Chapter 13 - THE VIDEO

Police reopened Nico’s death after his signature linked him to the proxy plan.

Then a new problem appeared.

The ballroom video.

Not the public clip showing Emma catching Victoria’s wrist.

A longer recording showed Victoria arguing with Isabella before Emma intervened.

Victoria threatened to cut funding to one of Isabella’s medical programs.

Then she said:

“Sign the proxy or your son learns what Thomas Carter really did.”

“What did Dad do?”

“I took something from Carlo.”

Everyone went silent.

“What?”

“A tape.”

“The cassette from Room 614?”

“No.”

A different recording.

After the fire, Thomas secretly recorded Anthony Bellini confessing that Raymond Langford paid him to sabotage safety systems.

Thomas planned to go to police.

Carlo stopped him.

Thomas kept a copy.

“Where is it?”

He closed his eyes.

“I gave it to your mother.”

Rachel had died six years earlier.

“Mom knew?”

“Yes.”

“Where did she put it?”

“I don’t know.”

Emma was furious.

“You two built our entire childhood on secrets.”

Thomas’s eyes filled.

“I was trying to keep you alive.”

“And how well did that work for you?”

He flinched.

Emma regretted it instantly.

But she did not apologize for the question.

That night, she searched old boxes at home.

Lily found it.

Inside an old sewing tin was a motel keycard.

Room 214.

Lakeside Motor Inn.

Closed nine years earlier.

On the back, Rachel had written:

IF THOMAS EVER ASKS, TELL HIM I MOVED THE TRUTH SOMEWHERE HE WOULDN’T LOOK.

Below that:

ST. AGNES.

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Emma recognized the name.

The church where her mother’s ashes had been buried.