Chapter 8: The Man I Was Told Not to Trust
Nobody moved.
The silence after the call felt heavier than the silence at the gala.
I looked at Adrian.
The man who had protected me.
The man who had defended Lily.
The man who had walked across a ballroom full of powerful people because he saw something wrong.
And suddenly, for the first time, doubt entered my mind.
“Emma,” Adrian said.
I stepped back.
“What did he mean?””
Adrian didn’t answer immediately.
That was the worst possible answer.
“You knew my father.””
“Yes.””
“You knew what happened to him.””
“I knew parts.””
“Parts?””
My voice shook.
“You all keep saying that.””
Lily stood.
“Emma, Thomas Reed is a liar.””
“Maybe.””
I looked at Adrian.
“But why did he know exactly what to say?””
Nobody answered.
That night, I left Adrian’s office.
I needed space.
I needed air.
Most importantly, I needed the truth.
I went back to my mother’s house.
She was waiting.
She knew immediately something happened.
“What did he tell you?””
I looked at her.
“Thomas Reed called me.””
Her face went pale.
“No.””
“He said Dad died protecting me from Adrian.””
My mother closed her eyes.
“Emma…”
“Tell me the truth.””
She sat down.
For a long time, she said nothing.
Then:
“Your father trusted Adrian’s family.””
I waited.
“But?””
She looked at me.
“But he discovered something.””
“What?””
“Adrian’s father knew about Victoria’s crimes.””
My stomach dropped.
“He knew?””
“Yes.””
“Then why didn’t he stop her?””
My mother looked away.
“Because sometimes powerful people protect themselves before they protect others.””
That answer hurt.
“So Adrian knew?””
“No.””
She said it immediately.
Too immediately.
“You’re sure?””
“Yes.””
“How?””
“Because your father wrote me a letter.””
My heart skipped.
“A letter?””
She nodded.
“He told me Adrian was different.””
She went to the drawer again.
This time, she removed an envelope.
My name was written on it.
Emma.
My hands shook.
“Why didn’t you give me this?””
“Because your father asked me not to.””
“Why?””
“Because he said the truth would only matter when you were ready.””
I opened the letter.
The handwriting was familiar.
Even though I barely remembered him.
My sweet Emma,
If you are reading this, something has gone wrong.
I stopped.
Tears blurred my vision.
He knew.
He knew this day might come.
The letter continued.
There are people who will tell you not to trust Adrian Bennett. Some of them will be telling the truth. Some will not.
My heart raced.
Your father’s greatest mistake was believing money and power always came with loyalty.
But Adrian is not his father.
He is the reason I was able to hide the evidence.
I looked up.
My mother was crying.
Adrian was innocent.
Thomas Reed had lied.
But why?
Then the final line caught my attention.
The person who betrayed me is not the person everyone suspects.
It is someone who knows you better than anyone.
My blood ran cold.
Someone who knows me.
Someone close.
The front door suddenly opened.
I jumped.
A figure stood in the doorway.
Not Victoria.
Not Thomas.
Someone I knew.
Someone I trusted.
My mother whispered:
“Oh no.””
The person stepped into the room.
May you like
And said:
“Emma, you were never supposed to find that letter.””
