Chapter 10: The Woman Who Knew

I stared at the woman standing in the doorway.

She looked like she had seen a ghost.

“Who are you?” I asked.

Her eyes moved nervously between Zane and me.

“My name is Mara Bennett.”

Zane's expression hardened.

“Mara?”

She nodded.

“I used to work in military administration.”

She stepped inside and quietly closed the door behind her.

“I knew Sofia before the wedding.”

My stomach tightened.

“What do you know?”

Mara glanced at Zane.

“Everything.”

Zane's jaw clenched.

“Then tell her.”

Mara took a deep breath.

“Sofia came to me several months before the wedding.”

“She asked me to help her access some of Zane's personal records.”

I stared at her.

“Why?”

“She wanted to know how much influence she had over him.”

Mara looked ashamed.

“I refused at first.”

“Then she showed me documents claiming Elara had been planning to leave Zane.”

My heart stopped.

“Those documents were fake,” I whispered.

“Yes.”

Mara nodded.

“I discovered that later.”

Zane stepped forward.

“Why didn't you report her?”

Mara looked down.

“Because I was afraid.”

“Sofia had already convinced several people that Elara was unstable and obsessed with you.”

My hands curled into fists.

So that was why everyone had looked at me differently after the wedding.

I had thought they were judging me because I had disappeared.

But Sofia had been telling them a completely different story.

“What else?” I asked.

Mara reached into her handbag and pulled out a small flash drive.

“This contains the original messages.”

She placed it on the counter.

“The messages Zane received were edited.”

Zane picked up the drive.

“Can you prove it?”

“Yes.”

Mara looked directly at me.

“And there's something else.”

I waited.

“Sofia knew you were leaving before you ever told anyone.”

My breath caught.

“How?”

Mara's expression darkened.

“Because she was the one who arranged for someone to monitor your communications.”

Zane went completely still.

“She was watching her?”

“Yes.”

I felt cold all over.

For months, I had believed my heartbreak was simply the result of two people making terrible choices.

Now I was beginning to understand that someone had been moving pieces around us.

Mara looked at me apologetically.

“I should have spoken sooner.”

“Why are you speaking now?” I asked.

She hesitated.

“Because Sofia found out I still had copies of the original files.”

Zane's expression changed instantly.

“What did she do?”

Mara lowered her voice.

“She threatened my family.”

The shop fell silent.

I looked at Zane.

For the first time since he had walked through my door, I saw something other than regret in his eyes.

I saw anger.

Not anger at me.

Anger at the person who had manipulated both of us.

Zane turned toward me.

“Elara, I'm not asking you to forgive me.”

“But I need you to let me finish this.”

I looked at the flash drive sitting between us.

Five years of secrets had already destroyed enough.

I wasn't going to let another lie decide the rest of my life.

I picked up the drive.

“Then let's find out the truth.”