Chapter 22: The Truth Corbin Could No Longer Deny

Corbin stood motionless beside the burning estate.

For several seconds, he didn't say a word.

Then he looked at Emma.

"What did my mother do to you?"

Emma's lips trembled.

"I don't know everything."

"Tell me what you do know."

She lowered her head.

"After Esme disappeared in our first life, your mother came to see me."

"She told me that everything had gone according to plan."

Corbin's face hardened.

"What plan?"

"Your family wanted you to inherit control of the company without opposition."

"Esme was the only person standing between you and the arrangement they wanted."

Corbin stared at her in disbelief.

"My mother never told me that."

"She didn't need to. You were grieving. You blamed yourself for Emma's death, and everyone used that guilt against you."

I felt a strange calm settle over me.

The pieces were finally fitting together.

My parents had wanted me gone.

Corbin's mother had wanted the Sinclair inheritance protected.

Emma had wanted the life she believed I had stolen from her.

And Corbin had been the perfect person to manipulate.

Jack came back from speaking with the firefighters.

"The fire was deliberately started."

I nodded.

"We know."

He looked at Corbin.

"And we have another problem."

"What?"

"Your mother's car was seen leaving the estate ten minutes before the fire started."

Corbin's expression became cold.

"Then she has run."

My phone rang.

This time, it was my father.

I answered immediately.

"Where are you?"

He didn't answer my question.

"You should have listened to me and left New York."

"Why? So you could kill me again?"

There was silence on the line.

Then he sighed.

"You still don't understand."

"Your mother wasn't supposed to die."

I froze.

"What are you talking about?"

"In the first life, Emma was never supposed to die."

Emma covered her mouth.

"Your mother-in-law discovered that Emma knew too much."

"She was afraid Emma would expose the entire arrangement."

Corbin's hands clenched into fists.

"You're lying."

My father laughed bitterly.

"Ask your mother about the night Emma died."

The call ended.

Corbin immediately called his mother again.

This time, she answered.

"Mom."

His voice was dangerously quiet.

"Did you order Esme's death?"

There was a long pause.

Then a woman's voice came through the speaker.

"I did what I had to do."

Corbin's face went pale.

"And Emma?"

"Emma was a liability."

Emma began sobbing.

"You killed me?"

Corbin closed his eyes.

"You killed my fiancée?"

"I protected this family."

"No," Corbin said.

His voice cracked.

"You destroyed it."

His mother started shouting.

"Everything I did was for you! For your future!"

"I never asked you to murder anyone."

Corbin ended the call.

He stood there staring at his phone.

I watched him quietly.

In my previous life, I had loved this man more than anything.

Now I realized I had never truly known him.

He looked at me.

"Esme, I owe you an apology."

"You do."

"I believed them."

"You believed what was convenient."

He lowered his eyes.

"You're right."

Emma stepped forward.

"Esme, I'm sorry."

I looked at her.

There was no anger left in me.

Only exhaustion.

"I don't know if I can forgive you."

Emma nodded through her tears.

"You don't have to."

Jack quietly took my hand.

His fingers were warm against mine.

"We should go."

I looked at him.

"Where?"

"Somewhere they can't reach you."

I almost smiled.

"I already have somewhere."

I touched the aquamarine ring.

"Connecticut."

Jack's expression softened.

"My ranch?"

"Yes."

For the first time, the choice felt completely mine.

No parents.

No Sinclair family.

No guilt.

No obligation.

Just a future I had chosen for myself.

But before we could leave, a police car stopped beside us.

An officer stepped out and approached Corbin.

"Mr. Sinclair, we need to speak with you."

Corbin frowned.

"About what?"

The officer handed him a warrant.

"Your father's company accounts were used to transfer a large sum of money to a private medical facility."

"We believe the payment is connected to the death of Esme Ellis in the previous investigation."

I stared at the document.

My father's final secret was no longer a secret.

The police had finally found the money trail.

Jack squeezed my hand.

"It's over."

I looked at the burning house behind us.

"No."

"Not yet."

Because somewhere in New York, my father was still free.

And I wanted him to look me in the eyes when he finally confessed everything.