Chapter 8: The Person Who Protected the Lie
The church felt too small.
Too many people.
Too many secrets.
I walked outside with my phone still pressed against my ear.
Rain had started falling.
Small drops landed on my gloves.
“Luke,” I said.
My voice was shaking.
“Tell me everything.””
For several seconds, there was only breathing.
Then he spoke.
“I was sixteen.””
I closed my eyes.
“You were sixteen?””
“Yes.””
“You were old enough to know better.””
“I know.””
The rain grew heavier.
I looked through the church windows.
My family was inside.
The people who had loved me.
The people who had lied to me.
“Why?””
Luke sighed.
“Because Emily idolized me.””
I said nothing.
“She wanted my attention. She wanted to prove she wasn’t just the little sister everyone compared to you.””
My jaw tightened.
“And you encouraged her.””
“Yes.””
The honesty made me angrier.
“She asked if fire could make people notice her.””
My stomach dropped.
“What?””
Luke’s voice broke.
“I thought she was joking.””
“You thought a child talking about fire was a joke?””
“I was a kid too!””
“You were sixteen!””
The silence afterward was painful.
Then Luke said:
“You’re right.””
I closed my eyes.
“Keep going.””
“The night of the fire, she took matches from the kitchen.””
I already knew that.
“But she didn’t know what she was doing.””
My anger rose.
“Everyone says that.””
“No, Emma.””
His voice became desperate.
“You don’t understand.””
“Then explain.””
“She wanted to scare your parents.””
My breath caught.
“She wanted them to stop praising you.””
I felt sick.
“She lit a small fire near the curtain.””
A small fire.
A phrase that sounded harmless.
But fire didn’t stay small.
“Then what happened?””
Luke was quiet.
“I panicked.””
My fingers tightened.
“What did you do?””
“I ran.””
The word hit me.
“You ran.””
“Yes.””
“And left her?””
“Yes.””
“And left me?””
Silence.
Then:
“Yes.””
I looked at the sky.
The rain mixed with my tears.
“I went back inside because I heard her screaming.””
“I know.””
“You watched?””
“I was outside.””
“You watched me burn?””
“I tried to go back.””
“But you didn’t.””
“No.””
The truth was ugly.
But at least it was finally real.
“Where are you?””
“I’m nearby.””
“Why now?””
Another silence.
“Because Emily called me yesterday.””
My heart stopped.
“She called you?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Luke’s voice lowered.
“She wanted me to make sure you didn’t find out.””
I stared at the church doors.
The answer was worse than I expected.
Even today.
Even after everything.
Emily was still trying to control the truth.
“What did she say?””
“She said if I talked, everything would be destroyed.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Everything?””
I looked at the church.
“The wedding?””
“No.””
Luke sounded sad.
“Her image.””
That was the word.
Image.
The same word she used.
The perfect wedding.
The perfect life.
The perfect story.
Except I was the flaw she couldn’t erase.
I ended the call.
When I walked back inside, everyone looked at me.
Emily knew.
She knew I had spoken to Luke.
“Emma…”
I held up my hand.
“Don’t.””
She stopped.
For once, she listened.
“Did you call him?””
Her eyes filled.
“Yes.””
“Why?””
She swallowed.
“Because I wanted him to convince you to stop.””
The room went silent.
I nodded slowly.
“I see.””
She stepped closer.
“I was scared.””
“You always are.””
The words hurt her.
Good.
Because for years, my pain had been invisible.
“I didn’t know what else to do.””
“You could have told the truth.””
She looked down.
“I was afraid you’d hate me.””
I looked at my scars.
Then at her.
“You should have been afraid of losing me.””
That broke something in her face.
Because maybe, for the first time, she understood.
The worst consequence wasn’t that people would know.
The worst consequence was that she had destroyed the one person who never abandoned her.
The church doors opened.
A man stood outside.
Older.
Exhausted.
Holding a cane.
Everyone turned.
I knew him immediately.
Luke.
He looked at me.
And then he said the words I never expected.
“Emma, there’s one more person who knows the truth.””
My heart sank.
“Who?””
Luke looked toward my parents.
Then toward Emily.
“The person who actually started the fire.””
The room froze.
May you like
Because Emily wasn’t looking at Luke.
She was looking at my father.
