Chapter 14 - The Betrayal Inside The House
Daniel survived.
Barely.
The bullet had missed his heart by less than an inch.
But before the ambulance arrived, Ethan heard enough.
Enough to confirm what he already feared.
The enemy was not outside the family.
The enemy had always been inside.
And now Ethan knew something else.
Whoever ordered Claire’s death was still watching.
Still moving.
Still waiting for the right moment to finish what they started.
For the first time in years, Ethan stopped trying to understand the past.
He started preparing for the future.
Because Sophie was no longer just a child caught in a family secret.
She was the reason everyone was fighting.
The next morning, Ethan changed everything.
Security around the house doubled.
Every entrance was monitored.
Every employee was investigated.
Every person who had access to Sophie was questioned.
Except one person.
Natalie.
Ethan found her in the kitchen.
She was making breakfast for Sophie.
The normality of the scene almost made him angry.
Because nothing about their lives was normal anymore.
“You knew Daniel was involved.”
Natalie stopped moving.
“No.”
“You knew someone inside the family was dangerous.”
“Yes.”
“And you still brought yourself into this house.”
Natalie placed the plate down.
“I came here because Claire asked me to.”
Ethan looked at her.
“My wife asked you to become my fiancée?”
Natalie looked away.
“No.”
The answer surprised him.
“Then why?”
“Because Claire knew someone would eventually come looking for the music box.”
Ethan’s expression changed.
“She knew?”
“Yes.”
“And she knew it would be you?”
Natalie nodded.
“She knew the Vale family would send someone.”
“Then why warn me about you?”
Natalie looked at him.
“Because Claire didn’t know if I could be trusted anymore.”
That answer was honest.
And somehow, honesty made it worse.
“You and Claire were friends?”
“No.”
“Then what were you?”
Natalie took a breath.
“Enemies.”
Ethan stared.
“What?”
“She thought I was helping Richard.”
“Were you?”
Natalie didn’t answer immediately.
Then:
“At first.”
The room went silent.
Ethan’s anger returned.
“At first?”
“I was sent to find the music box.”
“By Richard?”
Natalie nodded.
“Five years ago.”
“Then why didn’t you take it?”
“Because I found Claire first.”
Ethan waited.
Natalie’s eyes became filled with regret.
“She was dying.”
The words hit him.
“What?”
“When I found her that night, she was still alive.”
Ethan stopped breathing.
Natalie continued.
“She had escaped.”
“From who?”
“I don’t know.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“No.”
Natalie looked at him.
“But I know what she said.”
Ethan stepped closer.
“What?”
Natalie whispered:
“Protect Ethan.”
A silence followed.
“She didn’t ask me to save her.”
“She didn’t ask me to call an ambulance.”
“She only cared about you.”
Ethan looked away.
The pain was overwhelming.
Because even in her final moments…
Claire was thinking about him.
“What happened after?”
Natalie’s voice broke.
“She gave me the music box.”
Ethan froze.
“The one Sophie had?”
“Yes.”
“She told me to hide the truth.”
“Why?”
“Because she knew someone would use Sophie to find it.”
Ethan looked toward the living room.
Toward his daughter.
Then he realized something.
Natalie had not been searching for the music box because she wanted the secret.
She had been searching because she knew the secret was dangerous.
But that did not erase what she did.
She hurt Sophie.
She broke the one thing Claire left behind.
“You still locked my daughter in a bathroom.”
Natalie lowered her eyes.
“I know.”
“Why?”
“Because someone was watching.”
Ethan froze.
“What?”
“If I had acted like I cared, they would have known.”
“You hurt Sophie to protect her?”
Natalie nodded.
“I thought I could control the situation.”
Ethan looked at her.
“You were wrong.”
“Yes.”
The admission surprised him.
“I was.”
That night, Ethan reviewed the security footage.
And found something.
Something everyone missed.
A person entering the house the night before the wedding.
A person with access.
A person who knew every room.
Every camera.
Every alarm.
Ethan zoomed in.
His blood turned cold.
The person was wearing a family ring.
The same ring from the archive footage.
The same ring Noah had warned him about.
But this time, Ethan recognized the hand.
It belonged to someone who had been comforting him for years.
Someone who cried beside him after Claire’s funeral.
Someone who claimed to love Sophie.
May you like
His own aunt.
Margaret Vale.
