Chapter 12 - The Betrayal
The recording continued.
Emily listened without moving.
Sarah's voice sounded older than in the photographs.
“If James brought you here, he believes he can still fix what happened.”
James closed his eyes.
Sarah continued.
“But there is something he never told you.”
Emily looked at her father.
“Turn it off.”
“No.”
“Emily.”
“I need to hear this.”
The recording continued.
“James was not the only person who knew about your birth.”
Emily's breathing became shallow.
“Ryan knew.”
Ryan looked down.
“But he was not the person who betrayed me.”
Emily looked at him.
“Then who?”
The recording stopped.
The battery had died.
Ryan stared at the device.
“No.”
James took it.
“We need to find another battery.”
The clerk suddenly entered.
“Mr. Bennett?”
James looked up.
“Yes?”
“There is someone waiting for you outside.”
“Who?”
The clerk shook his head.
“He wouldn't give a name.”
James stepped toward the door.
Ryan followed.
Emily stayed behind.
Then she noticed something.
The clerk's hands were trembling.
She looked at the counter.
A small envelope lay beneath the paperwork.
Her name was written on it.
She picked it up.
Inside was a single photograph.
It showed James.
Ryan.
Linda.
Sarah.
And another man.
Emily had never seen him before.
But Ryan had.
Ryan walked back into the room.
The moment he saw the photograph, he stopped.
Emily looked at him.
“You know him.”
Ryan whispered.
“Yes.”
“Who is he?”
Ryan stared at the photograph.
Then at James.
James looked as though he had seen a ghost.
Ryan finally said the name.
“Michael Bennett.”
Emily frowned.
“Who is Michael Bennett?”
James didn't answer.
Ryan did.
“Your grandfather.”
Emily's face went blank.
“But my grandfather died before I was born.”
Ryan shook his head.
“No.”
May you like
He looked toward James.
“He didn't.”
