PART 2 — THE SECRET BEHIND THE ACCIDENT

Alexander stared at the photograph for several seconds.

He couldn’t breathe.

Five years.

Five years of believing his wife had died in an accident.

Five years of telling Lily that her mother had loved her until her final breath.

And now someone was telling him that it wasn’t an accident.

“Who are you?”

The woman looked toward Emma.

“Not here.”

Alexander immediately understood.

He took her into his private office.

Emma remained downstairs with Lily.

But Lily noticed her father’s expression.

“Daddy is sad.”

Emma gently held her hand.

“Sometimes grown-ups have things they need to figure out.”

“Is Daddy going to leave us?”

Emma’s heart broke.

“No.”

“You promise?”

Emma smiled.

“I promise.”

Inside the office, the woman finally introduced herself.

Her name was Victoria.

She had worked for Alexander’s late wife, Sophia.

“Your wife discovered that someone inside your company was stealing millions of dollars.”

Alexander’s eyes narrowed.

“Who?”

Victoria shook her head.

“I don’t know.”

“Then why come to me now?”

“Because Sophia knew she was in danger.”

Victoria placed a small USB drive on the desk.

“She gave this to me two days before she died.”

Alexander stared at it.

“Why didn’t you give it to me before?”

“I was scared.”

Then Victoria said something that changed everything.

“She told me if anything happened to her, I should protect Lily.”

Alexander’s blood ran cold.

That night, Alexander couldn’t sleep.

Emma found him sitting alone in the library.

“You’re still awake.”

He didn’t answer.

She sat beside him.

“You don’t have to tell me.”

Alexander looked at her.

“I thought I knew how my wife died.”

Emma quietly listened.

“Now I don’t.”

He looked down.

“I’m afraid someone may have hurt her because of me.”

Emma reached for his hand.

“This isn’t your fault.”

“You don’t know that.”

“No.”

She squeezed his fingers.

“But I know Lily needs her father.”

Alexander looked at her.

“And what about you?”

Emma hesitated.

“I’m here too.”

That was all he needed.

The next morning, Alexander opened the USB drive.

There was only one video.

Sophia appeared on screen.

She looked tired.

Frightened.

But alive.

“Alexander…”

His hands began to shake.

“If you’re watching this, something happened to me.”

Sophia looked directly into the camera.

“I need you to trust no one.”

The video continued.

“There is someone close to you who has been working against us.”

Alexander’s face went pale.

Then Sophia said:

“And Alexander…”

She paused.

“If you ever meet a woman named Emma Carter…”

Alexander froze.

Emma.

His girlfriend.

The video suddenly ended.

He sat completely still.

For several seconds, he couldn’t move.

Then he heard footsteps.

Emma appeared in the doorway.

“Alexander?”

He quickly closed the laptop.

“What’s wrong?”

He looked at her.

For the first time since they’d met, there was doubt in his eyes.

Emma noticed.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Alexander stood.

“I need to ask you something.”

“What?”

“Have you ever met my wife?”

Emma’s face changed.

Only for a second.

But Alexander saw it.

She looked away.

“No.”

“Emma.”

Silence.

Then Lily’s voice came from the hallway.

“Emma?”

Emma turned.

Lily was holding a small box.

“I found this in Mommy’s old room.”

Alexander rushed toward her.

“What did you find?”

Lily opened the box.

Inside was a child’s bracelet.

And beneath it…

A photograph.

Alexander picked it up.

It showed Sophia standing beside a much younger Emma.

His heart stopped.

On the back of the photograph was a handwritten sentence:

EMMA KNOWS WHY I DIED.

Alexander slowly turned toward Emma.

Tears filled her eyes.

“I was going to tell you.”

“Tell me what?”

Emma whispered:

“Your wife asked me to protect Lily.”

Alexander stared at her.

“From who?”

Emma looked toward the window.

Then she said:

“From the man who ordered her death.”

Suddenly, the mansion lights went out.

A loud crash came from upstairs.

Lily screamed.

“Daddy!”

Alexander ran.

And behind him, Emma followed.

But neither of them noticed the figure standing outside the mansion…

Watching the little girl through the window.