Chapter 17: The Man Behind Sarah’s Secrets
The next morning, Daniel arrived earlier than expected.
He walked into my house carrying a folder.
I knew immediately.
He had found something.
“What happened?””
He placed the folder on the table.
“We found Ethan Cole.””
I sat down.
“Where?””
“Living outside the state.””
“Is he connected to Sarah?””
Daniel opened the folder.
“Yes.””
“How?””
He turned the first page toward me.
“Ethan was Sarah’s business partner years ago.””
I stared at the information.
Business partner.
That explained the money.
The planning.
The knowledge.
But not everything.
“What kind of business?””
“Financial consulting.””
I frowned.
“And?””
“And it collapsed after several complaints.””
“What kind of complaints?””
“Manipulating clients.””
The room went silent.
I looked at the documents.
Sarah had not learned this behavior after meeting me.
She had history.
Daniel continued.
“Ethan disappeared after the company closed.””
“Until now.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Daniel looked at me.
“Because someone started searching for him.””
I already knew the answer.
“Sarah.””
He nodded.
I leaned back.
“So she wasn’t working alone.””
“No.””
“Then why did she let me blame her?””
Daniel looked confused.
“What do you mean?””
“She never defended herself properly.””
“That’s because she was caught.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“She always had an explanation ready before.””
Daniel was quiet.
Because he understood.
Sarah was too careful to suddenly become careless.
Something else was happening.
A knock interrupted us.
Michael opened the door.
Behind him was Jordan.
He looked nervous.
“Marcus.””
“What happened?””
Jordan looked at Daniel.
Then back at me.
“I need to tell you something.””
I motioned for him to sit.
He took a deep breath.
“When my mom left, she called me.””
“What did she say?””
“She was angry.””
“About what?””
“You.””
I frowned.
“Me?””
“She said you were ruining everything.””
I felt my jaw tighten.
“What else?””
Jordan looked down.
“She said if I helped her, we could still fix things.””
“Fix things?””
“She said you would eventually forgive her.””
I laughed quietly.
“She still thinks this is about forgiveness.””
Jordan shook his head.
“No.””
He looked at me.
“She thinks it’s about winning.””
That word stayed with me.
Winning.
Not repairing.
Not apologizing.
Winning.
“Jordan.””
“Yes?””
“What did Ethan Cole have to do with your mother?””
Jordan looked shocked.
“Ethan?””
“You know him?””
He hesitated.
Then nodded.
“My mom mentioned him.””
“How?””
“She said he was someone who understood how the world worked.””
I looked at Daniel.
The pieces were coming together.
“Did you ever meet him?””
Jordan shook his head.
“No.””
“Did your mother ever receive anything from him?””
Jordan thought.
Then his face changed.
“Wait.””
“What?””
“There was a package.””
“When?””
“Months ago.””
“From who?””
“I don’t know.””
“Where is it?””
Jordan looked nervous.
“My mom kept it hidden.””
“Where?””
He swallowed.
“In the house.””
My heart raced.
“What house?””
He looked at me.
“My mom’s old house.””
The one nobody had mentioned.
The one Sarah owned before marrying me.
The one I assumed she sold.
But apparently…
She didn’t.
That afternoon, we went there.
The house looked abandoned.
Dust covered the windows.
The yard was overgrown.
But when we entered, something felt wrong.
Someone had been there recently.
Not living.
Searching.
We moved through the rooms.
Then Jordan stopped.
“Her office.””
We entered.
The room was almost empty.
Almost.
A single locked drawer remained.
Jordan pointed.
“She always kept important things there.””
Daniel opened it carefully.
Inside were papers.
Photos.
And a small notebook.
Not Sarah’s handwriting this time.
Someone else’s.
I picked it up.
The first page had one sentence.
Sarah was never supposed to marry Marcus Hayes.
My heart stopped.
I turned the page.
May you like
And the next sentence made everything worse.
The marriage was only the beginning.
