Chapter 14 - MY SISTER'S NAME
Erin had never used the card.
She didn’t even know it existed.
It was hidden inside the lining of the purse.
The account had been opened using her identity.
Two-point-three million dollars had passed through it.
Victoria had created another scapegoat.
If the scheme collapsed, investigators would see money in Erin’s name.
Then they would see my messages to Erin about leaving Dominic.
The Bennetts could claim we planned to steal from them together.
It was brilliant.
Cruel.
And almost complete.
But the card changed everything.
Fingerprints were recovered.
One belonged to Victoria.
Another belonged to Madison.
Madison broke down when confronted.
Victoria had asked her to deliver documents to a banker.
Madison claimed she never knew what they contained.
I wanted to believe her.
Then Chloe showed me security footage.
Madison wasn’t delivering an envelope.
She was sitting beside Victoria while Erin’s account was created.
My best friend had lied again.
I met her one final time.
“Why?”
Madison cried.
“I owed money.”
“That’s your explanation?”
“I thought Dominic would only take control of your finances.”
“He hurt me.”
“I didn’t know it would go that far.”
“You read my messages.”
Silence.
“You knew I was afraid.”
She lowered her head.
“Yes.”
“And you kept helping.”
“Yes.”
The answer hurt more because she finally stopped defending herself.
Madison was charged.
Erin was cleared as a knowing participant.
The money was frozen.
Another piece of Victoria’s escape plan collapsed.
Then Rachel arrived.
She walked into the station wearing a gray coat and holding an old leather folder against her chest.
When she saw me, she stopped.
Her eyes went to my bandaged hand.
“I know that look,” she whispered.
We sat together for almost an hour.
Rachel told me Dominic had once shoved her against a radiator.
Victoria arrived afterward.
Not to help.
To negotiate.
She offered money.
Then threatened Rachel’s career.
Rachel signed documents.
She disappeared.
Before leaving Connecticut, she stole one thing from Victoria’s desk.
A cassette recording.
She had kept it for nine years.
Chloe found an old player.
Victoria’s voice filled the room.
Calm.
Controlled.
Terrifying.
“If a woman can be made to doubt herself, everyone else will doubt her too.”
Then Dominic’s younger voice asked,
“And if she still talks?”
Victoria answered without hesitation.
“Then we make sure she has nothing left worth saying.”
Rachel looked at me.
“That’s not the worst part.”
May you like
She turned the cassette over.
“There’s another recording.”
