CHAPTER 16 The Betrayer Among Them

The library became silent.

Not peaceful silence.

The kind of silence that came before something broke.

Daniel looked at Noah.

Noah looked back.

For the first time since he returned...

Neither brother trusted the other.

Emma held the letter tightly.

Her father's final warning echoed in her mind.

One of the seven children is not a victim.

Someone inside the family had helped destroy everything.

Daniel stepped closer.

"Who else has seen this letter?"

Emma shook her head.

"Nobody."

"Who knew your father wrote it?"

"I don't know."

Noah walked toward the desk.

"Richard suspected someone close to him."

Daniel looked at him.

"How do you know?"

"Because he came to me before he died."

Everyone froze.

Emma stared.

"He found you?"

Noah nodded.

"Three months ago."

Daniel's expression changed.

"And you didn't tell me?"

Noah looked at him.

"Why would I?"

"Because he's our father."

Noah laughed quietly.

"Funny."

Daniel frowned.

"What?"

"You still say 'our father' like he was a hero."

The words cut deeper than anger.

Noah continued:

"He abandoned me."

Daniel answered:

"He regretted it."

"Regret doesn't give a child his childhood back."

Nobody spoke.

Then Emma noticed something.

A small detail.

Something nobody else saw.

"Wait."

Both brothers looked at her.

"What?"

Emma pointed at the letter.

"My father wrote this before he died."

Daniel nodded.

"Yes."

"But this envelope..."

She turned it over.

"...was sealed yesterday."

The room froze.

Noah stepped closer.

"What?"

Emma showed them.

A fresh stamp.

A recent postmark.

Daniel's eyes narrowed.

"Someone had access to your father's letter."

The detective immediately asked:

"Who?"

Emma looked around the library.

Then slowly answered:

"Someone who knew I would be here."

A sound came from the hallway.

A door closing.

Everyone turned.

The detective rushed outside.

Seconds later...

He returned.

Holding something.

A photograph.

His face was pale.

"We found this outside."

Daniel took it.

The photograph showed the entire Harrington family.

Richard.

Victoria.

Daniel.

Noah.

Emma.

But there was one person standing behind them.

A person whose face had been scratched away.

On the back of the photograph was a message.

YOU HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR THE EIGHTH CHILD.

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A pause.

YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR THE FIRST.