Chapter 8: The Truth Sarah Left Behind
I spent ten minutes staring at the message.
Every logical thought told me not to go.
It was exactly what Vanessa wanted.
Fear.
Emotion.
A reaction.
But then I looked at Maya’s picture on the refrigerator.
A photo from before Sarah died.
Maya was three years old, sitting on Sarah’s shoulders.
Sarah was laughing.
That was the woman Vanessa had used as a weapon.
The woman whose memory she had twisted to hurt my daughter.
I called my lawyer.
“I received something.””
After I explained everything, he became serious.
“Do not meet her alone.””
“I know.””
“Whatever she knows about Sarah, we handle it legally.””
I agreed.
But there was one problem.
I needed to know what Vanessa had found.
So I went.
Not alone.
Ethan followed in another car.
The location was an old coffee shop outside town.
When I walked in, Vanessa was sitting in the corner.
She looked different.
Not confident anymore.
Not in control.
Just tired.
“You came.””
I stayed standing.
“What do you know about Sarah?””
Her eyes narrowed.
“So you do care.””
“Don’t do this.””
She smiled slightly.
“You always cared more about her.””
I felt anger rise.
“Sarah is dead.””
“And you never moved on.””
“That’s not true.””
“Isn’t it?””
She leaned back.
“You named your daughter after a promise you made to her.””
I froze.
Because that was true.
Sarah and I had promised that if we ever had a daughter, we would name her Maya.
But Vanessa didn’t know that.
At least I thought she didn’t.
“How do you know that?””
She smiled.
“Because I found Sarah’s journal.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
“She wrote everything.””
I felt my hands tighten.
“Where is it?””
Vanessa looked pleased.
Finally, she had something I wanted.
“There’s more.””
I stared at her.
“What?””
“Sarah knew someone was trying to take money from her.””
The world seemed to stop.
“What are you talking about?””
Vanessa leaned forward.
“Before she died, Sarah suspected someone close to her was stealing.””
My mind raced.
“Who?””
Vanessa smiled.
“That’s the question, isn’t it?””
I stood up.
“Where is the journal?””
She didn’t answer.
Instead, she reached into her bag and placed a small envelope on the table.
My heart started pounding.
I recognized the handwriting immediately.
Sarah’s handwriting.
“How did you get this?””
“Your father had it.””
I felt sick.
My father.
Again.
Vanessa continued.
“He found it after Sarah died.””
“Why didn’t he give it to me?””
She shrugged.
“Maybe he didn’t want you to know what was inside.””
I opened the envelope.
Inside was a single page.
A note.
My eyes moved across the words.
And the first sentence made my entire body freeze.
“If anything happens to me, check who has access to Maya’s future.””
I stopped breathing.
Sarah knew.
She knew someone was after Maya’s money.
I kept reading.
The next line was even worse.
“I’m afraid the person I trust most is the person I should be watching.””
My hands shook.
Because suddenly every piece started connecting.
The missing account.
The stolen savings.
The secret apartment.
My father’s involvement.
Vanessa wasn’t the beginning.
She was part of something bigger.
I looked up.
“Where is the rest?””
Vanessa smiled.
“Safe.””
“You expect me to believe you?””
“No.””
She leaned closer.
“That’s why I brought you here.””
I frowned.
“What?””
She looked toward the window.
A car had stopped outside.
Someone stepped out.
Someone familiar.
Someone who made Vanessa immediately stand.
And when the person walked through the door, I realized the betrayal was much deeper than I ever imagined.
May you like
Because the person carrying the rest of Sarah’s journal…
Was the last person I expected to see.
