Chapter 8: The Missing Minutes
The next morning, I woke up feeling like I had aged ten years.
Not because I was tired.
Because I had spent the entire night replaying one sentence.
*Emma deserves the truth.*
My father had said my name.
Sixteen years ago.
On a night I remembered only through police reports and other people’s explanations.
A night everyone told me to forget.
But my father hadn’t wanted me to forget.
He had wanted me to know.
And someone had taken that away from me.
I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the wedding ring on my finger.
For years, I believed that ring represented the safest promise I had ever received.
Now it felt like a symbol of everything I didn’t know.
The lies.
The secrets.
The missing pieces.
A knock came at the bedroom door.
I didn’t answer.
The door opened slowly.
Ryan stood there.
He looked nothing like the man who had walked into my life six years ago.
He looked exhausted.
Broken.
“Emma.””
I kept staring at the ring.
“What?””
He stepped inside.
“I didn’t sleep.””
I almost smiled.
“Neither did I.””
He moved closer.
“I need to apologize.””
I looked up.
“For what?””
His eyes filled with guilt.
“For everything.””
That answer should have made me feel better.
It didn’t.
Because apologies were easy.
Truth was harder.
“Start with one thing,” I said.
He sat down across from me.
“The night my mother’s attack happened.””
I waited.
“I should have stopped her.””
“Yes.””
“I should have protected you.””
“Yes.””
“I should have told you about Claire.””
“Yes.””
His face tightened.
“And my mother.””
I looked at him.
“Yes.””
The silence between us was painful.
But it was honest.
Something we hadn’t had enough of.
Ryan looked down.
“When I met you, I thought I could start over.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
He swallowed.
“My entire life was controlled by my mother.””
I didn’t interrupt.
“I thought marrying you would finally give me a chance to be different.””
I stared at him.
“But you still let her control you.””
His eyes closed.
“Yes.””
The honesty hurt.
But it was better than another excuse.
“I loved you, Emma.””
I looked away.
“Don’t.””
“Why?””
“Because love without honesty becomes another kind of lie.””
He went quiet.
Then my phone buzzed.
Both of us looked at it.
Another message.
Unknown number.
A video.
The missing minutes.
Ryan immediately stood.
“Don’t watch it alone.””
I looked at him.
“Are you afraid of what it shows?””
His silence answered.
We sat together.
Not because everything was fixed.
It wasn’t.
But because this truth belonged to both of us.
I pressed play.
The screen filled with darkness.
A car engine.
Rain.
Then a voice.
My father’s voice.
“Diane, you need to stop this.””
The camera angle changed.
It looked like someone had recorded from inside another vehicle.
My father stood near a parking lot.
Diane faced him.
She looked younger.
But the same cold confidence was there.
“You’re making a mistake.””
My father shook his head.
“No. I made a mistake trusting you.””
My hands tightened.
Diane looked around nervously.
“You don’t understand what will happen if this comes out.””
My father laughed sadly.
“You’re worried about yourself.””
“I’m worried about my family.””
“No.””
His voice became firm.
“You’re worried about losing control.””
Diane’s expression changed.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.””
“I know enough.””
My father held something in his hand.
A folder.
“Copies of everything.””
Diane stared at it.
“Where did you get that?””
“From your office.””
My heart pounded.
She stepped closer.
“Give that to me.””
“No.””
The video shook.
Then another voice appeared.
A man.
Marcus.
“You should have walked away.””
My entire body went cold.
Marcus entered the frame.
My father looked at him.
“You.””
Marcus looked uncomfortable.
“This doesn’t have to happen.””
My father took a step back.
“Diane hired you.””
Marcus didn’t answer.
That was enough.
Then my father said something that made me cover my mouth.
“If anything happens to me, my daughter gets everything.””
Daughter.
Me.
The camera moved closer.
My father held up a small device.
“A copy is already safe.””
Diane’s face changed.
“What did you do?””
“I protected my family.””
The video suddenly became chaotic.
Voices.
Movement.
The camera fell.
For several seconds, all we saw was the ground.
Then we heard a crash.
A scream.
Then silence.
I covered my mouth.
Ryan reached for my hand.
I almost pulled away.
Almost.
But I didn’t.
Because for that moment, we were two people watching the destruction of a family.
The video continued.
The camera picked up sound again.
Marcus’s voice.
“He’s gone.””
A whisper.
Diane.
“No.””
“He hit the ground.””
Silence.
Then Diane said:
“What about the evidence?””
My entire body froze.
Marcus answered:
“I couldn’t find it.””
The video ended.
I stared at the black screen.
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Finally, Ryan whispered:
“She knew.””
I looked at him.
“She knew.””
His eyes filled with tears.
“My mother knew your father was in danger.””
“Yes.””
“She lied.””
“Yes.””
He covered his face.
“I spent my entire life defending someone who…”
He couldn’t finish.
I looked at him.
“Ryan.””
He looked up.
“What?””
“There’s something else.””
He frowned.
“What?””
“The video.””
I pointed at the screen.
“Marcus said he couldn’t find the evidence.””
Ryan nodded slowly.
“So?””
“So someone did.””
A silence fell.
Because that was the question.
Someone had the missing evidence.
Someone had sent us the video.
Someone had been waiting sixteen years.
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
This time, I answered.
“Hello?””
A woman’s voice responded.
“Emma.””
I froze.
I knew that voice.
Not personally.
But from the video.
Diane.
No.
Not Diane.
Someone else.
“Who is this?””
The woman took a breath.
“My name is Laura.””
I looked at Ryan.
His expression changed.
“Laura?””
He recognized the name.
I noticed.
“Who is Laura?”” I asked.
Ryan looked terrified.
“I don’t know.””
But his face said he did.
The woman continued.
“I have the rest of the evidence.””
My grip tightened around the phone.
“What evidence?””
“The evidence your father hid.””
I stood.
“Where are you?””
“Not yet.””
“Why?””
“Because there is something you need to understand first.””
I looked toward the window.
“What?””
Her voice lowered.
“Your father didn’t die because he discovered Diane’s crime.””
A pause.
“He died because he discovered Ryan’s.””
My heart stopped.
I looked at my husband.
Ryan went pale.
“Emma…”
The phone trembled in my hand.
“What did she mean?””
Ryan didn’t answer.
He couldn’t.
Because the fear on his face told me one thing.
Whatever my father had discovered…
May you like
It wasn’t just about Diane.
It was about the man I married.
