Chapter 8 – The Chase
Emma tightened her grip on the steering wheel as the navigation app counted down the miles.
Destination: 18 minutes.
The address led to an abandoned riverside warehouse on the edge of the city. It was an odd place for a confession, but after everything that had happened, nothing felt normal anymore.
She checked the rearview mirror.
Traffic was light.
A delivery truck.
A blue sedan.
And, several cars behind them, a black SUV.
Emma's pulse quickened.
It looked remarkably similar to the one that had driven past her house two nights earlier.
"Don't panic," she whispered to herself.
There were plenty of black SUVs on the road.
She forced herself to focus on driving.
Five minutes later, she changed lanes.
The SUV changed lanes.
Emma exited the highway.
So did the SUV.
A cold wave of fear washed over her.
"This can't be a coincidence."
She deliberately took a wrong turn, one that added several minutes to her route.
The SUV followed.
Emma's heart began pounding.
Someone was following her.
She picked up her phone and called the anonymous number.
The call failed immediately.
No connection.
She tried again.
Nothing.
Then her phone vibrated with a text.
Don't stop. They're behind you.
Emma stared at the screen in disbelief.
Whoever was texting her could see exactly where she was.
The road narrowed as she entered an industrial district lined with abandoned factories.
The black SUV closed the distance.
Its headlights flashed once.
Then twice.
Emma pressed harder on the accelerator.
"I'm not stopping."
The SUV accelerated too.
Her breathing became shallow.
She reached for the hands-free button and dialed 911.
Before the call connected, another text arrived.
Don't call the police. They won't reach you in time. Drive to the warehouse. Ryan is already there.
Emma hesitated.
The call disconnected.
She hated herself for listening to a stranger.
Yet every warning so far had been accurate.
She kept driving.
The warehouse appeared at the end of a cracked asphalt road overlooking the river.
It looked abandoned decades ago.
Broken windows.
Rusted loading docks.
Weeds growing through the concrete.
Emma pulled into the empty parking lot.
Ryan's truck was already there.
But Ryan was nowhere in sight.
The black SUV stopped about fifty yards behind her.
Its engine remained running.
The driver's door opened.
A tall woman stepped out.
She wore a navy business suit, dark sunglasses, and low heels that clicked confidently across the pavement.
Even from a distance, she carried herself with absolute authority.
Emma recognized her immediately.
The woman from Daniel's surveillance photo.
Victoria Hale.
Chief Financial Officer of Harbor Ridge Development Group.
Victoria smiled politely as though they were meeting for coffee.
"Emma Carter."
Her voice was calm.
"I've been hoping we'd finally meet."
Emma didn't move.
"What do you want?"
Victoria stopped several feet away.
"I'd like to have a conversation."
"You've had people following me."
"I've had people protecting important business interests."
Emma laughed bitterly.
"Is that what you call murder?"
For the first time, Victoria's smile faded.
"Be careful with accusations."
Emma took one cautious step backward.
"Where's Ryan?"
Victoria glanced toward the warehouse.
"Inside."
"Is he alive?"
A brief pause.
"For now."
Emma's stomach dropped.
"What does that mean?"
"It means your husband has become... unpredictable."
Before Emma could respond, the warehouse doors burst open.
Ryan stumbled outside.
His face was bruised.
Blood stained one sleeve of his shirt.
He spotted Emma immediately.
"No!"
He shouted as loudly as he could.
"Run!"
Two large men rushed out behind him.
Ryan shoved one aside and sprinted across the parking lot.
Victoria sighed, almost disappointed.
"This is becoming unpleasant."
One of the men tackled Ryan before he reached Emma.
Ryan hit the pavement hard.
Emma instinctively ran toward him.
"Ryan!"
Victoria stepped directly into her path.
"Don't."
Emma glared at her.
"Move."
Victoria remained perfectly still.
"Your husband has made several very poor decisions."
Ryan struggled against the two men holding him down.
"Emma!"
He coughed.
"Listen to me!"
One of the men punched him in the ribs.
Ryan gasped in pain.
Emma took another step forward.
"If you touch him again—"
Victoria interrupted calmly.
"This has nothing to do with revenge."
"Then what does it have to do with?"
Victoria looked directly into Emma's eyes.
"Money."
Emma frowned.
"You've already stolen enough."
Victoria almost smiled again.
"You still don't understand."
She reached into her purse and removed a thick manila folder.
"This entire situation began long before your marriage."
Emma stared at the folder.
"What are you talking about?"
Victoria tossed it onto the hood of Emma's car.
"Read the first page."
Emma hesitated before opening it.
The document on top wasn't a financial statement.
It was a birth certificate.
Her own birth certificate.
She frowned.
Why would Victoria have that?
Then she noticed the father's name.
It wasn't the name of the man who had raised her.
Emma's breathing stopped.
She read it again.
The name hadn't changed.
Her father...
Was someone else.
Emma slowly looked up.
"What is this?"
Victoria's expression remained unreadable.
"The truth."
Emma shook her head.
"No."
"It's amazing," Victoria said quietly, "how one hidden secret can shape an entire family."
Ryan suddenly screamed from behind her.
"Emma, don't believe her!"
Victoria didn't even turn around.
Instead, she spoke the sentence that shattered Emma's world.
"Your affair wasn't the reason we targeted your family."
Emma felt her knees weaken.
"You were chosen..."
May you like
Victoria paused.
"...because of who your real father is."
