Chapter 10 - The Woman Behind The Final Door
Maya didn't run.
That surprised me.
She just stood there.
Broken.
"Claire..."
I shook my head.
"No."
She cried.
"Please let me explain."
I wanted to scream.
I wanted to ask how many more explanations I had to hear.
But I didn't.
I waited.
Because the truth always came eventually.
Maya sat down.
"My family owed Eleanor money."
I said nothing.
"She helped my parents years ago."
A bitter smile crossed her face.
"Nothing she gives is free."
She admitted she had been reporting information.
Meetings.
Company decisions.
My father's files.
Everything.
"But the poison?"
Her face changed.
"No."
The answer came immediately.
"I didn't know about that."
I studied her.
For once...
I believed her.
And that made everything worse.
Because now I understood something.
Eleanor didn't need everyone to be evil.
She only needed enough broken people.
Enough scared people.
Enough people willing to look away.
---
That night, I received another message.
One sentence.
No photo.
No threat.
Just words.
**COME BACK TO THE HAWTHORNE HOUSE IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHO ORDERED YOUR FATHER'S DEATH.**
Maria read it.
Her face turned white.
"No."
I looked at her.
"What?"
She whispered:
"That house is where Eleanor keeps her darkest secrets."
I grabbed my coat.
Maria stepped forward.
"Claire, don't go alone."
I looked at her.
"I won't."
She looked relieved.
Then I added:
"Daniel is coming with me."
Maria froze.
Because she knew what I knew.
If Daniel came with me...
May you like
I might finally learn the truth.
Or I might walk into the same trap twice.
