Chapter 6
Ethan’s face went white.
Then red.
Then white again.
He looked from me to Jonathan, back to me.
The gun in his hand shook so bad I thought he’d drop it.
“Your daughter?” he repeated, like the words didn’t make sense.
“That’s impossible. Emily’s dad died when she was a kid. She told me—”
“I told you what my mom told me,” I cut him off.
“Because she was protecting me. From people like you. People who only care about money. Who would kill their own wife and child for a payout.”
I took a step toward him.
He flinched back.
The big, tough man who’d thrown a nine-month-pregnant woman off a cliff was scared of me.
It was better than I’d ever imagined.
“Did you really think you’d get away with it?” I asked.
“Did you think no one would notice the policy you took out six months ago? The debts you owed? The fact that you ‘just happened’ to be on a remote mountain with me in the worst storm of the year?”
I shook my head.
“You were so busy counting my money you forgot to cover your tracks. We have everything, Ethan. The emails. The texts. The bank records. The proof you bribed the coroner. All of it.”
Brittany started crying.
Hysterical, ugly sobs.
“I didn’t want to do it,” she wailed, holding her hands up.
“He made me! Ethan told me if I didn’t help him, he’d hurt me. I’m sorry, Emily. I’m so sorry. Please—”
“Shut up,” I said.
My voice was cold, final.
No pity left in me for either of them.
“You stood on that cliff and watched him push me. You asked if I was dead. You helped him lie to the police. You spent my money on a mansion and a Ferrari. You don’t get to be sorry now.”
Ethan snapped.
The fear on his face turned to rage.
He raised the gun, pointed it straight at my chest.
“Shut up!” he screamed.
“All of you! This isn’t fair! That money was mine! I earned it! I put up with her for three years! Her stupid baby, her stupid questions, her constant need for attention! I deserved that money!”
He took a step toward me, finger on the trigger.
“If I can’t have it, no one can. I’ll kill you again. Kill both of you. And this time, I’ll make sure you stay dead.”
Jonathan stepped in front of me, shielding me with his body.
But I didn’t need him to.
I’d been waiting for this.
“Go ahead,” I said, peeking around his shoulder.
“Pull the trigger. See what happens.”
Ethan hesitated.
Confused.
That’s when the lights came on.
Blinding, bright, flooding every corner of the room.
The front door burst open.
Dozens of FBI agents and local police rushed in, guns drawn, shouting orders.
“DROP THE WEAPON! GET ON THE GROUND! NOW!”
Ethan froze.
The gun slipped from his fingers, clattering to the floor.
Brittany screamed again, dropped to her knees, hands over her head.
Two agents rushed Ethan, slammed him face-first into the wall, cuffed his hands behind his back.
Two more cuffed Brittany, pulled her to her feet.
They read them their rights, fast, sharp.
Ethan didn’t say a word.
Just stared at me, his eyes full of hate and shock and defeat.
As they led him past me, he stopped.
Spit at my feet.
“You’ll pay for this,” he snarled.
“Every last penny.”
I smiled.
Leaned in close, so only he could hear.
“I already did,” I whispered.
“I paid with my blood. With my son’s life almost. Now it’s your turn.”
The agents dragged him out.
Brittany followed, sobbing, begging for mercy.
The door slammed shut behind them.
Silence fell over the house.
For a long second, no one moved.
Then Jonathan turned to me, pulled me into a tight hug.
“It’s over, baby,” he said, kissing the top of my head.
“It’s really over.”
I buried my face in his chest, let the tears come.
Tears of relief.
Tears of joy.
Tears for everything I’d lost, and everything I’d gained.
A few minutes later, one of the agents came back in.
Held up a small recording device.
“We got all of it,” he said, smiling.
“Every word. The confession, the threat, everything. With this plus the other evidence? They’ll never see the outside of a prison again.”
I nodded.
Couldn’t speak.
Could only hold onto my dad, let the relief wash over me.
That night, I brought Liam back into the living room.
Held him in my arms, rocking him slow.
He woke up, blinked up at me, and smiled.
A big, gummy, perfect smile.
I kissed his forehead.
“See, baby?” I whispered.
“We’re safe. No one’s ever gonna hurt us again.”
Outside, the stars were bright.
No storm.
No snow.
May you like
Just peace.
For the first time in my life, I felt truly free.
