Chapter 11: The Betrayal Inside the Room
Nobody breathed.
The phone screen went dark.
But Lydia’s final words remained.
The person standing beside you.
Marcus looked at everyone.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Like anyone could be the danger.
Eleanor tightened her grip around the phone.
“Lydia wouldn’t say that without a reason.””
Denise looked offended.
“Are you accusing me?””
Claire stepped away from her.
“Shouldn’t we?””
Denise’s face hardened.
“I spent twenty years protecting her.””
“And twenty years hiding the truth,” Marcus replied.
Denise looked hurt.
“Because Lydia asked me to.””
Brielle shook her head.
“She trusted everyone except herself.””
The sentence made Eleanor look at her.
“What do you mean?””
Brielle looked embarrassed.
“My mother always thought she could fix everything.””
Marcus nodded sadly.
“That sounds like her.””
Brielle stared at the phone.
“But she wasn’t perfect.””
Everyone looked at her.
“She made mistakes too.””
Eleanor lowered her voice.
“Such as?””
Brielle hesitated.
Then looked at Claire.
“Such as trusting the wrong person.””
Claire’s expression changed.
“What are you saying?””
Brielle swallowed.
“The night she disappeared…”
A pause.
“My mother wasn’t alone.””
Marcus frowned.
“Who was with her?””
Brielle looked at Claire.
The room went silent.
Claire stepped back.
“No.””
Brielle shook her head.
“I remember.””
Eleanor looked confused.
“Remember what?””
Brielle’s voice trembled.
“My mother arguing with someone.””
“Who?””
Brielle looked at Claire.
“Her.””
Everyone turned.
Claire stared at Brielle.
“That’s impossible.””
“You were there.””
“No.””
“You were there when my mother left.””
Claire’s face lost color.
Marcus moved between them.
“Explain.””
Claire looked at Eleanor.
“I was trying to help Lydia.””
“Then why did Brielle see you?””
Claire didn’t answer.
Brielle whispered:
“Because my mother was begging you.””
Eleanor felt sick.
“Begging her for what?””
Claire closed her eyes.
“She knew.””
Marcus’s voice became sharp.
“Knew what?””
Claire looked at the floor.
“That Richard wasn’t the only threat.””
Silence.
Eleanor shook her head.
“No.””
Claire looked at her.
“I’m sorry.””
“Sorry for what?””
Claire took a deep breath.
“For knowing the truth.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“You’re hiding something.””
Claire nodded.
“Yes.””
“Then tell us.””
Claire looked at the phone.
“Lydia wasn’t running from Richard.””
A pause.
“She was running from someone who knew Richard.””
Denise looked shocked.
“What are you saying?””
Claire looked at her.
“I’m saying Lydia’s biggest mistake was trusting family.””
Brielle whispered:
“Who?””
Claire didn’t answer.
Instead, she reached into her coat.
Everyone tensed.
She pulled out a folded piece of paper.
“I kept this because I promised Lydia.””
Eleanor looked at it.
“What is that?””
“The last page she wrote before she disappeared.””
Marcus took a step forward.
“Why didn’t you give it to us?””
“Because I wasn’t sure who was safe.””
Eleanor stared.
“You suspected everyone?””
Claire nodded.
“Yes.””
The paper shook in her hand.
“Lydia wrote one sentence before she left.””
She opened it.
Everyone leaned closer.
Claire read:
“Trust the person who loses the most when the truth comes out.””
Nobody spoke.
Because suddenly, everyone had something to lose.
Denise looked at Eleanor.
Claire looked away.
Brielle looked terrified.
Marcus looked confused.
Then the phone rang again.
Everyone jumped.
Eleanor answered immediately.
“Lydia?””
This time, the voice was different.
Not Lydia.
A man.
Calm.
Cold.
“Put the phone down.””
Eleanor froze.
Marcus whispered:
“Who is it?””
The man continued.
“You have no idea what you’re uncovering.””
Marcus grabbed the phone.
“Richard?””
A quiet laugh.
“No.””
Everyone froze.
The voice continued.
“Richard is the reason you looked in the wrong direction.””
Eleanor’s blood ran cold.
“Who are you?””
The man paused.
Then answered:
“The person Lydia trusted last.””
The call ended.
Marcus looked at everyone.
Nobody spoke.
Then Eleanor noticed something.
The phone screen showed one final message.
A photo.
A recent photo.
Taken inside their house.
Everyone stared.
Because in the picture was Lydia.
Alive.
May you like
Standing beside someone.
Someone from the family.
