Chapter 3: The Secret Beneath The Crash
The next morning, I woke up feeling like my entire life had collapsed overnight.
The woman sleeping in the guest room was my wife.
The woman sitting beside Lily at breakfast was also my wife.
And somehow, both truths existed at the same time.
I stood outside Lily’s bedroom door and watched Emily brush her daughter’s hair.
For two years, Lily had asked me questions I could never answer.
“Did Mommy forget me?””
“Did Mommy leave because I was bad?””
“Will she come back?””
Every night, I lied.
Not because I wanted to.
Because I didn’t know what else to say.
Now she was back.
But something felt wrong.
Something about Rebecca.
Something Emily knew.
At breakfast, Rebecca entered the room wearing a perfect white blouse and a calm expression.
Like yesterday never happened.
“Daniel,” she said.
“Can we talk?””
“No.””
Her smile faded.
“Excuse me?””
“You can talk when Lily isn’t here.””
Emily looked at me.
She understood.
Rebecca sat down anyway.
“I think emotions are making everyone irrational.””
Emily laughed quietly.
“Interesting choice of words.””
Rebecca ignored her.
“I built a life with Daniel after you disappeared.””
Emily looked at her.
“You built it on my grave.””
The tension became unbearable.
I pushed my chair back.
“Tell me the truth.””
Nobody answered.
“Both of you.””
Emily looked down.
Rebecca looked away.
Finally, Emily spoke.
“The night of the crash, I was going to meet someone.””
“Who?””
She looked at Rebecca.
“Her.””
My hands tightened.
Rebecca immediately shook her head.
“That’s impossible.””
Emily continued.
“She asked me to come to the mountain road. She said she needed to tell me something important.””
“Why would you go?””
“Because she was my friend.””
Friend.
The word sounded strange now.
Emily continued.
“When I arrived, my brakes didn’t work.””
My face went numb.
“What?””
Emily nodded.
“I tried to stop. I couldn’t.””
Rebecca stood suddenly.
“This is ridiculous.””
“Sit down,” I said.
She looked shocked.
“You’re defending her?””
“I’m asking questions.””
Rebecca sat.
But her hands were shaking.
Emily noticed.
“The car went through the barrier. I remember falling.””
She closed her eyes.
“I remember thinking about Lily.””
A tear rolled down her face.
“Then everything went black.””
Lily reached across the table.
“Mommy…”
Emily held her hand.
“But someone pulled me out.””
“Who?””
“I don’t know.””
The room became quiet.
“Before I lost my memory, I heard one thing.””
“What?””
Emily looked at me.
“A woman’s voice.””
My heart stopped.
“What did she say?””
Emily looked toward Rebecca.
“She said, ‘You were never supposed to survive.’”
Rebecca immediately stood.
“I’m leaving.””
I stepped in front of her.
“No.””
Her eyes narrowed.
“You can’t keep me here.””
“I’m not keeping you.””
I pointed toward the door.
“But before you leave, I want the truth.””
For the first time, Rebecca looked afraid.
Not angry.
Afraid.
That night, I searched through old documents.
Insurance papers.
Police reports.
Anything connected to Emily’s crash.
At midnight, I found something strange.
A report I had never seen before.
A witness statement.
Someone had seen another car near the cliff that night.
A black SUV.
Registered to a company.
A company owned by…
Rebecca’s father.
My phone suddenly rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A man’s voice spoke.
“Daniel Carter?””
“Yes?””
“You found the report.””
I froze.
“Who is this?””
The man breathed heavily.
“You need to listen carefully.””
“Why?””
“Because Rebecca didn’t just try to kill your wife.””
A pause.
“She tried to erase everyone who knew the truth.””
Then the line went dead.
And behind me, a voice whispered:
“Daniel?””
I turned.
May you like
Rebecca stood in the doorway.
Holding a knife.
