Chapter 2 - The Secret Under the Pool HouseThe silence that followed was heavy. Lila’s face drained of all color. She took a step back, her hand flying to her mouth.
"Ten years ago," I said, my voice echoing over the quiet estate, "the pool house behind us caught fire. The official family story was that Lila escaped safely, while I was trapped inside due to my own carelessness. That was the lie my parents sold to the media and the insurance company."
"Nora, please, stop!" my mother cried out, her voice cracking with sudden panic as she tried to step forward. My father finally turned, his face pale, his eyes wide with fear.
"I went back into that burning building," I continued, ignoring my mother's pleas. "I dragged Lila out. She was unconscious on the floor. I shielded her body with mine as the ceiling collapsed. That is how I got these scars. But saving her wasn't the secret our parents buried. The real secret is how that fire started."
From the back of the crowd, a tall man in a tailored suit stepped forward. It was Richard Vance, the senior attorney representing my grandmother Evelyn’s estate. In his hand, he held a thick leather folder. Beside him stood two uniformed municipal fire investigators.
May you like
"Ten years ago, my mother’s company was facing bankruptcy," I said, looking directly at my father. "They needed a massive cash injection. The pool house was insured for four million dollars. And the person who set that fire... was standing right here."
Lila’s knees buckled. She fell to the stone tiles, staring up at me in absolute terror.
Related Stories
