Chapter 6 - The Vanishing WifeMy hands shook violently as I tore open the envelope. The paper felt heavy, crisp, and smelled faintly of Daphne’s favorite lavender perfume.
Ethan,
If you are reading this, it means Mason and your mother are already in federal custody. The evidence I gave you was foolproof; I knew you would execute the final blow perfectly. You were always brilliant when backed into a corner.
By now, you must be asking yourself why I left. Why I didn't wait for you to come back and celebrate our victory.
The truth is, Ethan, the game wasn't just between you, your mother, and Mason. There was a third player on the board.
Go to the old warehouse on 4th Street—where we started Aegis twelve years ago. The final answer is waiting for you there.
Don't call the police. Come alone. If you bring anyone with you, you will never see me or your child again.
Forever yours,
Daphne.
My head spun. What third player? What was she talking about?
I ran back out to my car, ignoring the torrential rain that had begun to pour over the city. My mind raced through the past twelve years. The humble beginnings, the late nights, the taco meals, the gold necklace...
Was everything a lie?
I reached the industrial park on 4th Street twenty minutes later. The abandoned warehouse stood like a rusting metal giant against the gray sky. The heavy corrugated iron door was cracked open just enough for a person to slip through.
I pulled the brass paperweight from my pocket, gripped it tightly, and pushed the heavy metal door open.
"Daphne?!" I called out, my voice echoing through the massive, cavernous space.
The warehouse was dark, smelling of rust, wet concrete, and old machinery. But in the center of the vast floor, illuminated by a single overhead industrial spotlight, sat a small wooden table and two chairs.
Sitting in one of the chairs was a figure wrapped in a dark coat, cradling her pregnant belly gently.
"You came fast," Daphne’s voice echoed softly from the light.
I hurried toward her, dropping the heavy brass weight onto the concrete floor. "Daphne! What is this? Why did you leave the hospital? The doctors said you needed twenty-four hours of observation! You’re putting the baby at risk!"
Daphne looked up. The pale, bruised, beaten woman from this morning was gone. Her eyes were sharp, her posture regal, and on her face sat a calm, unshakeable composure.
"The baby is perfectly fine, Ethan," she said softly. "The 'complications' at the hospital were fake. I paid the attending physician $50,000 to lie to you and keep you focused on the board meeting."
May you like
I stopped dead in my tracks, three feet away from her. "You... you bribed the doctor?"
"Sit down, Ethan," she said, gesturing to the empty chair across from her. "It’s time you learned the full truth about how Aegis Health Systems was really born."
