Chapter 26: The Enemy Inside the Family
After the call ended, nobody spoke.
The silence was heavier than before.
Because now the truth had a different shape.
This was no longer just about inheritance.
Not about the house.
Not about a company.
Not about old family arguments.
Someone had threatened my family.
Someone had controlled people for decades.
Someone had been hiding behind everyone else's mistakes.
And I needed to know who.
"Mom.""
She looked at me.
"When Dad was alive, who had access to everything?""
She looked confused.
"Everything?""
"His documents. His business. His personal information.""
She thought carefully.
Then answered:
"Very few people.""
"Names.""
She sighed.
"Richard.""
I nodded.
"Your aunt.""
She looked uncomfortable.
"Your attorney.""
"Who else?""
She hesitated.
"Bernice.""
The name hurt.
Not because I hated Bernice.
Because I trusted her.
"And Simone?""
My mother shook her head.
"She came later.""
I looked at the photo.
The family gathering.
Everyone smiling.
Everyone pretending.
The perfect image.
But behind the smiles was a war nobody told me about.
My phone buzzed.
A message from Angela.
A location.
A time.
No explanation.
Just:
*"Come alone if you want the truth.""*
Marcus saw it.
"No.""
I looked at him.
"What?""
"You aren't going alone.""
I almost smiled.
A few days ago, he was a stranger.
Now he was protecting me.
"Angela asked me.""
"Angela doesn't know what we know.""
He pointed at the phone.
"Everyone who knows the truth has been threatened.""
He was right.
I hated that he was right.
"We go together.""
I nodded.
For the first time, I wasn't facing the truth alone.
We met Angela at an abandoned community center outside town.
The building looked forgotten.
Old walls.
Broken signs.
A place people passed without noticing.
Angela was waiting inside.
She was older than I expected.
Gray hair.
Tired eyes.
But there was something strong about her.
Something familiar.
The same strength my father had.
"Darnell.""
I nodded.
"You knew my father.""
She smiled sadly.
"Yes.""
"How?""
"I worked for his company.""
I frowned.
"Then why did nobody mention you?""
"Because after Thomas died, my name became dangerous.""
"Why?""
She looked at Marcus.
"Because I knew about the fraud.""
Marcus stepped forward.
"And the truth?""
Angela nodded.
"The truth was that Thomas wasn't stealing.""
She opened a folder.
"He was investigating.""
Inside were copies of records.
"Richard created false accounts.""
I looked at the documents.
"But someone helped him.""
Angela nodded.
"Yes.""
"Who?""
She looked at me.
"Someone who knew Thomas's schedule.""
My heart sank.
"Who?""
Angela took out another photograph.
This one was newer.
My father.
Standing outside his office.
A person beside him.
I recognized the person immediately.
My aunt.
"She was involved?""
Angela shook her head.
"No.""
Relief came too quickly.
Then disappeared.
"Then why show me?""
"Because she was the person who discovered the truth.""
I frowned.
"Then what happened?""
"She confronted Richard.""
"And?""
Angela looked down.
"She disappeared.""
The room went silent.
"Disappeared?""
Angela nodded.
"She was the last person who spoke to Thomas before he died.""
My stomach tightened.
"Did she kill him?""
Angela looked at me.
"No.""
The answer was immediate.
"Then who?""
Angela took a deep breath.
"Someone who wanted everyone to believe Richard was responsible.""
"Why?""
"Because Richard was easier to blame.""
I understood.
A scapegoat.
Someone people already distrusted.
Someone whose reputation could absorb the damage.
"Who planned it?""
Angela looked at me.
"I can't say.""
"Why?""
"Because I don't have proof.""
She handed me a small envelope.
"But your father did.""
I opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
Not old.
Recent.
A person standing outside my mother's house.
Watching.
The person was wearing a hood.
But the face was partially visible.
My blood ran cold.
Because I knew that face.
Everyone knew that face.
Angela whispered:
"Your father's biggest mistake was trusting the wrong person.""
I stared at the photograph.
The person watching my mother's house wasn't Richard.
It wasn't Simone.
It wasn't my aunt.
It was someone I had never suspected.
Someone who had been helping me from the beginning.
May you like
Someone who knew where every secret was buried.
Bernice.
