Chapter 4: The Woman Who Knew
I read the message three times before I looked up.
The restaurant suddenly felt too bright.
Too loud.
Too public.
Daniel was still standing beside the table, watching my face.
“Emily?”” he said.
I locked my phone.
“Who is this?””
His expression changed.
“What?””
I held up the screen.
“Who sent me this?””
Daniel took one step toward me.
“I don't know.””
“You're sure?””
“Yes.””
My father-in-law stood.
“Emily, what happened?””
I turned the phone so he could see.
His eyes narrowed.
Vanessa leaned over his shoulder.
Then she looked at Daniel.
“Who is she?””
Daniel shook his head.
“I have no idea.””
Another message appeared.
*Don't let him take your phone.*
I felt Daniel's hand close around my wrist.
Not hard.
But hard enough.
“Give me that,” he said.
I pulled away.
“Why?””
“Because this is ridiculous.””
His voice had lost its calm.
The waiter, who had been quietly clearing plates, paused nearby.
Daniel noticed.
He lowered his voice.
“Let's go home.””
I stared at him.
“Why?””
“Because we need to talk privately.””
“About the seventeen thousand dollars?””
His jaw tightened.
“About everything.””
My father-in-law stepped between us.
“You're not taking her anywhere.””
Daniel looked stunned.
“Dad?””
“You've lied to her about money. You lied to your mother. You lied to Vanessa.””
Vanessa folded her arms.
“And apparently you lied to Mark.””
Daniel looked at her sharply.
“What does Mark have to do with this?””
“You said the money was for him.””
Daniel didn't answer.
My phone buzzed again.
This time, the message included a photograph.
I opened it.
It was a screenshot of a bank transfer.
Daniel's name appeared at the top.
The recipient was a woman named *Rachel Morgan*.
Amount: *$4,800.*
Date: three weeks earlier.
My stomach dropped.
I looked at Daniel.
“Who is Rachel?””
His face went blank.
“Emily—”
“Who is Rachel?””
Nobody moved.
Vanessa whispered, “Daniel?””
He shook his head.
“She’s nobody.””
“Nobody doesn't get forty-eight hundred dollars.””
“It wasn't what you think.””
I stared at him.
“That sentence is getting old.””
He stepped toward me.
“She helped me with something.””
“What?””
“Work.””
“What work?””
He hesitated.
I laughed bitterly.
“Of course.””
My father-in-law looked at his son.
“Daniel, who is Rachel?””
Daniel rubbed his temples.
“She was a consultant.””
Vanessa snorted.
“A consultant you sent $4,800?””
“Yes.””
“For what?””
“I don't have to explain every transaction to you.””
“No,” Vanessa said.
“But you apparently owe Emily an explanation.””
Daniel turned toward her.
“Stay out of this.””
Vanessa's expression hardened.
“You used my name to justify taking money from her.””
“I never used your name.””
“You sent me five hundred dollars and told me it was for dinner.””
“I was going to replace it.””
“With what?””
Daniel had no answer.
I looked down at the photograph again.
There was something else.
A second transfer.
Same woman.
Same account.
$2,200.
Then another.
$3,600.
My hands started trembling.
“That's more than ten thousand dollars.””
Daniel went silent.
I looked at him.
“Who is Rachel?””
He stared at the floor.
Finally, his mother spoke.
“Daniel…”
He looked up.
His mother’s face had gone pale.
“Is she the woman from your office?””
Daniel froze.
My heart stopped.
“What woman from his office?””
His mother looked at me.
“I saw her once.””
Daniel whispered, “Mom, don't.””
She continued anyway.
“She was waiting for him outside the office. I asked who she was.””
“And what did he say?””
His mother swallowed.
“He said she was helping him with a project.””
I looked at Daniel.
“You've met her?””
“No.””
His mother shook her head.
“You introduced her to me.””
Daniel's face crumpled for half a second before he recovered.
“That wasn't—”
My phone buzzed again.
This message contained an address.
Then four words:
*Come alone. Bring nothing.*
I stared at the screen.
Daniel saw my expression.
“What did she send?””
I put the phone into my purse.
“Nothing.””
He reached for the purse.
I stepped backward.
“Don't touch me.””
He stopped.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then my father-in-law quietly said, “Emily, whatever you're thinking, don't go anywhere with him tonight.””
I looked at Daniel.
He looked frightened now.
Not angry.
Frightened.
And somehow, that scared me more.
Because whatever Rachel knew, Daniel was terrified I would find out.
I picked up my coat.
“I need air.””
Daniel moved toward the door.
“I'll come with you.””
“No.””
“Emily.””
I looked directly into his eyes.
“You've been deciding where I go and what I pay for long enough.””
Then I walked out.
But I didn't go home.
I drove to the address Rachel had sent.
And when I saw the woman waiting under the streetlamp, I realized she wasn't a stranger.
May you like
I had seen her before.
At my own house.
