Chapter 12 - THE BULLET
Adrian hit Ethan with his shoulder.
They crashed into a table.
The gun slid across the floor.
Emma screamed from the crib where Adrian had set her seconds earlier.
Ethan punched Adrian in the mouth.
Adrian hit back.
Years of anger exploded.
For Rachel.
For Clara.
For Olivia.
For Emma.
“You destroyed my family!”
Punch.
“You used Vanessa!”
Punch.
“You took my daughter!”
Ethan drove his knee into Adrian’s stomach.
Adrian fell.
Ethan crawled toward the gun.
Clara kicked it away.
Ethan grabbed her injured wrist.
She cried out.
“Let her go!”
Adrian lunged again.
They slammed into the wall.
Police burst through the front door.
“DROP!”
Ethan froze.
Three weapons were pointed at him.
He slowly raised his hands.
Then everyone looked at Clara.
Blood was running down her upper arm.
Adrian’s face turned white.
“You were shot.”
“It went through.”
Paramedics rushed in.
Clara looked toward Emma.
“Is she okay?”
Adrian stared at her.
Even bleeding, she asked about his child first.
“Yes.”
Clara smiled weakly.
“Good.”
As paramedics treated her, police handcuffed Ethan.
Adrian walked over.
Ethan looked up.
“You think you won?”
“This isn’t winning.”
Adrian’s voice was quiet.
“You murdered what was left of our family.”
“I didn’t kill Rachel.”
“You knew.”
“I didn’t—”
“You knew enough.”
Ethan looked toward Emma.
“Dad would have understood.”
Adrian shook his head.
“No.”
Then he leaned closer.
“He would have been ashamed of you.”
Ethan’s face collapsed.
For the first time, Adrian saw something beneath the rage.
A frightened little brother who had spent his life measuring himself against everyone else.
But Adrian felt no pity.
Not yet.
Maybe never.
Police took Ethan away.
Later that night, Clara lay in a hospital room.
The bullet had passed through without hitting bone.
Adrian sat beside her.
“You saved Emma twice.”
Clara gave him a tired smile.
“Maybe stop putting her near dangerous people.”
A laugh escaped him.
Then he began crying.
Not quietly.
Four years of grief finally broke open.
“Rachel was murdered.”
Clara reached across the bed and took his hand.
“I’m sorry.”
“I should have known.”
“You couldn’t.”
“I should’ve protected her.”
“You loved her. That’s not the same thing as being able to see the future.”
Adrian wiped his face.
Then his phone rang.
The detective.
“We questioned Vanessa again.”
Adrian sat straighter.
“And?”
“She confessed to tampering with Rachel’s medication.”
Clara closed her eyes.
Adrian whispered, “It’s over.”
The detective didn’t answer.
Adrian frowned.
“What?”
“There’s one more thing.”
“What?”
“Vanessa claims Rachel knew she was in danger.”
“I know. The letter.”
“No.”
The detective paused.
May you like
“She says Rachel left a video for Olivia.”
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