Chapter 10 – The Man Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
Emma's eyes remained fixed on the last text message.
Jonathan Ashford didn't disappear.
He's still alive.
For a moment, the world around her disappeared.
The warehouse.
Victoria.
Ryan.
The bodyguards.
Everything faded into the background.
Only those four words remained.
He's still alive.
Emma looked up slowly.
Victoria was watching her.
"What is it?" Victoria asked.
Emma slipped her phone into her pocket before answering.
"Nothing."
Victoria studied her face carefully.
She wasn't convinced.
"You've received another message."
Emma didn't respond.
Instead, she asked the question that had been growing louder in her mind.
"If Jonathan Ashford is dead..."
She paused deliberately.
"...where is his body buried?"
For the first time since they'd met, Victoria hesitated.
It lasted only a second.
But Emma noticed.
"There was never a body," Victoria admitted.
Emma's heart pounded.
"So he wasn't declared dead because anyone found him."
"No."
"He simply vanished."
Victoria nodded once.
Ryan suddenly laughed bitterly from the ground.
"I told you..."
One of the guards shoved him back down.
Victoria shot Ryan an irritated glance.
"You've caused enough damage already."
Ryan ignored her.
"Emma!"
His voice cracked.
"They've been looking for Jonathan for thirty years."
Emma looked between them.
"If they're looking for him..."
She swallowed.
"...doesn't that mean he's alive?"
Silence.
Victoria didn't answer.
She didn't have to.
The expression on her face was enough.
The distant sound of sirens grew louder.
One of the bodyguards stepped closer.
"We have less than two minutes."
Victoria nodded calmly.
She reached into the folder one last time and removed an old photograph.
It showed three people standing in front of a large estate.
A young woman.
A smiling man.
And a little girl no older than two.
Emma stared at the child.
She wore tiny blue overalls.
Curly brown hair.
A stuffed rabbit tucked under one arm.
The little girl's smile looked hauntingly familiar.
Emma frowned.
"Who is she?"
Victoria handed her the photograph.
"You."
Emma froze.
"My mother took that picture."
Emma looked closer.
The man standing beside her mother had dark hair and kind eyes.
He looked nothing like the father who had raised her.
Her throat tightened.
"Jonathan..."
Victoria nodded.
"Your biological father."
Emma traced the faded edge of the photograph with her thumb.
For thirty-one years, she had believed she knew where she came from.
Now every certainty was crumbling.
The first police siren became visible in the distance.
Blue lights flashed along the road leading to the warehouse.
Victoria turned to her men.
"It's time."
They immediately released Ryan.
Emma frowned.
"They're just letting him go?"
Victoria smiled faintly.
"We already have what we came for."
"What does that mean?"
Victoria looked directly into Emma's eyes.
"We wanted to know whether you were ready to learn the truth."
"And?"
"You are."
She stepped backward toward the waiting SUV.
"But truth comes with consequences."
Before climbing inside, Victoria said one final sentence.
"When you find Jonathan..."
She paused.
"...ask him why he abandoned you."
The SUV doors slammed shut.
Seconds later, it sped away.
The first patrol cars entered the parking lot just as Ryan collapsed onto his knees.
Emma ran toward him.
For a brief moment, she forgot everything else.
"Ryan."
He looked exhausted.
His lip was split.
One eye was already swelling shut.
"Are you okay?"
He laughed weakly.
"I don't deserve you asking that."
"No."
She helped him sit against the side of his truck.
"But I still need answers."
Several officers approached, weapons drawn.
Ryan slowly raised his hands.
"I'm not armed."
Emma noticed Detective Sarah Collins stepping out of one of the patrol cars.
She walked directly toward them.
"Mrs. Carter."
Her expression was serious.
"Mr. Carter."
Ryan looked up.
"I'll cooperate."
Detective Collins studied him for several seconds.
"That's good."
She nodded toward another officer.
"Search the warehouse."
The officers disappeared inside.
Moments later, one of them shouted.
"Detective!"
Everyone turned.
The officer emerged carrying several cardboard archive boxes.
"You're going to want to see this."
Detective Collins opened the first box.
Inside were hundreds of paper files.
Employee records.
Financial statements.
Property deeds.
Everything carefully organized.
Ryan closed his eyes.
"I told them to leave it."
Emma looked at him.
"You knew this was here?"
Ryan nodded slowly.
"I hid it."
Emma stared.
"You?"
He looked ashamed.
"I couldn't keep helping them."
Detective Collins flipped through several folders before stopping abruptly.
"What is it?" Emma asked.
The detective slowly turned one page toward her.
At the top was a personnel file.
Attached to it was a photograph.
Emma felt every ounce of strength leave her body.
The employee smiling in the picture wasn't a stranger.
It wasn't Victoria.
It wasn't Daniel.
It wasn't Michael Bennett.
It was someone Emma had known her entire life.
Someone she trusted without question.
Someone who had comforted her after she discovered the affair.
The name beneath the photograph read:
Lily Carter
Senior Financial Operations Coordinator
Harbor Ridge Development Group
Employment Start Date:
Six years earlier.
Emma stared at the page in disbelief.
Lily hadn't become involved with Harbor Ridge because of Ryan.
Ryan had met Harbor Ridge...
Through Lily.
Ryan looked at Emma with tears in his eyes.
"I wasn't the one who brought Harbor Ridge into our family."
Emma could barely breathe.
"Your sister did."
At that exact moment, Detective Collins' phone rang.
She listened for several seconds before her face turned pale.
She slowly lowered the phone and looked at Emma.
"We've just received a report."
Emma's voice trembled.
"What happened?"
The detective answered quietly.
"Your parents' house..."
She paused.
"...someone broke in twenty minutes ago."
"And?"
"They were looking for something."
Emma's heart sank.
"My parents..."
May you like
Detective Collins swallowed.
"They're missing."
