Chapter 4 - The Man Who Was Supposed to Be DeadClaire backed away.
“She's three,” she said.
Her voice was calm, but her breathing wasn't.
“She doesn't understand what she's saying.”
Maria moved between Claire and Ellie.
“My daughter doesn't lie.”
Claire laughed.
A brittle sound.
“This is absurd.”
Ethan looked at her.
“Where were you eight months ago?”
Claire stared at him.
“Why?”
“When Daniel died.”
“I was here.”
“That's not what I asked.”
She swallowed.
“I don't remember.”
“You don't remember?”
“No.”
Ethan stepped closer.
“You remember the date of our first kiss.”
Claire's eyes narrowed.
“You remember my birthday.”
“You remember every detail of our wedding plans.”
“But you don't remember the day Maria’s husband died?”
Claire said nothing.
Ethan took out his phone.
“I do.”
He showed her a photograph from an old security archive.
A woman leaving a hospital.
Claire.
Eight months ago.
Same coat.
Same car.
Same night Daniel died.
Claire looked at the image.
Her face changed.
“Where did you get that?”
“Security footage.”
“You've been spying on me?”
“My security team has been protecting me.”
Claire laughed quietly.
“No.”
Her eyes suddenly filled with anger.
“Your security team has been protecting you from everyone except the people closest to you.”
Ethan stared at her.
“What does that mean?”
Claire turned toward the door.
Tom’s voice suddenly came through the phone.
“Sir, there's movement on the west wing.”
Ethan immediately looked up.
“Who?”
“Someone disconnected three cameras.”
“Which cameras?”
Tom listed them.
One was outside the study.
One was near Grace’s old bedroom.
The last was outside the underground garage.
Ethan’s face tightened.
“Lock the house down.”
Tom hesitated.
“It’s already happening.”
Every door slammed shut at once.
Claire turned toward Ethan.
“What are you doing?”
“You're not leaving.”
Her eyes flashed.
“You think I'm trying to kill you?”
Ethan didn't answer.
Claire stared at him.
Then she whispered:
“I've been trying to keep you alive.”
Maria froze.
Ethan's expression hardened.
“Explain.”
Claire's eyes filled with tears.
“Your father started this.”
“What?”
“Your father.”
“My father died fifteen years ago.”
“No.”
Claire shook her head.
“He was supposed to.”
Ethan felt as though the room had tilted.
“What are you talking about?”
Claire stepped closer.
“There are things about your family you were never told.”
“By whom?”
“Grace.”
Ethan stopped breathing.
Claire continued.
“She found out what your father had been doing.”
“What was he doing?”
“Testing something.”
“Testing what?”
Claire stared at him.
“A compound.”
“For what?”
“To make people compliant.”
Maria gasped.
Ethan's voice became cold.
“You're telling me my father experimented on people?”
“Yes.”
“And Daniel?”
“One of them.”
Ethan looked at the blue cup in Maria's hand.
“Then Grace knew.”
Claire nodded.
“She knew.”
“What happened to her?”
Claire looked away.
“I don't know.”
“Don't lie to me.”
“I’m not.”
“You were the last person to see Grace alive.”
Claire’s eyes widened.
“No.”
“You told everyone you found her after the accident.”
“I did.”
“But the hospital report says Grace was already dead before your arrival.”
Claire went silent.
Ethan stepped closer.
“Claire.”
She whispered,
“I didn't kill Grace.”
“Then who did?”
Claire looked toward the dark hallway.
And for the first time, genuine terror appeared in her eyes.
“The man who is still living in this house.”
Ethan turned.
There was no one there.
Then his phone vibrated.
A text appeared.
YOU SHOULD HAVE DRUNK THE TEA.
Ethan stared at it.
May you like
The sender was listed as:
GRACE CALDWELL.
