Chapter 4: The Woman Behind Him
Ethan did not turn around.
The message still glowed on his phone.
*If you want the truth about your signature, don't trust the woman standing behind you.*
His thumb hovered over the screen.
Sophia stood several feet away, breathing hard.
Gloria watched them both.
“Ethan,” Sophia said softly, “please give me your phone.””
“No.””
“Someone is trying to scare you.””
“Then why are you scared?””
Sophia stopped.
Ethan finally looked at her.
Her polished expression was gone. Her shoulders were rigid, and her fingers kept twisting the hem of her sleeve.
Gloria walked to the coffee table.
“Put the phone on speaker.””
Sophia immediately shook her head.
“No.””
Ethan’s eyes narrowed.
“Why not?””
“Because whoever sent that message could be manipulating us.””
Gloria looked at her.
“You've been manipulating him all night.””
Sophia’s face hardened.
“You've hated me since the day Ethan brought me home.””
“No,” Gloria replied.
“I distrusted you because you always seemed more interested in what belonged to my son than in my son himself.””
Ethan looked between them.
“Stop.””
Both women fell silent.
He held up his phone.
“I want facts.””
He tapped the message.
“Who sent this?””
Sophia shook her head.
“I don't know.””
“Who has access to my security system?””
“I don't know.””
“Who knew about the document?””
Sophia hesitated.
“I don't know.””
Ethan stared at her.
“You keep saying that.””
“I’m telling you the truth.””
Gloria pointed at the monitor.
“Then let's test it.””
She rewound the recovered footage.
Sophia appeared again beside the coffee table.
Gloria slowed the recording.
“Look at her left hand.””
Ethan leaned toward the screen.
Sophia on the footage was holding the document.
On her finger was a distinctive gold ring.
Ethan's expression changed.
“I've seen that.””
Sophia immediately covered her hand.
“It's just a ring.””
“No,” Ethan said.
“That ring belonged to my father.””
Gloria looked at Sophia.
“Where did you get it?””
Sophia swallowed.
“Your husband gave it to me.””
Gloria stared at her.
“My husband died twelve years ago.””
Sophia’s face went blank.
Ethan stepped closer.
“You said Dad gave you that ring?””
Sophia's voice became barely audible.
“I meant… you gave it to me.””
“I never gave you that.””
The monitor suddenly went dark.
Ethan spun toward it.
“What now?””
Gloria reached for the power button.
Nothing.
Then she noticed the security system’s small indicator light.
It was off.
Not malfunctioning.
Disconnected.
She turned slowly.
“Sophia.””
Sophia backed away.
“I didn't touch it.””
Ethan moved toward the wall.
“There’s a cabinet behind this panel.””
He opened it.
Inside were cables and a small recording drive.
One cable had been deliberately cut.
Ethan stared at it.
Someone had used a knife.
“This wasn't an accident.””
Sophia said nothing.
Gloria looked down.
A tiny silver blade lay beneath the cabinet.
Ethan picked it up.
There was a faint dark stain on the handle.
Sophia's eyes widened.
“Don't touch that.””
Ethan looked at her.
“Why?””
“I just—”
“You just what?””
Sophia stepped backward.
“I saw someone with it.””
“Who?””
“I don't know.””
Ethan’s voice sharpened.
“You don't know.””
Sophia shook her head.
“It happened before you came downstairs.””
“Who did you see?””
Sophia's eyes flicked toward the hallway.
Ethan followed her gaze.
“There is nobody there.””
Sophia whispered, “I know.””
A heavy silence settled over the room.
Then Ethan’s phone buzzed again.
A video had arrived.
He opened it.
The image showed the living room from another camera angle.
The timestamp was earlier that same night.
Sophia walked into frame.
But she wasn't alone.
A second person followed her.
Ethan leaned closer.
The person's face was hidden.
Gloria whispered, “Who is that?””
The stranger placed something on the coffee table.
A folder.
Then he stepped closer to Sophia.
Sophia on the recording looked directly at him.
And said something that made Ethan’s blood run cold.
“You promised he would never find out.””
The video ended.
Ethan slowly lowered the phone.
He looked at Sophia.
“You know him.””
Sophia’s eyes filled with tears.
“I can explain.””
“Who is he?””
Sophia opened her mouth.
Before she could answer, someone knocked on the living-room door.
Three slow knocks.
Ethan turned toward it.
Sophia whispered a name.
“Marcus.””
Gloria's face changed.
May you like
“Marcus is dead.””
The handle began to turn.
