Chapter 15 - Sophia Comes Home
The Whitmore estate went into lockdown before midnight.
Police covered both gates.
Dana checked every camera.
Richard refused to leave.
"This is my home."
Ethan stayed too.
At 2:11 a.m., the kitchen motion sensor triggered.
They found Sophia standing beside the island.
Barefoot.
Wet from the rain.
Holding no weapon.
She looked smaller than Ethan remembered.
"I came to talk," she said.
Two officers raised their hands toward their holsters.
Richard stopped them.
"Let her talk."
Sophia looked at Ethan.
"Julian did this."
Ethan almost laughed.
"Which part? The forged documents? Drugging Dad? My insurance policy?"
"He pressured me."
"Did he rip your blouse too?"
Her jaw tightened.
"You don't know what Richard did to my family."
Richard stepped forward.
"Your father stole from his company."
"You destroyed him."
"Your father destroyed himself. Margaret paid your tuition afterward. Did you destroy her too?"
Sophia's eyes flashed.
"She pitied us."
"She helped you."
"Same thing."
Ethan whispered, "Did you ever love me?"
Sophia looked at him for a long time.
"Yes."
That answer hurt more than no.
"Then why?"
"Because love doesn't erase what your family took."
"So you were going to kill me?"
Sophia's face collapsed for one second.
Then hardened again.
"The garage was Julian's idea."
Dana stepped closer.
"We never told you about the garage."
Silence.
Sophia realized her mistake.
Ethan closed his eyes.
Richard said, "It's over."
Sophia suddenly reached into her coat.
Officers moved.
She pulled out a flash drive and threw it across the floor.
"No," she said. "It gets worse."
Dana picked it up.
May you like
Sophia looked at Richard.
"Your board has been stealing from you for ten years."
