Chapter 4: The Woman In The Photograph
The footsteps didn't belong to Daniel.
They were slower.
Heavier.
Coming from downstairs.
Emily grabbed the folder from my hands.
"We have to go.""
Daniel looked toward the hallway.
"Emily.""
She ignored him.
"Claire, listen to me. If my mother finds out you saw this room, you cannot stay here.""
I stared at Daniel.
"Is that true?""
He didn't answer.
That hurt more than anything.
Because Daniel always had an answer.
He always knew what to say.
But now he was silent.
"Tell me I'm wrong," I whispered.
His face tightened.
"Claire...""
"No.""
My voice cracked.
"Tell me this is some misunderstanding.""
Daniel looked down.
And that was when I knew.
There was no misunderstanding.
The sound of heels clicking against the floor made Emily freeze.
Victoria.
She appeared at the end of the hallway wearing the same calm smile she had worn when she welcomed me earlier.
Like she wasn't standing outside a room full of secrets.
Like everything was normal.
"Well," she said softly.
Her eyes moved from me to Emily.
"I wondered how long it would take.""
Emily stepped in front of me.
"You knew?""
Victoria smiled.
"Of course I knew.""
My skin went cold.
"You knew she was helping me?""
Victoria tilted her head.
"Emily has always been emotional.""
Then she looked at me.
"But you?""
Her smile faded.
"I expected better judgment.""
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"You were watching me.""
Victoria didn't deny it.
"Daniel needed to know who he was bringing into this family.""
"That's not normal.""
Victoria laughed quietly.
"Normal is a word people use when they don't understand power.""
Emily whispered:
"Claire, don't listen to her.""
Victoria looked at her daughter.
"After everything we've done for you, this is how you repay us?""
Emily's face changed.
Not fear.
Pain.
"You destroyed my life.""
Victoria walked closer.
"I protected this family.""
"No.""
Emily shook her head.
"You protected yourself.""
Richard appeared behind Victoria.
The whiskey glass was gone.
His expression was harder than before.
"You have caused enough trouble.""
I looked between them.
Both parents.
Both involved.
And Daniel stood there silently.
That was the part I couldn't accept.
"Daniel.""
He finally looked at me.
"Say something.""
His eyes filled with guilt.
"Claire, you need to leave.""
I laughed once.
A broken sound.
"That's all you have?""
He stepped closer.
"I was trying to protect you.""
"From who?""
He didn't answer.
"From your family?""
Another silence.
From behind me, Emily said:
"From the truth.""
Daniel closed his eyes.
And that was when Victoria moved.
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a phone.
My phone buzzed.
I looked down.
A message appeared.
Unknown Number:
*You should have listened when they told you to leave.*
My blood ran cold.
Because the number wasn't unknown.
It was mine.
Someone had cloned my phone.
Someone had been inside my accounts.
Someone had been planning this.
I looked at Victoria.
She smiled.
"You see, Claire? You came here thinking you were saving Emily.""
She stepped closer.
"But you don't understand.""
The smile disappeared.
"You were the reason Emily asked you to come.""
I looked at Emily.
Confusion filled my chest.
"What does that mean?""
Emily's face went pale.
She looked at the folder in her hands.
Then at me.
"I didn't know until tonight.""
"Know what?""
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"The woman in that photograph.""
She opened the folder and pulled out a picture.
An old photograph.
A woman standing beside Daniel years ago.
A woman I had never seen.
Emily handed it to me.
My fingers trembled.
Because I recognized her.
She was the last woman Daniel had dated before me.
The woman Victoria said I was prettier than.
May you like
And written on the back of the photograph were four words:
*She found out too.*
