Chapter 18: The Betrayal I Never Saw Coming
I ended the call without saying goodbye.
Not because I was angry.
Because I was afraid of the answer.
Someone I trusted.
Those words stayed in my mind.
Someone close.
Someone who knew me.
Someone who knew my accounts.
Someone who knew my life.
I looked at Victoria.
“You know.””
She looked away.
That was enough.
“Who?””
“I don’t want to say.””
“Why?””
“Because you need proof.””
I stepped closer.
“I have spent my whole life being the last person to know.””
My voice shook.
“I’m done.””
Victoria reached into the folder.
She pulled out another document.
“This was found with the files Michael kept.””
I took it.
It was a printed email.
My email.
The sender address was mine.
The recipient was Michael.
The attachment was the photo Riley took.
My house.
The reflection.
My hands went cold.
“No.””
Victoria watched me carefully.
“Paige…”
“No.””
Because there was only one person who had the photo before anyone else.
Riley.
But my mind rejected it.
Not Riley.
Anyone but Riley.
She had been there when nobody else was.
She had celebrated every victory.
She had held me together when my family ignored me.
“She wouldn’t.””
Victoria said nothing.
That silence hurt.
My phone rang.
Riley.
I answered immediately.
“Riley.””
“Paige.””
Her voice sounded nervous.
“Where are you?””
“At home.””
A pause.
“Are you with anyone?””
My heart sank.
“Why?””
“Because I need to tell you something.””
I looked at Victoria.
“What?””
“I know who has been accessing your account.””
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“Who?””
Silence.
Then Riley whispered:
“Me.””
The room disappeared.
I couldn’t hear anything except those two words.
Me.
“No.””
“Paige, listen—”
“No.””
“I can explain.””
“Explain what?””
My voice broke.
“Why you betrayed me?””
“I didn’t betray you.””
“You sent my documents to Michael.””
“I was trying to stop him.””
I froze.
“What?””
“I swear.””
I looked at Victoria.
She looked confused.
“Then why send him anything?””
Riley started crying.
“Because I thought he was going to expose your parents.””
“That doesn’t make sense.””
“I found out about Michael months ago.””
My chest tightened.
“How?””
“Because I was investigating.””
I laughed.
“You were investigating?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
A long pause.
Then she said:
“Because your grandmother asked me to.””
I stopped.
“What?””
Riley’s voice shook.
“Before she died.””
The room went silent.
“What are you talking about?””
“She knew something would happen.””
“No.””
“She contacted my family.””
I couldn’t breathe.
“Your family?””
“Yes.””
My heart pounded.
“What family?””
Riley whispered:
“Paige…”
I waited.
“My grandfather was your grandmother’s attorney.””
I looked at Victoria.
Everything shifted.
“You knew?””
Victoria looked away.
“I suspected.””
Riley continued:
“I’ve been watching over you since college.””
I felt dizzy.
“Watching over me?””
“Protecting you.””
“By lying to me?””
“No.””
Her voice broke.
“I was trying to keep you safe.””
I closed my eyes.
Everyone had the same excuse.
Protecting me.
Helping me.
Saving me.
And somehow I was always the one left hurt.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because your grandmother made me promise.””
I gripped the phone.
“My grandmother died sixteen years ago.””
“I know.””
“Then why keep the promise?””
Riley was quiet.
Then she said:
“Because I found the final letter.””
I froze.
“What final letter?””
“The one your grandmother left after everything happened.””
I looked at the folder.
The documents.
The secrets.
The missing piece.
“Where is it?””
Riley whispered:
“With me.””
My heart started racing.
“Riley…”
“I should have given it to you sooner.””
“Why didn’t you?””
Silence.
Then:
“Because the letter has one name in it.””
“Whose?””
Her voice dropped.
“The person your grandmother believed would destroy your family.””
I waited.
May you like
Then Riley said:
“Your mother.””
