Chapter 9 - Richard ValeI watched the video five times.
Each time, the same words.
Do not trust Daniel.
But there was something else.
At the very end, before the screen went black, my mother looked behind the camera.
Someone had been in the room with her.
A shadow.
Male.
Tall.
I zoomed in.
The image was blurry.
But I could recognize one thing.
A silver ring.
A large square ring with a black stone.
I had seen it before.
On Daniel.
I searched through our family photographs.
There it was.
My husband's hand resting on my shoulder at our wedding.
The ring.
Same shape.
Same black stone.
My hands went cold.
Daniel had told me that ring belonged to his grandfather.
I called him.
He answered on the second ring.
“Rachel?”
“Where are you?”
“Office.”
“Come home.”
“Why?”
“Now.”
He hesitated.
“Are you okay?”
“No.”
I ended the call.
Before he arrived, I searched the USB again.
One document had the name:
VALE FOUNDATION INTERNAL
I opened it.
It was a list of payments.
Richard Vale.
Melissa Collins.
Daniel Carter.
My name.
My mother's name.
All connected.
I scrolled.
There was one payment made eight years ago.
$250,000.
Recipient:
Daniel Carter.
Purpose:
Project Family Reset.
I stared at the screen.
Family Reset?
What did that mean?
Another file.
Subject R.C.
That was me.
The file contained my medical records.
My employment history.
My financial profile.
My children.
My friendships.
Every private detail.
Someone had been tracking me before I married Daniel.
Then I found the date the surveillance began.
Three years before our wedding.
I felt sick.
Daniel hadn't met me randomly.
Had he?
The front door opened.
He walked inside.
I was sitting at the dining table with the laptop open.
He saw the screen.
He stopped.
“Where did you get that?”
“My mother's files.”
He closed his eyes.
“I was hoping you'd never find them.”
I stood.
“Did you marry me because Richard Vale paid you?”
“No.”
“Did you know about me before we met?”
“Yes.”
“Were you sent to me?”
“No.”
“Then explain.”
He sat down.
“I met Richard when I was thirty.”
“And?”
“He knew your mother.”
“Everyone apparently knew my mother except me.”
Daniel looked broken.
“Your mother was investigating Richard.”
“Why?”
“He ran private investment networks.”
“And?”
“She discovered money laundering.”
I stared.
“And Melissa?”
“Worked for him.”
“Did you?”
Daniel looked away.
“For a time.”
My breath caught.
“So you were part of it.”
“Yes.”
“You used my identity.”
“No.”
“Someone did.”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Daniel looked directly at me.
“Your mother.”
I froze.
“What?”
“She created the identity file.”
“Why?”
“To protect you.”
“Then why did she warn me not to trust you?”
Daniel didn't answer.
The phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
Richard Vale's voice came through.
“Rachel Carter.”
I said nothing.
“I've waited a long time to speak to you.”
“How do you know me?”
A quiet laugh.
“Your mother made sure I would.”
“What do you want?”
“Your cooperation.”
“You already have it.”
“What?”
“My husband.”
Silence.
Then Richard said:
“You really don't understand what Daniel did.”
“What did he do?”
“He chose you.”
I frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“He was supposed to choose Melissa.”
My blood turned cold.
Richard continued.
“But he chose you instead.”
The call ended.
I turned toward Daniel.
He looked terrified.
“Why did you choose me?”
He didn't answer.
I stepped closer.
“Why?”
He finally said:
“Because I fell in love with you.”
Then my phone buzzed.
A message.
A photo of Melissa.
She was standing beside a grave.
The grave had one name:
Eleanor Carter.
May you like
And beneath it was another line.
You should ask why your mother is buried under a false name.
