Chapter 8: Rachel’s Last Investigation
I opened the folder.
The first page was a bank statement.
The second was a company report.
The third was a photograph of Thomas meeting with someone.
I stopped.
Because the person sitting across from Thomas was my father.
Richard Carter.
My hands went cold.
“No.””
Michael watched me carefully.
“Now you understand.””
I shook my head.
“No. My father wouldn’t do this.””
Emily looked at me.
“Dad…”
I knew what she was thinking.
She had spent years seeing the same thing I had ignored.
My father was never warm.
Never gentle.
Always controlling.
But I wanted to believe there was a reason.
A justification.
Something.
Michael pointed at the papers.
“Rachel found evidence that Thomas was moving money from the company. But she didn’t know Thomas was doing it for your father.””
I looked up.
“Why?””
“Because your father was losing control.””
“That doesn’t make sense.””
Michael leaned back.
“Your father created the company. But after you became successful, he realized something.””
“What?””
“He realized people respected you more than him.””
The words hit deeper than I expected.
I remembered every argument.
Every time my father criticized my decisions.
Every time he told me I was too emotional.
“He wanted the company back.””
Michael continued.
“So he created a plan. Thomas would steal enough money to create a crisis. You would lose everything. Then your father would step in and save the business.””
I stared at the documents.
“And Rachel found out.””
“Yes.””
My throat tightened.
“What happened after that?””
Michael didn’t answer.
That scared me.
“Michael.””
He looked at Vanessa.
“She knows.””
All eyes turned.
Vanessa looked broken.
“I never wanted Rachel to die.””
The words came out quietly.
Emily stepped forward.
“But you knew something happened.””
Vanessa nodded.
“Yes.””
“Tell us.””
Vanessa wiped her tears.
“The night Rachel died, she called me.””
I froze.
“You spoke to her?””
“Yes.””
“What did she say?””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“She said she found proof.””
“What proof?””
“She said Richard had been working with Thomas.””
The room went silent.
I felt like I couldn’t breathe.
Vanessa continued.
“She told me she was going to meet someone who could help her.””
“Who?””
Vanessa looked at Michael.
“Him.””
I looked at Michael.
“So Rachel knew you existed?””
Michael nodded.
“She found out from your mother’s old journals.””
I stared at him.
“My mother?””
“Yes.””
He looked away.
“She hid my existence because she was afraid of Richard.””
My entire life felt like it was being rewritten.
Everything I believed about my family was breaking apart.
Then Emily spoke.
“Wait.””
Everyone looked at her.
She held up her phone.
“There’s something missing.””
“What?””
“The footage.””
Michael frowned.
“What about it?””
Emily looked at Vanessa.
“You said you deleted the original footage.””
Vanessa nodded.
“Yes.””
“But the security company said someone removed it from the system.””
The room went silent.
Emily continued.
“That means someone had access after you.””
My eyes moved toward Vanessa.
“You weren’t the only person hiding something.””
Vanessa looked shocked.
“I swear, I didn’t know.””
Michael stepped toward the door.
“What are you doing?””
I looked at him.
“We’re going to find the missing footage.””
He shook his head.
“No.””
“Why?””
“Because if Richard knows we’re looking…”
A knock interrupted him.
Everyone froze.
Nobody expected anyone else.
I slowly walked toward the door.
My hand reached for the handle.
Then my phone buzzed.
A new message.
One sentence.
*Don’t open the door. The person outside is the one who killed Rachel.*
I looked through the window.
A figure stood outside.
Holding an umbrella.
Waiting.
May you like
And when lightning flashed across the sky, I saw the face.
It was someone I trusted.
