Chapter 7: The Enemy Inside The Family
The photograph lay on the table.
My hands refused to touch it again.
Because the picture was impossible.
It showed me standing outside Marcus’s hidden house.
The same coat.
The same bag.
The same moment when I stepped out of the vehicle.
Whoever sent it had been watching.
Close enough to see my face.
Close enough to know where I was.
Daniel grabbed the phone.
His expression changed the second he saw the image.
“When did this arrive?””
“Seconds ago.””
“Who sent it?””
“Unknown number.””
He looked at the message again.
*Stop searching, Amelia. We found you.*
The name burned.
Amelia.
A person I had never been.
A person everyone else seemed to know.
I wrapped my arms around myself.
“I don’t understand.””
Daniel immediately turned toward me.
“What?””
“Why now?””
He frowned.
“What do you mean?””
“Why wait twenty-nine years?””
The question hung there.
Because that was the part nobody had explained.
If someone wanted me gone, why now?
Why after Marcus died?
Why after my family suddenly wanted me out of the house?
Why after Marcus’s secrets started appearing?
Daniel’s face became serious.
“That’s exactly what we need to find out.””
He walked to the window and looked outside.
The peaceful snowy landscape suddenly looked different.
Not peaceful.
Exposed.
“How did they find this place?””
Daniel didn’t answer.
I noticed.
“You have an idea.””
He stayed silent.
“Daniel.””
He turned around.
“I have a possibility.””
“What possibility?””
“That someone knew about Marcus’s contingency plan.””
I stared at him.
“Someone who knew where I was going?””
“Yes.””
“Someone in the Army?””
“Possibly.””
My stomach twisted.
“Or?””
Daniel’s silence was enough.
“Or someone in my family.””
The words felt impossible.
But less impossible than they had yesterday.
I thought about my father’s voice.
The fear.
The warning.
The secrets.
I thought about Victoria.
Her phone call.
Her tears.
Her confession.
And then I remembered something.
“Victoria.””
Daniel looked at me.
“What about her?””
“She called me.””
“When?””
“Before the message.””
“What did she say?””
I told him everything.
The argument she overheard.
My father and Marcus.
The files.
The betrayal.
When I finished, Daniel rubbed his jaw.
“Your sister knew more than she admitted.””
“Yes.””
“Do you trust her?””
The answer should have been easy.
But it wasn’t.
“I don’t know.””
And that hurt.
Because Victoria had been my best friend before she became my sister.
We shared clothes.
Secrets.
Dreams.
When we were teenagers, she promised me something.
“If anyone hurts you, I’ll destroy them.””
I used to believe her.
Now I wondered who she was willing to destroy.
Me?
Or the people hurting me?
Daniel placed the phone on the table.
“We need to contact your sister.””
“Now?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because if she knows something, we need to know before whoever sent that message does.””
I hesitated.
Then I called.
She answered on the first ring.
“Claire?””
Her voice sounded terrified.
“Victoria.””
“Oh thank God.””
That surprised me.
“Why?””
“Because I thought they got to you.””
The room went quiet.
Daniel and I exchanged a look.
“Who is they?””
Victoria didn’t answer.
“Victoria.””
“I shouldn’t have called you.””
“Answer me.””
Her breathing became uneven.
“I don’t know everything.””
“That’s not an answer.””
“I know.””
Her voice cracked.
“But I know enough to know you’re in danger.””
I stood.
“You knew?””
“I suspected.””
“You suspected my life was in danger and you sent me to the garage?””
The silence hurt.
“I’m sorry.””
I closed my eyes.
The apology came too late.
“You’re sorry?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because I thought if I helped Dad, everything would stay controlled.””
Daniel moved closer.
“Controlled by who?””
Victoria heard him.
“Who is that?””
“Answer the question.””
A long pause.
Then:
“Dad.””
My chest tightened.
“What about Dad?””
“He’s been scared for months.””
“Of what?””
“Of Marcus.””
I frowned.
“Marcus is dead.””
“I know.””
Her voice became smaller.
“But Dad was scared of what Marcus left behind.””
I looked at Daniel.
“What did Marcus leave behind?””
Victoria whispered:
“Proof.””
The word landed heavily.
“Proof of what?””
“I don’t know.””
“Victoria.””
“I swear I don’t.””
She sounded desperate.
“Claire, listen to me. Dad never cared about the house.””
I looked around.
The house.
Marcus’s house.
“Then what did he care about?””
Victoria took a shaky breath.
“You.””
I froze.
“What?””
“He was never trying to get rid of you.””
I almost laughed.
“Victoria.””
“I know how it looked.””
“Looked?””
“He wanted you out of that house because he knew someone was watching it.””
I stopped.
Daniel’s expression changed.
“What?””
Victoria continued.
“Dad said Marcus had hidden something there.””
“Where?””
“I don’t know.””
“You’re lying.””
“I’m not!””
Her voice broke.
“I swear, Claire. I’m terrible at this. I’m not like Dad. I don’t know how to handle any of this.””
“Then tell me the truth.””
Another silence.
Then:
“Dad wasn’t the only one involved.””
My heart sank.
“Who else?””
Victoria whispered:
“Mom.””
I felt the room tilt.
“My mother?””
“Yes.””
“No.””
“Claire—”
“No.””
I walked away from the table.
“My mother protected me.””
Victoria went quiet.
Then she said:
“That’s what she told herself.””
I stopped.
“What does that mean?””
“I heard them talking.””
“When?””
“After Marcus died.””
“What did they say?””
Victoria’s voice dropped.
“Mom asked Dad if Claire knew.””
“Know what?””
“She said…”
Victoria swallowed.
“She said, ‘If Marcus told her the truth, we’re finished.’”
The line went silent.
I couldn’t move.
My mother.
The woman who made my lunch.
The woman who held my hand when I was sick.
The woman who cried when Marcus proposed.
Finished.
Because of what?
Daniel took the phone from my hand.
“Victoria, this is Daniel Cross.””
Victoria gasped.
“Daniel?””
“Yes.””
“How are you alive?””
The question shocked all of us.
Daniel froze.
“What?””
“You were reported dead.””
Silence.
“What did you say?””
Victoria’s breathing became rapid.
“I saw the report.””
Daniel looked at me.
“When?””
“Months ago.””
“Who showed you?””
“My father.””
The room became cold.
Colder than before.
Daniel’s voice changed.
“Victoria, listen carefully. Where is your father now?””
“I don’t know.””
“Where is your mother?””
“I’m at the house.””
“Are you alone?””
A pause.
“No.””
My blood ran cold.
“Who is there?””
Victoria whispered:
“Someone came after you left.””
“Who?””
“I don’t know.””
“Victoria.””
Her voice shook.
“But Dad called him Marcus.””
Nobody spoke.
The name hung there.
Impossible.
Wrong.
Dead.
“Victoria,” I whispered.
“What?””
“Are you saying Marcus is alive?””
“No.””
Her voice broke.
“I’m saying someone who looks exactly like him just walked into the house.””
The phone went silent.
Then came a sound.
A door opening.
Victoria gasped.
“Claire…”
“Victoria?””
Her voice became a whisper.
“He’s here.””
“Who?””
A pause.
Then:
“Marcus.””
The call ended.
I stared at the phone.
My entire body stopped working.
Daniel grabbed his own phone.
“No.””
“What?””
He looked at me.
“Marcus is dead.””
“I know.””
“Then someone wants us to believe he isn’t.””
A notification appeared on my phone.
Another message.
Same unknown number.
This time, there was no photograph.
Only a sentence.
*You spent your whole life believing Marcus saved you. Ask yourself why he needed to.*
I looked at Daniel.
May you like
And for the first time since I learned Marcus had secrets…
I wondered if the truth I was chasing was the truth I wanted.
