Chapter 4 - The Voice in the Dark
The house disappeared into darkness.
Lily cried out.
Sophie immediately called her name.
“Lily, stay where you are.”
A hand touched Sophie's shoulder.
Marcus.
“She's safe.”
Emergency lights flickered on along the floor.
The red button continued glowing.
Ryan stood near the doorway.
His face was barely visible.
Eleanor whispered something to him.
Sophie could not hear it.
Marcus inserted the memory card into a secure tablet.
A recording appeared.
David Mercer sat at his desk.
He looked tired.
Older than Sophie remembered.
But his eyes were clear.
“If you're watching this, Sophie, something went wrong.”
Sophie covered her mouth.
Her father continued.
“Do not trust anyone who tells you my death was natural.”
Ryan closed his eyes.
Eleanor turned away.
David's voice became quieter.
“I discovered that someone inside the family was using my companies to move money.”
Sophie stared at Ryan.
David continued.
“I suspected Ryan.”
Ryan shook his head.
“No.”
The recording continued.
“But I was wrong about one thing.”
Sophie leaned closer.
“Ryan was not the person directing it.”
The room seemed to stop breathing.
Sophie looked at Eleanor.
Eleanor's expression was empty.
David said the name.
“Eleanor.”
Lily looked confused.
Sophie felt her stomach drop.
The recording continued.
“She has been working with someone outside the family.”
Marcus paused the recording.
Ryan suddenly shouted.
“That's enough.”
Marcus turned.
“No.”
Ryan lunged toward the tablet.
Marcus blocked him.
The two men struggled briefly.
Sophie screamed.
“Stop!”
Marcus released Ryan.
Ryan stumbled backward.
His breathing became ragged.
Sophie stared at him.
“You knew.”
Ryan wiped his mouth.
“I knew she was doing things.”
“How much?”
“I didn't know about your father.”
Sophie laughed.
“You expected me to believe that?”
Ryan looked toward Lily.
“I was trying to protect you.”
“By hurting me?”
Ryan's face tightened.
“I was trying to keep you alive.”
Those words silenced her.
Marcus slowly turned toward Ryan.
“Explain.”
Ryan shook his head.
“I can't.”
Sophie stepped forward despite the pain.
“You can.”
Ryan looked at her.
For the first time, she saw genuine fear.
“Eleanor isn't the worst person in this house.”
Sophie frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Ryan pointed toward the hallway.
“Someone else is here.”
Marcus immediately signaled the security officers.
The house was searched.
Kitchen.
Dining room.
Study.
Garage.
Bedrooms.
Nothing.
Then Lily spoke.
“Mommy.”
Sophie turned.
The little girl was pointing at the staircase.
“There was a man upstairs.”
Marcus froze.
Ryan went white.
Eleanor whispered.
“No.”
Sophie looked at her.
“You know him.”
Eleanor did not answer.
A floorboard creaked above them.
Then another.
Marcus raised his weapon.
A shadow appeared at the top of the staircase.
And a man's voice called down.
“Sophie.”
She recognized it.
She had heard that voice once before.
May you like
At her father's funeral.
The sound upstairs came again, softer this time. Marcus signaled everyone to remain still. Lily clutched Sophie's shirt, but Sophie kept her voice steady. She whispered that everything would be okay, even though she could not promise it. Daniel finally appeared, and the look in his eyes told Sophie that the past had returned for a reason. Someone had spent years making sure the truth stayed buried, and now the grave had opened.
