Chapter 8: The Person Behind the Lie
The man in the photograph haunted me.
I placed it on my kitchen table and stared at it.
A stranger.
A face I had never seen.
A person who somehow connected to the worst night of my life.
“Who is he?”” I asked.
Vanessa sat across from me.
For the first time in years, she looked small.
Not innocent.
Not forgiven.
Just small.
“His name is Michael.””
“Who is Michael?””
She looked down.
“Someone I knew.””
My stomach tightened.
“You knew him?””
“Yes.””
“How?””
She didn’t answer immediately.
That scared me more than anything.
“Vanessa.””
“He was my friend.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Your friend was at my accident?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Her eyes filled.
“Because I asked him to talk to you.””
I froze.
“What?””
She closed her eyes.
“Before the crash, I was angry.””
I already knew that.
But hearing it from her hurt differently.
“I wanted him to scare you.””
My body went cold.
“Scare me?””
“Not hurt you.””
She shook her head quickly.
“I swear.””
“You sent someone after me?””
“I wanted him to confront you.””
“Why?””
Her voice became quiet.
“Because I thought you were leaving me behind.””
I stared at her.
“What does that even mean?””
She cried.
“You were getting everything.””
There it was again.
The same jealousy.
The same excuse.
“My career was finally moving forward. You were proud of me.””
She laughed sadly.
“But everyone still saw me as your sister.””
I felt nothing but disappointment.
“So you wanted to punish me.””
“No.””
Her voice broke.
“I wanted you to notice me.””
I stood.
“You nearly killed me because you wanted attention.””
She didn’t argue.
Because she knew.
“Where is Michael now?””
Vanessa looked terrified.
“I don’t know.””
“You’re lying.””
“I’m not.””
“Then why are you scared?””
She didn’t answer.
My phone rang.
Daniel.
I answered.
“Emily, where are you?””
“With Vanessa.””
A pause.
“That’s not safe.””
I looked at my sister.
“She’s telling me everything.””
Daniel went quiet.
Then:
“Put me on speaker.””
I did.
“Vanessa,” Daniel said.
She looked at the phone.
“Daniel.””
“Who is Michael?””
Her face changed.
“How do you know that name?””
The room went silent.
Daniel answered:
“Because I found his name in the hotel footage records.””
My eyes widened.
“What?””
“The person who accessed the archived accident footage.””
Vanessa stood.
“No.””
Daniel continued.
“He wasn’t just there three years ago.””
My heart pounded.
“He was at the resort.””
The blood drained from Vanessa’s face.
“What?””
“He accessed the footage the day after the pool incident.””
I looked at Vanessa.
Someone was watching.
Someone knew.
Someone had been waiting.
Then Daniel said:
“Emily, leave her apartment.””
A sound came from behind Vanessa.
A door closing.
We both turned.
Her face went pale.
“I’m not alone.””
My phone nearly slipped from my hand.
“Vanessa?””
She whispered:
“He followed me.””
A shadow moved in the hallway.
Then a man stepped into view.
The same face from the photograph.
Michael.
May you like
He looked at me.
And smiled.
