Chapter 8: The Man Who Held The Secret
I stared at Cole.
He didn’t move.
That was the worst part.
If he had become angry, I could have fought back.
If he had denied it immediately, maybe I could have believed him.
But he just stood there.
Silent.
Like a man who had been waiting for this moment.
“You?””
The word barely came out.
Cole looked at me.
“Elena.””
“No.””
I stepped back.
“No, don’t say my name like you’re still protecting me.””
His expression tightened.
“I never wanted you involved.””
“But I was involved.””
I pointed toward Damien’s coffin.
“I was married to him.””
Cole looked down.
“I know.””
“Do you?””
My voice shook.
“Because every person in this room knew a different version of my husband.””
I looked at Mara.
“His wife.””
Then Vivian.
“His mother.””
Then Cole.
“His attorney.””
I swallowed.
“And I was just the woman standing beside the coffin.””
Nobody spoke.
The truth was unbearable.
But it was finally starting to take shape.
Cole walked toward me slowly.
“I need you to listen.””
“No.””
“Elena.””
“No.””
I looked at the door.
“I’m done listening to people who tell me they’re lying for my own good.””
Cole stopped.
For a moment, he looked tired.
Not guilty.
Tired.
“I didn’t betray Damien.””
“Then why did he write that?””
Cole had no answer.
That silence cut deeper.
Mara stepped forward.
“I think we need to know what happened.””
Cole looked at her.
“You have no idea what you’re asking.””
She laughed bitterly.
“You think I haven’t spent years asking questions?””
Cole looked away.
Mara’s voice softened.
“I lost him too.””
That sentence changed something.
For a moment, Cole looked at her like he understood.
Then Marcus spoke.
“Enough.””
Everyone turned.
He walked toward the coffin.
“We’re wasting time.””
Cole frowned.
“What are you doing?””
“Finding out why Damien left this behind.””
Marcus reached into his pocket.
He pulled out a small flashlight.
My heart jumped.
“What are you doing?””
Marcus looked at the coffin.
“Something Damien asked me to do if things went wrong.””
Cole stepped forward.
“No.””
Marcus looked at him.
“Why?””
Cole froze.
Because he didn’t have an answer.
I looked between them.
“What did Damien tell you?””
Marcus swallowed.
“He said if Elena ever found out the truth, she would need proof.””
My chest tightened.
“Proof of what?””
Marcus stared at the coffin.
“That he wasn’t the person everyone thought he was.””
Nobody moved.
Slowly, Marcus opened the small compartment beneath the flower arrangement.
Inside was nothing.
No papers.
No phone.
Nothing.
He frowned.
“That’s impossible.””
Cole looked nervous.
“What?””
Marcus searched again.
“Damien put something here.””
“What?””
“A flash drive.””
The words made everyone stop.
Vivian’s face changed.
“You’re sure?””
Marcus nodded.
“He showed it to me.””
“When?””
“Before everything happened.””
Cole looked around.
“It’s gone.””
My skin prickled.
Someone had taken it.
But how?
The chapel had been empty.
The coffin had been untouched.
Unless…
I looked toward the people around me.
Everyone had a reason.
Everyone had something to hide.
Then Mara suddenly gasped.
“What?””
We all looked at her.
She was staring at the floor.
Near the coffin.
A tiny piece of black plastic.
She bent down and picked it up.
“It was broken.””
Marcus grabbed it.
His face changed.
“It’s from the drive.””
My heart pounded.
“So someone destroyed it.””
Cole looked at the broken piece.
“No.””
Everyone looked at him.
“What?””
His voice dropped.
“This wasn’t destroyed.””
He turned it over.
“It was removed.””
The chapel became silent.
Someone had opened the compartment.
Someone had taken the drive.
Someone knew exactly where Damien hid it.
I looked at Cole.
“Who knew?””
His eyes met mine.
And then his phone rang.
Again.
This time, he answered.
Nobody spoke.
He listened.
His face slowly changed.
Then he looked at me.
“Elena…”
“What?””
He lowered the phone.
“The person who took the drive wants to meet you.””
The room froze.
“When?””
May you like
Cole stared toward the chapel doors.
“Now.””
