Chapter 16: The Woman They Chose Before I Knew Them
I stared at the photograph.
My own face looked back at me.
Younger.
Happier.
Completely unaware.
The picture had been taken at a charity event years before I met Nathan. I remembered the day vaguely. I had volunteered at a community fundraiser with my coworkers. I had worn a simple blue dress and spent most of the afternoon organizing donations.
It was nothing special.
Nothing memorable.
Except apparently, someone had been watching.
“Why do they have this?”” I whispered.
Nathan looked like he wanted to disappear.
“I don’t know.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“You do know something.””
He looked away.
“Nathan.””
He finally sat down.
“I found other files.””
My heart sank.
“Other files?””
“In my mother’s office.””
I stared at him.
“How long have they been there?””
“I don’t know.””
“Why were you looking?””
He hesitated.
“After the hearing, I started questioning everything.””
I almost smiled.
“Only after the hearing?””
He accepted the criticism.
“I deserved that.””
I looked at the folder.
“Show me.””
Nathan opened it.
Inside were printed pages.
Notes.
Research.
Names.
My name appeared several times.
I felt sick.
“They researched me.””
Nathan nodded.
“Before we met.””
I picked up a page.
It contained details about my job.
My education.
My family.
My financial situation.
My apartment.
Things nobody should have known.
“How?””
Nathan swallowed.
“My mother had connections.””
“Connections?””
“She hired someone.””
I looked up.
“Your family investigated me?””
“Yes.””
The word sat between us.
Heavy.
Cold.
I walked away from the table.
For years, I thought I had entered Nathan’s life by accident.
A random meeting.
A lucky connection.
A love story.
But now I wondered if I had been selected.
“Why me?””
Nathan didn’t answer.
“Why me?””
He looked at the floor.
“My mother thought you were ideal.””
I laughed quietly.
“Ideal?””
“She thought you were independent.””
I frowned.
“That’s a strange compliment coming from her.””
“She thought you were responsible. That you had your own money. That you were family-oriented.””
My stomach tightened.
“So I was useful.””
“No.””
“Yes.””
I looked at him.
“They didn’t choose me because they loved me.””
Nathan’s eyes filled with regret.
“They chose you because they thought you would fit.””
Fit.
Like a piece in a machine.
Like a role.
Not a person.
I picked up another document.
Then I saw something that made my hands freeze.
A date.
Two weeks before Nathan proposed.
A meeting.
Between Nathan and Patricia.
“What is this?””
Nathan looked.
His face changed.
“I forgot about that.””
“You forgot?””
He read the page.
Then closed his eyes.
“My mother told me to propose after that meeting.””
I stared at him.
“What?””
“She said it was the right time.””
The room felt smaller.
“So your proposal was planned?””
“No.””
He looked desperate.
“Emily, my feelings were real.””
“But the timing wasn’t.””
He had no answer.
That was enough.
I left the house with the folder.
This time, I didn’t feel like I was abandoning anything.
I felt like I was escaping something.
The next morning, Claire reviewed the documents.
“This changes the case.””
“How?””
“It proves a pattern of intentional manipulation.””
I nodded.
“And Nathan?””
Claire looked at me carefully.
“That depends on whether he cooperates.””
“He will.””
“You sound sure.””
I looked at the evidence.
“No.””
I shook my head.
“I sound like someone who hopes he finally does the right thing.””
That afternoon, Nathan called.
“I found something else.””
I closed my eyes.
“What now?””
“A recording.””
“From when?””
“Before our wedding.””
My heartbeat quickened.
“Who recorded it?””
“My mother.””
“Why?””
Nathan’s voice became quiet.
“Because she wanted proof that I agreed.””
“Agreed to what?””
A pause.
Then:
“To make sure you became part of the family.””
I felt a chill.
“Send it to me.””
Minutes later, the audio file arrived.
I pressed play.
Static.
Then voices.
Patricia.
Vanessa.
And Nathan.
My hands went cold.
Because the first words I heard were mine.
My name.
May you like
And then Patricia said:
*“Emily will be perfect. She won’t know what we planned until it’s too late.””*
