Chapter 5: The Friend Who Knew Too Much
I stared at Emily’s message.
The words were still on the screen.
*You should have stayed quiet, Jessica.*
Five words.
That was all.
But they carried something I hadn’t felt in months.
Fear.
Not sadness.
Not anger.
Fear.
Because anger came from something that had already happened.
Fear came from knowing something was still happening.
“Turn your phone off,” I said.
Jessica looked at me.
“What?””
“Turn it off.””
“Why?””
“Because if she can track you, I don’t want her knowing where we are.””
Jessica’s eyes widened.
“You think she can track me?””
“I don’t know.””
I grabbed my bag.
“But I know one thing.””
“What?””
“You’re not the only person who has been underestimating her.””
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then Jessica turned off her phone.
The café suddenly felt too quiet.
Too exposed.
Every person walking past the window looked suspicious.
Every car slowing down outside made my stomach tighten.
I hated that.
I hated that Emily had taken something else from me.
Not just my trust.
My sense of safety.
We left separately.
That was Jessica’s idea.
“If someone is watching,” she said, “we shouldn’t leave together.””
I wanted to argue.
But I couldn’t.
Because for the first time, Jessica wasn’t acting like the woman who stole my husband.
She was acting like someone who was afraid for her life.
I waited ten minutes before leaving.
Then I drove straight home.
But when I reached my street, I noticed something strange.
A black SUV was parked across from my house.
I slowed down.
My hands tightened around the steering wheel.
The vehicle had dark windows.
I couldn’t see inside.
I drove past.
I didn’t stop.
I went around the block.
The SUV was still there.
My heart started beating faster.
I grabbed my phone and called Daniel.
He answered immediately.
“Sarah?””
“Are you near my house?””
A pause.
“No. Why?””
“There’s a black SUV outside.””
Silence.
Then:
“Don’t go home.””
The seriousness in his voice made my stomach drop.
“Daniel, what?””
“Sarah, listen to me.””
I pulled over.
“What is happening?””
“I need you to go somewhere safe.””
“Safe from what?””
Another pause.
Then he said:
“From whoever has been following Ryan.””
I closed my eyes.
“Daniel.””
“I’m serious.””
“You knew about this?””
“I suspected.””
My anger returned instantly.
“Of course you did.””
“Sarah—”
“No.””
My voice shook.
“I am done being the last person to know things.””
Daniel went quiet.
Then he said:
“You’re right.””
That surprised me.
“I should have told you.””
“Yes.””
“I was scared.””
“Of what?””
“Of what you would do.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Daniel exhaled.
“Because when you found out about Ryan and Emily, I knew you would confront them.””
“And?””
“And I thought whoever was behind this might come after you.””
I stared through the windshield.
The black SUV sat in the distance.
Waiting.
Watching.
“You’re saying Emily is dangerous?””
“I’m saying I don’t know.””
That answer bothered me.
Because uncertainty was everywhere.
Nobody knew anything.
Everyone just knew enough to scare me.
I didn’t go home.
I drove to Daniel’s apartment.
When he opened the door, the look on his face told me everything.
He looked exhausted.
Like he hadn’t slept in days.
“You knew more than you told me,” I said.
He stepped aside.
“Yes.””
I walked in.
“Start talking.””
Daniel closed the door.
“I found out about Ryan and Emily months before he left.””
I sat down.
“Tell me everything.””
He nodded.
“Ryan wasn’t looking for an affair.””
I laughed bitterly.
“That’s supposed to make me feel better?””
“No.””
Daniel sat across from me.
“I’m saying Emily approached him.””
I looked at him.
“Why?””
“I don’t know.””
“You have pictures.””
“Yes.””
“Then you know something.””
Daniel looked uncomfortable.
“She was asking questions.””
“About what?””
“About your marriage.””
I felt confused.
“What kind of questions?””
Daniel rubbed his forehead.
“She wanted to know about your finances.””
My expression changed.
“What?””
“She asked about the house.””
“Why?””
“I don’t know.””
“What else?””
“Your insurance.””
The room went silent.
My skin went cold.
“My insurance?””
Daniel nodded.
“She asked Ryan how much you had.””
I stared at him.
“Why would she care?””
Daniel looked at me.
“Because she was planning something.””
A memory suddenly returned.
A conversation from almost a year ago.
Emily sitting at my kitchen table.
Drinking coffee.
Laughing.
She had asked me casually:
“Do you ever worry about being alone?””
At the time, I thought it was just a strange question.
Now it sounded different.
“What did I tell her?””
Daniel frowned.
“What?””
“When she asked about my insurance.””
Daniel thought.
“I don’t know.””
I stood up.
“I told her.””
My voice became quiet.
“I told her everything.””
Daniel looked alarmed.
“What do you mean?””
“I told her I trusted Ryan to handle everything if something happened to me.””
The words tasted horrible.
Because I remembered saying them.
I remembered laughing.
I remembered thinking I was talking to someone who loved me.
Daniel stood.
“Sarah.””
I looked at him.
“Someone wanted access to my life.””
He nodded.
“Yes.””
“And Ryan?””
Daniel looked away.
“I think he was just the easiest way to get close.””
My chest tightened.
That hurt.
Because no matter what Ryan had done, part of me still wondered if he had ever truly loved me.
Now I was wondering if he had only been a tool.
That night, I called Ryan.
Not because I forgave him.
Not because I missed him.
Because I needed answers.
He answered after one ring.
“Sarah?””
“Ryan.””
His voice changed immediately.
“What happened?””
I looked out Daniel’s window.
“I know about Emily.””
Silence.
A long one.
Then:
“How much?””
“Enough.””
Ryan breathed out.
“I’m sorry.””
“Stop saying that.””
He went quiet.
“I mean it.””
“No.””
My voice hardened.
“You don’t get to apologize every time the truth catches up with you.””
“I know.””
“Do you?””
“Yes.””
I closed my eyes.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because I was ashamed.””
“You keep saying that.””
“Because it’s true.””
“Ryan, you destroyed our marriage.””
“I know.””
“You chose Jessica.””
“I know.””
“You lied to me.””
“I know.””
“Then why should I believe anything you say now?””
His voice became quiet.
“Because I’m finally telling the truth even though it makes me look worse.””
I didn’t respond.
Then he said something I wasn’t expecting.
“Emily wasn’t just having an affair with me.””
I froze.
“What?””
“She was trying to get information.””
“About what?””
“About you.””
I looked at Daniel.
He was watching me.
“She wanted to know everything about our marriage.””
My hand tightened around the phone.
“Why?””
Ryan hesitated.
“Because she wanted your life.””
The words landed like a punch.
“My life?””
“Yes.””
“How?””
“I don’t know.””
“Ryan.””
“I swear.””
His voice cracked.
“But before the accident, I found something.””
“What?””
“A file.””
“What kind of file?””
“A file with your name on it.””
My heart started racing.
“What was inside?””
Ryan didn’t answer.
“Ryan.””
His breathing changed.
Then he whispered:
“Your medical records.””
I felt frozen.
“What?””
“She had copies.””
My mind went blank.
Emily had my trust.
My home.
My personal information.
And now my medical records.
“Where is the file?””
Ryan was silent.
Too silent.
“Ryan.””
Finally, he spoke.
“I don’t know.””
“What do you mean you don’t know?””
“Because after the accident…”
His voice lowered.
“Someone broke into my hospital room.””
I stood up.
“When?””
“The night I woke up.””
“What did they take?””
Ryan swallowed.
“Everything.””
I felt a chill.
“Everything?””
“Yes.””
“Except?””
Another pause.
Then he said:
“Except one thing.””
“What?””
I heard fear in his voice.
“Your wedding ring.””
I stopped breathing.
“My wedding ring?””
“Sarah…”
“Why would someone steal my wedding ring?””
Ryan didn’t answer.
And then I heard something behind me.
A sound.
A soft movement.
I slowly turned toward Daniel’s apartment door.
The door handle was moving.
Someone was outside.
Someone was trying to get in.
May you like
And before I could speak, Ryan shouted through the phone:
“Sarah, get away from the door!””
