Chapter 8: The Evidence She Left Behind
I didn’t cry.
That surprised me.
After everything Isabella had done, after every secret we uncovered, I thought I would break.
But instead, I felt strangely calm.
Like my body had finally accepted that the person hurting me had never been confused.
She had been intentional.
Nathan sat beside me in the car, holding the steering wheel.
Neither of us spoke for several minutes.
Finally, he whispered, “I’m sorry.””
I looked out the window.
“You keep saying that.””
“Because I don’t know what else to say.””
I turned toward him.
“Then say the truth.””
He looked at me.
“What truth?””
“That you ignored what was happening.””
His face fell.
I immediately regretted the pain in his eyes.
But I couldn’t pretend anymore.
“I needed you to see it before today.””
“I know.””
“No, Nathan. You didn’t.””
He nodded slowly.
“You’re right.””
The fact that he didn’t defend himself made it harder.
“I kept thinking if I stayed calm, she would eventually accept you.””
He looked down.
“I thought I could make everyone happy.””
I gave a small, sad smile.
“You can’t make someone happy when they enjoy making others miserable.””
He didn’t respond.
Because he knew.
When we returned home, Nathan started searching through everything.
Old emails.
Wedding conversations.
Messages between his family members.
He wasn’t looking for revenge.
He was looking for the truth.
Hours passed.
Then he found something.
A folder buried deep in his mother’s shared computer account.
The title made him freeze.
*Wedding Changes.*
I stood behind him as he opened it.
Inside were dozens of files.
The first was a seating chart.
With notes.
*Move her family farther away.*
The second was a floral request.
*Remove anything too sentimental.*
The third was a message to the wedding planner.
*The bride’s mother should not be involved in major decisions.*
My hands tightened.
“My mother?””
Nathan looked devastated.
He clicked another file.
A draft message.
From Isabella.
Never sent.
But saved.
The words appeared on the screen.
*If she really cared about family, she would understand my place.*
I stared at it.
“That’s what she believes.””
Nathan closed his eyes.
“She thinks love is a competition.””
Then another file appeared.
A video.
Nathan clicked it.
The screen showed Isabella sitting in her bedroom.
Talking to someone off-camera.
My heart started racing.
It was recorded two months before the wedding.
Isabella looked angry.
“I’m telling you, she has no idea what she’s doing.””
A voice answered.
“What if Nathan finds out?””
Isabella laughed.
“He won’t.””
Nathan’s face changed.
The voice belonged to Claire.
“What are you going to do?””
Isabella leaned closer to the camera.
“I’m going to remind him where he belongs.””
The video ended.
Nobody spoke.
Nathan stared at the blank screen.
Then his phone rang.
Claire.
He answered immediately.
“What?””
Her voice came through, shaking.
“Nathan, I need to tell you something.””
He stood.
“Something else?””
“I didn’t know about the video.””
“Then what did you know?””
Silence.
“Claire.””
She whispered:
“Your mother wasn’t the only person trying to stop the wedding.””
My stomach dropped.
Nathan’s grip tightened around the phone.
“Who else?””
Another silence.
Then Claire said the name.
May you like
A name that made both of us freeze.
“Your father.””
