Chapter Two The Accident Everyone Remembered Wrong
By sunrise, the wedding guests had quietly left.
Rumors spread faster than anyone could stop them.
Some claimed the bride had fainted.
Others whispered that the marriage had already ended.
Only four people inside the Harper home knew the truth.
And even they didn't know all of it.
Clara drove Audrey to the local clinic.
The young doctor examined her carefully.
"No injuries."
"No bruises."
"No signs of assault."
Richard released a breath he had been holding.
The doctor looked confused.
"Whatever frightened her..."
"It wasn't physical."
Audrey stared out the window.
"It never had to be."
Back home...
Julian hadn't moved.
George entered carrying coffee.
"You need sleep."
"I don't deserve sleep."
George studied his nephew.
"I watched you grow up."
"I've never seen hatred in your eyes."
Julian answered quietly.
"I've been carrying it for seven years."
Seven years earlier...
Rain poured over Route 16 outside Oakhaven Springs.
Three college students were driving home.
Julian.
Audrey.
Sienna.
The roads flooded.
A truck lost control.
Metal screamed.
Glass exploded.
When the ambulance arrived...
Only two people remained inside the vehicle.
Sienna had disappeared.
Her body wasn't found until three days later downstream.
Police ruled it an accident.
Case closed.
Life moved on.
Except Julian never accepted it.
Back in the present...
Richard unlocked a dusty cabinet in the garage.
Inside sat several old storage boxes.
He searched through faded folders until one label caught his attention.
PARKER ACCIDENT
He frowned.
"I thought we threw these away."
Inside lay a newspaper clipping.
A single sentence had been circled years ago.
"Police confirm no evidence of reckless driving."
Another page contained handwritten notes.
Not his handwriting.
Someone else's.
One sentence made him stop breathing.
"She lied about the passenger swap."
Passenger swap?
Richard read the line again.
None of it matched what he remembered.
That afternoon...
Clara returned home carrying Audrey's overnight bag.
Julian remained in the living room.
Neither looked at the other.
Finally Clara spoke.
"You said Audrey killed Sienna."
"Yes."
"Show me proof."
Julian opened a drawer.
Instead of legal documents...
He removed a diary.
Its cover was worn.
Inside the first page appeared familiar handwriting.
Sienna Parker
Julian whispered,
"Read the last entry."
Clara began reading.
May you like
Halfway through...
Her face turned white.
