Chapter 14 - Derek’s Confession
Derek called me that night.
Not Luka.
Not Malcolm.
Me.
His voice sounded broken.
“Elena.”
“Where are you?”
“Does it matter?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because the police are looking for you.”
He laughed quietly.
“My father finally chose someone else to sacrifice.”
“You started the fire.”
“I destroyed what should have been destroyed years ago.”
“My father’s evidence?”
“His obsession.”
“My sister was stolen.”
Silence.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
The word stabbed deeper than I expected.
“How long?”
“Before I met you.”
I closed my eyes.
“Why did you marry me?”
At first he said nothing.
Then he spoke.
“Because your father asked me to protect you.”
I nearly stopped breathing.
“What?”
“He knew Malcolm was watching you.”
“No.”
“He wanted me close.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“I don’t care what you believe anymore.”
His voice cracked.
“I was supposed to testify.”
“What changed?”
“My father found out.”
Derek told me Malcolm threatened his younger brother.
Threatened his mother.
Threatened everyone Derek cared about.
“So you chose him.”
“I was twenty-four.”
“And I was nineteen when you entered my life because of a secret I didn’t know existed.”
“I fell in love with you.”
“You filed a false paternity report.”
His breathing changed.
“That wasn’t supposed to happen.”
“You requested it.”
“I requested a private test because Camille told me the baby couldn’t be mine.”
“Why would she say that?”
“She showed me messages.”
“Fake messages?”
“I know that now.”
I almost screamed.
“You didn’t ask me.”
“I was angry.”
“You abandoned our newborn daughter.”
“I know.”
“You filed documents calling me unstable.”
“I know.”
“You came to Luka’s house with a fake court order.”
His voice disappeared.
There were no excuses left.
Then he whispered.
“My father told me the trust would destroy all of us if Luka reached M-17 first.”
“So you chose money.”
“No.”
“What, then?”
“Survival.”
I looked at Isla sleeping beside me.
“That’s always what cowards call it.”
Derek inhaled sharply.
Then he said something unexpected.
“Don’t open the third DNA envelope.”
My entire body went still.
“How do you know about it?”
“My father told me Thomas prepared three.”
“What’s inside?”
“I don’t know.”
“You’re lying.”
“I swear.”
“Then why are you afraid?”
A long silence followed.
Finally Derek whispered.
“Because your father told me once that if the third envelope was ever opened, there would be no Hayes family left to protect.”
The call ended.
I stared at the envelope.
DO NOT OPEN UNTIL M-17 IS EXPOSED.
For the first time, I understood.
May you like
The envelope was not evidence of my past.
It was evidence powerful enough to destroy Derek’s entire family.
