Chapter 8: The Family Member Nobody Suspected
The words followed me into the night.
Someone in our family.
I had spent the last few hours believing I finally understood the truth.
Sloan lied.
Sloan manipulated.
Sloan destroyed.
But now another question stood in front of me.
Who else had been hiding?
The birthday decorations remained hanging above the patio.
Small paper flowers.
Golden ribbons.
A banner that read:
Happy 65th Birthday, Marianne.
It looked almost cruel.
A celebration meant to honor my life had uncovered every secret buried inside it.
Harrison sat at the table, still holding Rachel's letter.
He had barely spoken.
Ava sat beside him.
The daughter he never knew.
The daughter who had arrived carrying answers and pain.
I stood near the kitchen door with Daniel.
"You should have told me.""
Daniel looked down.
"I wanted to.""
"But you didn't.""
"No.""
"Why?""
He looked at me.
"Because Robert made me promise.""
That name hurt.
Even after twelve years.
"What promise?""
Daniel took a slow breath.
"He told me if anything happened to him, I had to protect Ava.""
My heart tightened.
"And you did.""
"I tried.""
The sadness in his voice told me everything.
"You couldn't.""
"No.""
He looked toward Ava.
"I failed her.""
Ava heard him.
She stood.
"You didn't fail me.""
Daniel looked surprised.
"My mother loved you.""
His eyes filled.
"I loved her too.""
Nobody spoke.
It was the first honest moment of the entire day.
Then Harrison came outside.
"We need to talk.""
I looked at my son.
His face was different.
Older.
Like one afternoon had aged him years.
"What did the letter say?""
He looked toward Sloan, who was sitting alone.
"It said Rachel discovered something about Robert's business.""
"Business?""
Harrison nodded.
"She found evidence that someone was stealing money.""
Daniel looked serious.
"From Robert's company.""
I frowned.
"Who?""
Harrison looked at Sloan.
Then away.
"Someone close to him.""
A terrible thought entered my mind.
"No.""
Harrison looked at me.
"Mom.""
"No.""
I shook my head.
"Your father trusted people.""
"Exactly.""
He looked down.
"And someone used that trust.""
Before anyone could ask more, Sloan walked outside.
Her face was exhausted.
But her eyes were sharp.
"I know who it was.""
Everyone turned.
Harrison stared.
"You expect us to believe you?""
"No.""
She looked at him.
"I expect you to hate me.""
Ava stood.
"Good.""
Sloan ignored her.
"Robert's brother.""
I froze.
Harrison's uncle.
The man who had attended every holiday.
The man who gave Harrison his first job.
The man who helped with family finances after Robert died.
"Uncle Richard?""
Sloan nodded.
"He was stealing from the company.""
Daniel looked surprised.
"Rachel found out?""
"Yes.""
Harrison shook his head.
"Why didn't Dad report him?""
Sloan looked at me.
"Because he was family.""
That answer hurt.
Because it sounded exactly like something Robert would do.
He always believed family could be saved.
Even when they didn't deserve saving.
Ava crossed her arms.
"So Richard tried to silence my mother.""
Sloan nodded.
"Yes.""
"And you helped him.""
Sloan looked down.
"Yes.""
The honesty shocked everyone.
Harrison stared.
"Why?""
Sloan's eyes filled.
"Because Richard promised me something.""
"What?""
She swallowed.
"He promised that if Rachel disappeared, he would make sure Robert stayed with me.""
I felt disgust.
"You destroyed a woman's life for a marriage?""
Sloan looked at me.
"I was twenty-nine.""
"You were an adult.""
She looked away.
"I know.""
For the first time, Sloan wasn't defending herself.
She was admitting it.
But admission didn't erase damage.
Harrison stepped back.
"I don't know who you are anymore.""
Sloan whispered:
"I was someone who was terrified of losing everything.""
Ava replied quietly:
"You lost it anyway.""
Then Harrison's phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
His expression changed.
"Who is it?""
He didn't answer.
He just showed us.
The caller ID said:
Richard Mercer.
Sloan's face turned white.
Harrison answered.
"Hello?""
At first, nobody spoke.
Then a voice came through.
A voice filled with anger.
"Where did you find that letter?""
Harrison's eyes narrowed.
"How do you know about the letter?""
Silence.
Then Richard spoke.
"Because I was the one who buried it.""
Everyone froze.
Harrison tightened his grip on the phone.
"Uncle Richard...""
Richard's voice became cold.
"You have no idea what your father was involved in.""
Harrison looked at me.
Then at Ava.
"Tell me.""
Richard laughed softly.
"Ask your mother why she never told you the truth about Robert.""
My heart stopped.
"Why me?""
Richard answered:
"Because she knows what happened the night Robert died.""
The call ended.
Nobody moved.
Slowly, everyone looked at me.
I felt the blood drain from my face.
Because there was one thing Richard said that terrified me.
May you like
He didn't say I knew about the accident.
He said I knew about Robert's death.
