Chapter 4 - WHAT MARK BOUGHT WITH MY SILENCEThe police searched the house.

They found no one.

No hidden cameras.

No open windows.

Nothing.

But that frightened me more.

Because whoever had taken the photograph had either been incredibly careful...

or had never needed to enter.

The next morning, Mark called from the station.

I almost refused.

Instead, I answered.

“Why?”

His voice was unusually quiet.

“You need to come alone.”

“I don't owe you anything.”

“You owe yourself the truth.”

“What truth?”

“About the night Emma was born.”

I froze.

“Tell me now.”

“I won't say it on a recorded line.”

“You've already said enough.”

“Sarah.”

His voice changed.

“Michael isn't trying to save Emma.”

“Then what does he want?”

“Something she has.”

“What?”

“I don't know.”

“You're lying.”

“I wish I was.”

There was a pause.

Then Mark whispered:

“Check the blue bracelet.”

I looked upstairs.

Emma always wore a blue bracelet.

A gift from me.

She had never taken it off.

“What about it?”

“Take it off.”

The call ended.

I ran upstairs.

Emma was eating cereal.

“Sweetheart, can I see your bracelet?”

She frowned.

“Why?”

“I just need to.”

She held out her wrist.

I removed it.

Nothing happened.

Then I noticed the clasp.

It was heavier than it should have been.

I opened it.

A tiny metal compartment was hidden inside.

My hands trembled.

Inside was a microSD card.

Dad appeared behind me.

He saw it.

His face collapsed.

“No.”

“What is it?”

He didn't answer.

I grabbed his shoulders.

“Dad, what is this?”

“A copy.”

“Of what?”

“The original agreement.”

“What agreement?”

He sat on the bed.

“Nine years ago, before Emma was born, Mark gave me money.”

I stared at him.

“How much?”

“Two hundred thousand dollars.”

The room spun.

“For what?”

“To make sure you married him.”

I stepped back.

“No.”

“Sarah…”

“No!”

“I thought I was protecting you.”

“You sold my marriage?”

“No.”

“You took money from him!”

“To keep Daniel away.”

“Then why did Mark marry me?”

Dad stared at the floor.

“Because it was part of the deal.”

My mouth went dry.

“What deal?”

“He would raise Emma.”

“And?”

“In exchange, Michael would disappear.”

My heart hammered.

“But why?”

Dad opened the file on an old laptop.

There was a scanned contract.

My name.

Mark's name.

Michael's name.

And another signature.

Daniel Voss.

The agreement said:

Emma Carter would remain under the legal guardianship of Mark Hayes.

I stared.

“Carter?”

My daughter's last name was Hayes.

Why?

Dad whispered, “Because Michael never gave up his parental rights.”

I looked at him.

“Then how did Mark get custody?”

“That is the part I never understood.”

The file contained a second page.

A payment ledger.

I stared at the final transaction.

$500,000.

Paid to:

ROBERT HAYES.

My father's middle name.

Except my father had never been Hayes.

Someone else had received it.

I looked at him.

“Dad.”

He didn't move.

“Who is Robert Hayes?”

My father closed his eyes.

“My brother.”

I froze.

“You have a brother?”

“He died before you were born.”

“Then why was money paid to him?”

“He wasn't dead.”

Silence.

I couldn't breathe.

My father stood.

“He changed his name.”

“Why?”

“He was Daniel Voss's partner.”

Suddenly, the front door downstairs slammed.

Emma screamed.

I ran toward the hallway.

A man's voice echoed from below.

“Sarah.”

I froze.

I knew the voice.

Michael.

But then another voice followed.

“Don't move.”

Daniel Voss.

My father grabbed my arm.

“Take Emma.”

“Dad, what are we going to do?”

He pushed the blue bracelet into my hand.

“Run.”

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