Chapter 6: The Sister Who Played Both Sides
The officer’s words echoed in the room.
*Rachel Hawthorne.*
For a moment, I thought I had misunderstood him.
Rachel.
The same woman who stood in that field and watched dirt cover my body.
The same woman who whispered she was sorry before walking away.
The same woman who had secretly ordered a fake paternity test.
Now she was claiming I had planned everything?
I stared at the officer.
“That’s impossible.””
He looked uncomfortable.
“I understand that this is difficult.””
“No.””
My voice became sharper.
“You don’t understand.””
I pointed toward the folder on the bed.
“She was there.””
The officer glanced at Marcus.
“Who was there?””
“Rachel.””
I swallowed.
“She watched.””
The officer wrote something down.
“Mrs. Hawthorne, Rachel provided a statement saying she arrived at the property after an argument between you and your husband escalated.””
My heart sank.
“That’s a lie.””
“She claims she tried to stop things.””
I looked at Marcus.
He looked furious.
Not surprised.
Furious.
“She’s rewriting the story,” he said.
The officer turned toward him.
“Are you involved in this?””
Marcus stepped forward.
“I’m a witness.””
“You were on the phone during the incident?””
“Yes.””
“Can you verify what happened?””
Marcus nodded.
“Yes.””
The officer looked at me.
“Then we’ll need your phone.””
My fingers tightened around it.
“No.””
The officer raised his eyebrows.
“Why?””
“Because this phone contains evidence.””
“That’s exactly why we need it.””
I looked at Marcus.
He gave me a small nod.
Reluctantly, I handed it over.
The officer placed it carefully into an evidence bag.
Before leaving, he looked back at me.
“One more thing.””
“What?””
“Rachel also provided medical records.””
My stomach tightened.
“What records?””
“Documents suggesting there was a previous relationship between you and another man.””
I felt like the air had been knocked out of my lungs.
“That’s not true.””
The officer didn’t react.
“I’m not making a judgment. I’m telling you what was submitted.””
“Who is the man?””
He looked at the paper.
Then said a name.
A name I had not heard in years.
“Ethan Cole.””
My face went numb.
Because Ethan was not just anyone.
He was my college friend.
My former coworker.
The man Daniel’s family had accused me of secretly seeing.
But the truth was simple.
Ethan and I had never been together.
Not once.
“I haven’t spoken to him in years,” I whispered.
The officer nodded.
“That’s what we’ll need to verify.””
After he left, I sat frozen.
The room felt smaller than before.
Marcus closed the door.
“She’s building a story.””
I looked at him.
“Rachel?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
He didn’t answer.
“Marcus.””
He looked exhausted.
“Because Rachel has always been good at making people believe she’s the victim.””
I remembered her face in the field.
The silence.
The apology.
The way she stood back.
“She wanted me to think she was innocent.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Marcus looked at the folder.
“Because she needed someone to trust her.””
I looked down.
“And I did.””
He didn’t say anything.
Because there was nothing he could say.
For hours, I answered questions.
Every detail.
Every moment.
Every conversation.
The police checked the call with Marcus.
They checked the phone records.
They checked the location.
But Rachel had moved faster than I expected.
By afternoon, her story was already spreading.
The hospital room television showed a local news report.
I almost turned it off.
Then I heard the words.
“Family dispute involving a pregnant woman has raised questions after new evidence was presented by a member of the Hawthorne family.””
I stared at the screen.
A picture appeared.
Rachel.
Smiling.
The caption underneath said:
*LOCAL WOMAN CLAIMS SISTER-IN-LAW FABRICATED ATTACK*
My hands began shaking.
“She went public.””
Marcus stood beside the bed.
“She wanted control of the story.””
The reporter continued.
“Rachel Hawthorne claims she became concerned after discovering what she describes as suspicious behavior from her sister-in-law.””
Suspicious behavior.
Those words were carefully chosen.
Not criminal.
Not false.
Just enough to make people doubt.
The reporter continued.
“Sources close to the family say concerns began after questions surrounding the unborn child’s paternity.””
I turned off the television.
I couldn’t listen anymore.
“She’s making me look guilty.””
Marcus sat down.
“Yes.””
“Everyone is going to believe her.””
“Not everyone.””
I looked at him.
“You don’t know that.””
“No.””
He paused.
“But I know evidence matters.””
I looked at the folder.
“The evidence she created.””
“Yes.””
“Then how do we prove it?””
Marcus was silent.
That silence bothered me.
“Marcus.””
“There’s something I didn’t tell you.””
My heart sank.
“What?””
He looked away.
“I found out about Rachel’s plan before last night.””
I stared at him.
“You knew?””
“I suspected.””
“And you didn’t tell me?””
“I wasn’t sure.””
I laughed softly.
Again, not because it was funny.
Because I was tired of people deciding what information I deserved.
“Everyone keeps saying they were protecting me.””
Marcus looked ashamed.
“I was wrong.””
“Yes.””
My voice was quiet.
“You were.””
He accepted it.
No excuses.
That was the first difference between him and the others.
“What did you know?””
Marcus opened the folder again.
“Rachel was searching for information about your past.””
“My past?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because she believed there was something connected to your father.””
I looked at the old photograph.
“What?””
“Rachel found documents showing your father once worked with Daniel’s father.””
“I know.””
“No.””
He shook his head.
“You don’t know the important part.””
“What important part?””
Marcus turned the page.
There was a contract.
A business agreement.
Two signatures.
One from Daniel’s father.
One from mine.
The date was twenty-six years earlier.
Before I was born.
I read the title.
*Inheritance Protection Agreement.*
My hands went cold.
“What is this?””
Marcus looked at me.
“I think your father and Robert Hawthorne made a deal.””
“About what?””
He hesitated.
Then answered.
“About their children.””
A chill moved through me.
“Children?””
Marcus nodded.
“The agreement mentions a future connection between both families.””
I stared at him.
“You mean…”
“Yes.””
I whispered the words.
“They planned Daniel and me?””
Marcus didn’t answer.
But he didn’t need to.
Everything I thought I knew about my marriage suddenly felt different.
Was Daniel’s love ever real?
Or was I chosen before he even knew my name?
Before I could ask another question, the door opened.
A nurse walked in.
“Mrs. Hawthorne?””
“Yes?””
“There’s someone here to see you.””
I frowned.
“I’m not accepting visitors.””
The nurse looked nervous.
“They said it’s urgent.””
“Who?””
She looked down at the clipboard.
Then back at me.
“Ethan Cole.””
My heart stopped.
Marcus immediately stood.
“No.””
The nurse stepped back.
“He says he can explain everything.””
I stared at the door.
The man Rachel used to create her story.
The man whose name had been dragged into my nightmare.
The man I had not seen in years.
A part of me wanted to refuse.
Another part knew I needed answers.
“Let him in.””
Marcus looked at me.
“Emma.””
“If Rachel is using his name against me, I need to hear the truth from him.””
The door opened.
Ethan stepped inside.
He looked older.
Tired.
Like he had been carrying something heavy for a long time.
His eyes met mine.
And the first thing he said was not hello.
It was:
“Emma, I’m sorry.””
I frowned.
“For what?””
He looked at Marcus.
Then back at me.
“For being the reason your husband’s family decided you were guilty.””
My heart started racing.
“What are you talking about?””
Ethan swallowed.
“Because Rachel didn’t find my name by accident.””
He reached into his jacket.
Pulled out a document.
And placed it on the table.
“She contacted me first.””
The room went silent.
Marcus picked up the paper.
His expression changed.
“What is this?””
Ethan looked at me.
“The proof that Rachel planned everything.””
I stared at the document.
Then at him.
“What did she ask you to do?””
Ethan’s face became serious.
May you like
And his answer made my blood run cold.
“She asked me to help her make it look like your baby belonged to me.””
