Chapter 6 - The Person Helping Ryan
I stared at the email on my father's laptop.
I read it once.
Then again.
I wanted to believe I misunderstood.
But I didn't.
The messages were clear.
Ryan had been communicating with someone who knew our family.
Someone who knew my schedule.
Someone who knew Lily's routine.
Someone who knew exactly how to make me look like the problem.
My hands began shaking.
"Dad..."
Charles closed the laptop.
"I know."
"Who is it?"
He didn't answer immediately.
And that scared me more than anything.
"Tell me."
Charles looked at me.
"It's someone close."
A cold feeling moved through my body.
"Who?"
Before he could answer, his security team entered the room.
"Mr. Whitmore."
Charles turned.
"What happened?"
The security officer placed a folder on the table.
"We found more records."
Charles opened it.
Inside were photographs.
Ryan meeting someone.
Several times.
In secret.
The person in the picture made my heart stop.
"Jennifer?"
My best friend.
The woman who had hugged me when I cried.
The woman who told me Ryan was lucky to have me.
The woman who always asked about my marriage.
I couldn't breathe.
"No."
Charles looked at me sadly.
"Emily..."
"She knew?"
The investigator nodded.
"She was involved."
My world felt like it was falling apart again.
Not because of Ryan.
I already knew who he was.
But Jennifer.
Someone I trusted.
Someone I let into my home.
Someone who played the role of my friend while helping destroy my life.
That evening, I confronted her.
She opened the door and smiled.
"Emily? What are you doing here?"
I held up the printed messages.
Her smile disappeared.
"What is this?"
"You tell me."
Silence.
Then she sighed.
"You weren't supposed to find those."
The words hurt.
Not because they surprised me.
Because they confirmed everything.
"Why?"
Jennifer looked away.
"Because you had everything."
I stared.
"What?"
"Your husband. Your daughter. Your father's support. Your perfect life."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"You were jealous?"
She laughed softly.
"Jealous? No."
A pause.
"I was tired of watching you get everything."
I walked away.
But before I reached my car, she shouted:
"Emily!"
I turned.
She looked scared.
"Ryan wasn't the one who started this."
I froze.
"What do you mean?"
Her voice dropped.
May you like
"There is someone else behind him."
And suddenly, the betrayal became much bigger than I imagined.
