Chapter 6: The Secret Hidden Behind Three Years Of Silence
Ethan didn't remember leaving the hotel.
He only remembered the sound of Rachel's voice.
The words repeated in his mind.
*Questions about what really happened.*
Three years.
Three years of believing Sarah was gone.
Three years of explaining to Lily why Mommy wasn't coming home.
Three years of forcing himself to accept something he never wanted to accept.
And now someone was telling him there was more.
When he arrived at headquarters, Rachel was waiting.
She had a tablet in her hand.
"You look like you haven't slept.""
"I haven't.""
She hesitated.
"I wasn't sure whether I should show you.""
"Show me.""
Rachel opened the file.
The first document was an old newspaper article.
Sarah Vance.
Car accident.
Fatal collision.
Three years ago.
Ethan knew every word.
He had read the article hundreds of times.
Then Rachel showed him another file.
A witness statement.
Ethan frowned.
"I don't understand.""
"The statement was never included in the official investigation.""
"Why?""
"Because it was marked unreliable.""
Ethan read the name.
Marcus Bell.
A security guard.
"He worked near the road where the accident happened.""
Rachel continued.
"He claimed Sarah's vehicle was already damaged before the crash.""
Ethan looked up.
"Damaged?""
"He said another car hit her.""
The room became silent.
Ethan stared at the document.
"No.""
Rachel didn't say anything.
Because she knew.
This wasn't just information.
This was a crack in the foundation of his entire life.
"I saw the accident report.""
"I know.""
"The police said she lost control.""
"That's what the official report said.""
Ethan stood.
"Why am I only seeing this now?""
Rachel looked uncomfortable.
"Because someone buried it.""
"Who?""
She didn't answer.
That was the answer.
Ethan walked toward the window.
Chicago stretched below him.
Millions of people.
Millions of stories.
And somewhere inside that city was someone who knew the truth about Sarah.
Someone who had stayed silent.
His phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
He stared at it.
Then answered.
"Hello?""
No response.
Only breathing.
"Who is this?""
Finally, a voice.
A man's voice.
"You don't know me.""
Ethan's expression changed.
"Who are you?""
"My name is Marcus Bell.""
The security guard.
The witness.
The man whose statement disappeared.
Ethan gripped the phone.
"Where are you?""
"I can't tell you.""
"Then why call me?""
A long pause.
"Because I saw what happened that night.""
Ethan felt his heartbeat increase.
"What did you see?""
The man took a breath.
"Your wife wasn't driving alone.""
The words hit like a storm.
"What?""
"There was another person in that car.""
Ethan couldn't speak.
"Who?""
Another pause.
Then Marcus said:
"Someone your wife knew.""
The call ended.
Ethan stood frozen.
Rachel watched his face.
"What happened?""
He slowly lowered the phone.
Then looked at the photograph on his desk.
Sarah smiling.
Lily laughing beside her.
A family frozen in a happier time.
For three years, Ethan had carried grief.
Now he carried something else.
A question.
A terrifying possibility.
May you like
Sarah's death might not have been an accident.
And whoever had hidden the truth had spent three years making sure Ethan never found out.
