Chapter 5: The Man Behind the Accident
Marcus's phone continued ringing.
Nobody moved.
The sound filled the private room like a countdown.
Damon stared at him.
“The man who was supposed to be dead?””
Marcus didn't answer.
He just looked at the screen.
A name was glowing brightly.
A name Damon recognized.
A name that belonged to a person he had buried years ago.
Damon stepped closer.
“Let me see.””
Marcus hesitated.
That hesitation was enough.
Damon already knew.
“Marcus.””
His friend slowly turned the phone around.
The name on the screen made Damon feel like the floor had disappeared beneath him.
*Ethan Cole.*
For a moment, Damon couldn't speak.
Because Ethan wasn't just some stranger.
Ethan had been his business partner.
His closest friend.
The man who had stood beside him during the worst days of his life.
The man who had been the first person to arrive at the hospital after the accident.
The man who had held Damon's shoulder and told him:
“She’s gone, brother.””
Damon looked up slowly.
“No.””
Marcus lowered his eyes.
“I know how it looks.””
“No.””
Damon shook his head.
“You said Ethan died.””
Marcus swallowed.
“I said he disappeared.””
The room went quiet.
Damon stared at him.
“What?””
Marcus looked exhausted.
“After the accident, Ethan vanished.””
Damon's expression hardened.
“You told me he moved away.””
“I lied.””
The honesty was painful.
Damon stepped backward.
Another lie.
Another person.
Another piece of his life that wasn't what he thought it was.
“Why?””
Marcus looked at Emma.
Then at Lily.
Then back at Damon.
“Because I was scared.””
Damon laughed once.
A hollow sound.
“Everyone was scared.””
Nobody answered.
“Everyone was scared except me.””
He pointed toward himself.
“I was the only person who didn't know anything.””
Emma reached for his hand.
He didn't pull away.
But he didn't hold hers either.
Not yet.
Marcus looked at the phone again.
The call ended.
Almost immediately, another message appeared.
One sentence.
*We need to talk before Damon learns everything.*
Damon saw it.
His face changed.
“Everything?””
Marcus locked the screen.
Too late.
Damon had already seen enough.
“What else is there?””
Marcus remained silent.
“What else?””
His voice echoed through the room.
Lily looked frightened.
Emma immediately moved closer to her.
Damon noticed and lowered his voice.
But the pain remained.
“Marcus.””
His friend looked away.
“I don't know all of it.””
“You know something.””
“Yes.””
“Then tell me.””
Marcus took a long breath.
“The night of the accident wasn't random.””
Damon waited.
“Ethan had been investigating something.””
“What?””
Marcus hesitated.
“A financial problem.””
Damon frowned.
“With the company?””
Marcus nodded.
Damon's company had been growing quickly back then.
He and Ethan had built it from nothing.
Long nights.
Small offices.
Big dreams.
They had trusted each other completely.
“What financial problem?””
Marcus looked uncomfortable.
“Money was disappearing.””
Damon stared.
“From the company?””
“Yes.””
“Ethan?””
Marcus shook his head.
“No.””
The answer came quickly.
Too quickly.
Damon noticed.
“Then who?””
Marcus didn't respond.
Emma spoke quietly.
“Victoria.””
Everyone turned.
Victoria's face changed.
Damon looked at her.
“What?””
Emma looked at Victoria.
“I saw her name.””
Victoria immediately shook her head.
“No.””
“You were involved.””
“I wasn't.””
Emma's voice remained calm.
“But your name was on the documents.””
Damon looked between them.
“What documents?””
Victoria stood.
“You don't understand.””
“Then explain.””
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Damon's eyes narrowed.
“You all keep saying that.””
He stepped closer.
“You don't understand.””
His voice became sharper.
“Do you know what I understand?””
Nobody moved.
“I understand that every person I trusted has been protecting some version of the truth.””
He looked at Victoria.
“You lied about Emma.””
Then Marcus.
“You lied about Ethan.””
Then Emma.
“You disappeared.””
The words hurt.
He saw it in her eyes.
But he continued.
“Why should I believe any of you?””
Emma looked down.
Because she knew he was right.
A knock suddenly came from the door.
Everyone turned.
A staff member from the wedding venue stood outside.
“Mr. Damon?””
Damon looked confused.
“Yes?””
The man held an envelope.
“This was delivered for you.””
Damon didn't move.
“By who?””
The employee shook his head.
“They didn't say.””
Damon walked forward and took it.
The envelope was plain.
No name.
No address.
His heart sank.
Because he knew what that meant.
Someone was watching.
He opened it carefully.
Inside was a photograph.
He pulled it out.
And froze.
It was taken outside the hospital six years ago.
Damon recognized the building immediately.
But the person in the photograph made his blood run cold.
It was Ethan.
Standing beside Victoria.
Both of them looking toward the hospital entrance.
Watching Emma being carried inside.
Damon stared.
“No.””
Victoria's face went pale.
“Where did you get that?””
The question revealed more than she intended.
Damon looked at her.
“You know this picture.””
Victoria said nothing.
“Don't lie.””
Her lips trembled.
“I didn't know he took it.””
The room went silent.
Damon looked at Marcus.
“You knew?””
Marcus closed his eyes.
“Yes.””
Damon felt something break inside him.
“You knew?””
Marcus nodded.
“I found out after.””
“After what?””
Marcus looked at the photograph.
“After Ethan threatened me.””
Damon stared.
“What?””
Marcus's voice became quieter.
“He told me if I spoke, he would destroy everything.””
Emma stepped forward.
“Destroy what?””
Marcus looked at Lily.
And Damon immediately understood.
The answer was connected to her.
“What does my daughter have to do with this?””
Marcus didn't answer.
Damon grabbed his arm.
“Tell me.””
Marcus looked terrified.
“Damon, listen to me.””
“No.””
His grip tightened.
“Not this time.””
Marcus looked at him.
“The accident wasn't meant to kill Emma.””
The words made everyone freeze.
“What?””
“It was meant to erase her.””
Emma's face changed.
Marcus continued.
“Ethan knew Emma had discovered something.””
“What?””
Marcus looked at Victoria.
Victoria closed her eyes.
And finally whispered:
“The truth about Lily.””
Damon felt the world stop.
He looked at Emma.
Then at Lily.
Then back at Victoria.
“What about Lily?””
Nobody answered.
Damon's voice dropped.
“What about my daughter?””
Victoria started crying.
“I didn't know she existed until later.””
“Until later?””
“Yes.””
“Then what is the truth?””
Emma stepped forward.
Her eyes were filled with fear.
“Damon...””
He looked at her.
“Tell me.””
Emma held Lily's hand tighter.
“The night before the accident...””
She stopped.
Damon waited.
“The night before the accident, I found out something about Lily's birth.””
The room became silent.
Damon's heartbeat grew louder.
“What?””
Emma looked at Victoria.
Then at Marcus.
Then at Damon.
“I found out someone had been hiding the identity of Lily's father.””
Damon froze.
The words felt impossible.
He looked down at the little girl.
A child who had already changed his entire life.
Then back at Emma.
“Her father?””
Emma nodded slowly.
“Yes.””
Damon's voice became barely audible.
“Who is it?””
Emma opened her mouth.
Before she could answer, every phone in the room buzzed at the same time.
Damon looked down.
A message appeared on his screen.
Unknown number.
One line.
*Stop asking questions, Damon. Lily is not the only secret Emma brought back.*
Damon looked up.
Everyone was silent.
Because they had all received the same message.
May you like
And then another line appeared.
*Ask Emma who she was really running from.*
