.
“He knew.””
I nodded.
My father knew.
He knew my weakness.
And he knew someone could use it.
Daniel looked at another file.
“Emily.””
I turned.
He pointed at the screen.
A name.
A name we all knew.
My mother’s assistant.
Someone who had worked with her for years.
“Linda?””
Victoria’s expression changed.
“Yes.””
I frowned.
“She was just Mom’s assistant.””
Victoria shook her head.
“No.””
She opened another document.
“She had access to the financial records.””
Daniel stared.
“But why?””
Victoria looked at me.
“Because Linda wasn’t just your mother’s assistant.””
A pause.
“She was Michael’s daughter.””
The room went silent.
Everything shifted.
Michael.
Linda.
My mother.
The money.
The documents.
All connected.
Sarah whispered,
“So the person who helped them…”
Victoria nodded.
“Was someone inside the family circle.””
I felt sick.
Because Linda had been around us for years.
She attended holidays.
She knew our routines.
She knew our weaknesses.
And nobody suspected her.
My phone suddenly rang.
I looked down.
Linda.
Everyone froze.
“Don’t answer,” Daniel said.
But I did.
“Hello?””
For a few seconds, there was only silence.
Then Linda spoke.
“I know you found the files.””
My heart raced.
“How?””
A quiet laugh.
“Because I helped create them.””
Everyone heard.
I put the phone on speaker.
Victoria stepped closer.
“Linda, this is Victoria Hale.””
Linda laughed softly.
“Of course you’re there.””
My mother’s voice suddenly came from the background.
I froze.
“Mom?””
Linda continued.
“Your mother is with me.””
Daniel looked terrified.
“What did you do?””
Linda ignored him.
“Emily, you need to understand something.””
“What?””
“Your father was never supposed to find out.””
The words chilled me.
“Find out what?””
Linda paused.
Then said,
“The truth about Sarah.””
Sarah stepped forward.
“What about me?””
Linda’s voice became colder.
“Your father believed he had one secret daughter.””
A pause.
“But he was wrong.””
Nobody moved.
“What are you talking about?””
Linda answered.
“He had another child.””
My heart stopped.
No.
Impossible.
“There is no one else.””
Linda laughed.
“Oh, Emily.””
“You really do trust people too easily.””
The call ended.
I stared at the phone.
Three daughters.
Not two.
Three.
May you like
And somewhere out there…
Was the person who had destroyed everything.
