Chapter 9: The Document That Explained Everything
Rebecca was sitting in a hospital room when I arrived.
Her face was pale.
One side of her forehead was bruised, and a thin bandage crossed her eyebrow.
But she was conscious.
That was enough to make me breathe again.
The investigator stood beside the door.
"She insisted on speaking with you.""
I walked closer.
"Rebecca.""
She gave me a weak smile.
"I'm sorry.""
"You don't have to apologize.""
"I should've warned you sooner.""
"You did.""
She looked toward the hallway.
"Is Trevor here?""
"No.""
She closed her eyes.
"Good.""
I pulled a chair beside her bed.
"What happened?""
She swallowed.
"They found out I copied the files.""
"Who?""
"Evelyn.""
Her hands trembled.
"She called me into the office and accused me of stealing company information. Then Trevor came in.""
I waited.
"He wasn't angry.""
That frightened me more than if he'd been.
"He was calm.""
Rebecca looked at me.
"That's when I knew they had planned everything.""
"What did they want?""
"The final document.""
I leaned forward.
"What document?""
She hesitated.
"It's not about the house.""
I already knew that.
"Then what is it?""
Rebecca looked toward the investigator.
He nodded.
She reached beneath her pillow.
From underneath it, she pulled out a small envelope.
"This is the original.""
I took it carefully.
"Original what?""
"The agreement between Trevor and Evelyn.""
My heart stopped.
"About what?""
Rebecca's voice dropped.
"Your marriage.""
I stared at her.
"My marriage?""
She nodded.
"Before you and Trevor got married, they made a deal.""
I couldn't speak.
Rebecca continued.
"Evelyn was convinced Trevor would never be financially successful on his own. He was drowning in debt. His business had failed twice.""
I remembered Trevor telling me he had once struggled financially.
He had made it sound like a distant part of his life.
Rebecca looked at the envelope.
"Then he met you.""
The room felt colder.
"Why me?""
"Because of your money.""
I stared at her.
"No.""
"I wish I were wrong.""
She slid the document toward me.
"Read it.""
My hands shook as I opened the envelope.
The first page was an agreement.
Not a romantic one.
A financial arrangement.
Evelyn had written specific terms.
If Trevor married me, he would gain access to my financial resources through joint accounts.
In return, a percentage of those resources would be transferred into the family business.
My throat tightened.
There was another clause.
If the marriage ended before the family business reached certain financial targets, Trevor would retain ownership of all assets acquired through the company.
I read the same paragraph twice.
Then I found a signature.
Trevor's.
A second signature.
Evelyn's.
The date was six months before my wedding.
I dropped the papers onto my lap.
"I wasn't his wife.""
Rebecca's eyes filled with tears.
"I think you were part of a business plan.""
I looked down at the document.
For years, I had replayed the first time Trevor proposed.
He had taken me to a restaurant overlooking the river.
He'd said I was the woman who made him believe in the future.
I'd believed every word.
"Why didn't he just leave me?""
Rebecca's expression changed.
"Because you became more valuable.""
I looked at her.
"More valuable?""
"The house.""
My heart sank.
"Once your career took off, your income increased. Then you bought the house.""
She nodded toward the document.
"The plan changed.""
"How?""
"They stopped wanting your money temporarily.""
"What did they want?""
"Everything.""
I felt sick.
"How did you know all this?""
Rebecca looked down.
"Because I was the one who typed the first version.""
The room went silent.
"You worked for Trevor before I met him.""
"Yes.""
"And you knew?""
"I knew there was a financial arrangement.""
"Did you know he was going to hurt me?""
"No.""
She started crying.
"I swear to you, Allison, I never knew it would become this.""
I reached for the document.
Then I noticed one final page.
A handwritten note.
I recognized the handwriting.
Trevor.
It said:
If Allison ever discovers the agreement, Evelyn will handle her.
I stared at the sentence.
Not Trevor will handle it.
Evelyn will.
I looked up.
"What does that mean?""
Rebecca shook her head.
"I don't know.""
The investigator stepped closer.
"There may be more.""
He took another envelope from his briefcase.
"We found this during the search of the company office.""
He handed it to me.
I opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
It was old.
Trevor was younger.
Evelyn stood beside him.
And between them was a woman I didn't recognize.
A woman holding a baby.
I looked at Rebecca.
"Who is she?""
Rebecca went completely still.
"That's Trevor's first wife.""
I felt as though someone had struck me.
"What?""
"He was married before you.""
I stared at the photograph.
"Trevor told me he'd never been married.""
"He lied.""
"How long?""
"Seven years.""
"And the woman?""
"Her name was Claire.""
I turned the photograph over.
There was handwriting on the back.
Claire Harper.
Mother of Trevor's daughter.
My stomach dropped.
"His daughter?""
Rebecca nodded.
"They've been paying child support through Harper Family Holdings for years.""
I looked at the financial statements.
The transfers.
The hidden accounts.
The business.
The lies.
Everything suddenly had another layer.
"Where is Claire now?""
Rebecca hesitated.
"Dead.""
The word barely left her mouth.
I stared.
"When?""
"Three years ago.""
"How?""
Rebecca looked toward the investigator.
"That is what you need to ask Trevor.""
I felt a chill crawl down my spine.
"Why?""
"Because the insurance policy you found isn't the first one.""
My breath caught.
"What do you mean?""
Rebecca whispered,
"There was another life insurance policy.""
"On Claire?""
She nodded.
"And Trevor was the beneficiary.""
The room seemed to tilt.
I stood slowly.
For the first time since this nightmare began, the fear I felt wasn't about money.
It wasn't about the house.
It wasn't even about my marriage.
It was about what kind of man I had actually married.
The investigator took the photograph from me.
"Allison, we're going to look into Claire's death.""
I nodded.
But before I could say anything, my phone rang.
Trevor.
I answered.
"What?""
His voice was strangely calm.
"I know where you are.""
I looked toward the window.
"How?""
"It doesn't matter.""
"What do you want?""
"I want to tell you the truth.""
I laughed bitterly.
"You've had years.""
"I didn't kill Claire.""
My blood ran cold.
I hadn't mentioned Claire.
Not once.
"How did you know I was asking about her?""
Silence.
Then Trevor whispered,
"Because Evelyn told me what Rebecca gave you.""
I looked at Rebecca.
Her expression was terrified.
Trevor continued.
"Allison, please listen.""
"Why?""
"Because the document Rebecca gave you isn't the whole agreement.""
"What does that mean?""
"There is a second page.""
"What second page?""
He inhaled shakily.
"The page that proves I was never supposed to marry you.""
My grip tightened around the phone.
"Then why did you?""
His voice cracked.
"Because my mother changed the deal.""
The call ended.
I stared at the screen.
Then I looked at the investigator.
"Find the second page.""
He nodded.
But before anyone moved, Rebecca whispered,
"I know where it is.""
I turned.
"Where?""
May you like
Her answer made my blood run cold.
"In your house.""
