The morning sun felt too bright for the storm building inside me.
I stared at the printed document on my desk, the insurance papers that carried Clara's signature, not Adrian's.
Every letter on that page screamed betrayal.
I had to know the truth.
And there was only one person who could give it to me.
Adrian Hale.
By the time I reached his office, my heart was pounding.
The receptionist gave me a polite smile. "Do you have an appointment, ma'am?"
"Tell him it's Emma," I said coldly.
Her eyes widened, but she nodded and made the call. Within minutes, Adrian's deep voice echoed through the hall.
"Send her in."
I pushed open the glass door, my grip tight on the folder.
Adrian sat behind his desk, calm as ever.
Perfect suit, perfect posture, the kind of man who could hide a thousand lies behind one smile.
"Emma," he said slowly, "this is a surprise."
I didn't waste time.
I tossed the file onto his desk. The papers slid open, the signature clear in bold ink.
"Do you recognize this?"
He glanced down, his expression unreadable. "Insurance documents."
"Look closer."
His eyes shifted to the signature.
Then, for the first time, I saw a flicker of something. Shock? Guilt?
"Clara signed it," I said. "Not you."
He leaned back in his chair, silent.
"So tell me," I continued, my voice shaking, "why would my sister collect my insurance money after I died?"
He met my gaze. "Because she was your next of kin."
"That's not the full answer," I snapped. "You knew about it, didn't you?"
Adrian's jaw tightened. "I found out later."
"Liar."
His hand slammed on the desk, startling me. "Watch your words, Emma."
I stepped closer. "Then tell me what really happened that night!"
For a long time, he said nothing.
Then, quietly, he said, "You wouldn't believe me even if I told you."
"Try me."
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Clara wasn't supposed to be there. The fire… wasn't meant for you."
My stomach dropped. "What do you mean by 'meant'?"
He looked at me, really looked at me, and I saw the guilt in his eyes.
"I got a call that night," he said. "Someone warned me that there would be an accident at your house. They said Clara was the target."
"But I was the one who died," I whispered.
He nodded. "When I got there, it was too late. The fire had already started."
I stared at him, my thoughts spinning.
If Clara was the real target, then who wanted her dead?
And why take her place in the fire?
"Who called you?" I asked.
Adrian's eyes darkened. "I don't know. But the voice sounded familiar, like Daniel Hale."
The name hit me like lightning.
"You know Daniel?"
He hesitated. "He used to work for me. Security team. Then he vanished after the fire."
Everything was connected, but not cleanly.
Daniel had told me to find the insurance papers.
Adrian claimed Daniel was behind the warning.
And Clara had signed everything.
It was a web of lies, and I was caught in the center.
I took a deep breath. "There's something else. The woman with the silver locke,t Lyd,ia she told me you were there that night."
Adrian looked away. "I was. But I didn't start the fire."
"Then who did?"
He hesitated for a long moment, then whispered, "Someone you once called a friend."
My heart stopped.
"Who?"
He looked at me, and his voice broke. "Lydia."
I froze.
The name hung in the air like smoke.
"That's impossible," I said. "She saved my letter. She protected the locket!"
"People change," Adrian said quietly. "And she had reasons."
He stood, stepping closer. "You think I'm your enemy, Emma. But the truth is, we were both betrayed."
For a moment, silence filled the room.
I wanted to scream, to deny it, but deep down… part of me feared he was right.
I turned to leave, my head spinning. "I don't know who to believe anymore."
Adrian's voice followed softly behind me.
"Then start by believing yourself."
Outside, I stopped to breathe.
The city moved around me, loud and bright, but I felt trapped in the shadows of my own past.
Lydia.
Daniel.
Clara.
Adrian.
Each name carried a secret.
And I was done being kept in the dark.
I looked up at the sky, the wind brushing against my face.
"Fine," I whispered. "If no one will tell me the truth…"
"…I'll dig it out myself."