Chapter 13 - TABITHA'S CONFESSIONThe screen flickered.
Tabitha looked directly at me.
“I didn't mean for anyone to die.”
My father appeared behind her.
“Keep talking.”
Tabitha swallowed.
“The accident was supposed to scare Claire.”
“Scare her into what?”
“Giving up the trust documents.”
I stared.
“You staged it?”
“Yes.”
Claire closed her eyes.
“You told me the brakes failed.”
“They were supposed to.”
Tabitha was crying now.
“But someone changed the plan.”
“Who?”
She looked at my father.
He smiled.
Tabitha whispered:
“He ordered the crash.”
Silence.
I couldn't move.
“The original plan was to stop the car,” she continued.
“Then?”
“Your father wanted Claire dead.”
Claire stepped backward.
I caught her.
Tabitha continued.
“He told me to make sure you believed it was an accident.”
“Why help him?”
“I was trapped.”
My father leaned closer.
“You were weak.”
Tabitha glared at him.
“I was protecting Ethan.”
He laughed.
“You were protecting yourself.”
The screen changed.
A file appeared.
ACCIDENT LOGISTICS.
Dates.
Payments.
Vehicles.
A route.
My blood ran cold.
Then one line caught my eye.
PRIMARY DRIVER: TABITHA WHITMORE.
I looked at my sister.
“You drove the other car.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did you help Claire?”
“Because at the last second, I couldn't do it.”
She started sobbing.
“I saw Juniper's picture in Claire's bag.”
“What picture?”
“The one where she was holding you.”
Tabitha wiped her face.
“I realized if Claire died, you would lose everything.”
She looked at me.
“I couldn't let him destroy all of you.”
My father suddenly stepped into frame.
“You still don't understand.”
He turned to me.
“This was never about the money.”
I stared.
“Then what?”
He smiled.
“Your grandfather knew I wasn't his son.”
Claire looked shocked.
“What?”
My father's face hardened.
“He left everything to Juniper because she is the only person carrying the Whitmore bloodline.”
I stared.
“But you're his son.”
“No.”
The room went silent.
“I was adopted.”
I felt dizzy.
“My grandfather left a letter.”
My father continued.
“He knew who my biological parents were.”
“Who?”
He smiled.
“Your mother's family.”
I felt like the ground had disappeared.
My father wasn't my grandfather's biological son.
Which meant the trust wasn't really about inheritance.
It was about blood.
Then my father said the sentence that broke everything.
“Ethan, you are not the heir.”
I stared.
“Then who am I?”
My father looked directly at Claire.
“Ask your wife.”
I turned.
Claire was crying.
“You knew.”
She nodded.
“I found out before the accident.”
My heart shattered.
“What?”
“You are adopted too.”
I couldn't breathe.
“What are you saying?”
Claire reached for me.
“I was trying to tell you.”
I stepped back.
“Who am I?”
Before she could answer, the estate doors exploded inward.
Police flooded the room.
But they weren't looking at my father.
They were looking at me.
One officer shouted:
“Ethan Whitmore!”
I froze.
“You're under arrest for the attempted murder of Claire Whitmore.”
I looked at my wife.
She screamed:
“No!”
May you like
And then I realized my father had done exactly what he wanted.
He had made me the monster.
