“How could she?” I whispered, crying. Rachel looked tough. “It’s part of Mr. Blackwood’s plan,” she said. “He wants to control everything and everyone.”
Harrison looked worried. “But why?” he asked. “Why would he hurt me?” I thought Adrianne was just upset about our canceled wedding.
Rachel’s face was serious. “It’s not just about the wedding, Harrison,” she said quietly. “Mr. Blackwood has been tricking us for a long time. He wants your mansion and your money. Adrianne is just being used by him.” I knew this was not the right time to tell him, but I said, “Mr. Blackwood isn’t your dad, Harrison; he was your father’s close friend.”
Harrison looked shocked, and Rachel confirmed it. “Your real dad was his best friend. They had a fight, and when he died, Mr. Blackwood took over. He’s been preparing you to take over your properties, and he caused your dad’s accident.”
Harrison felt like everything he knew was wrong. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” he asked softly. “I was scared,” Rachel replied. “You don’t know everything about me. Adrianne is Mr. Blackwood’s daughter.”
I was surprised by Rachel’s honesty. She had been playing a risky game. “We had to keep it a secret,” Rachel said quietly. “If Mr. Blackwood knew we were suspicious, he would try to stop us. Now that you’re hurt, we have to be extra careful.” He only wanted you to marry her so she could divorce you later, and he had a plan to make you lose everything. I worked for Mr. Blackwood as his maid, and that’s where your brother Luca did bad things. I want revenge for my sister, Harrison. I felt sad for Rachel as she spoke.
“What do we do now?” I asked softly. Rachel looked serious. “We finish what we started. We need to take down Mr. Blackwood and Adrianne and keep Ethan safe.”
It was quiet, and Harrison held my hand tightly, promising to support me. But there was an unspoken question: What happened to your sister, Rachel?
Rachel looked down and whispered, “Mr. Blackwood wanted her. When my mom got sick, he took advantage of her. I was too young to speak up.”
I felt angry as I understood Rachel’s past. “He hurt her,” I said, tears in my eyes. Rachel nodded, crying quietly. “It was worse. He destroyed her.”
The room was heavy with sadness. Harrison lay in bed, eyes closed, unable to face the pain. Rachel’s words made us see Mr. Blackwood in a new, terrible light. “We can’t let him get away with this,” I said, determined. Rachel looked at me with fierce resolve. “My sister died because of him, Emma. He killed her after hurting her.”
“We won’t let him go free,” Rachel said, her voice stronger now. “But first, we need to focus on helping Harrison get better.”
Harrison opened his eyes, understanding our plan. “We’ll do it together,” he whispered. Rachel nodded, determined. “We’ll get through this.”
Days passed with hospital visits and quiet talks. Rachel and I cared for Ethan, trying to keep things normal despite the trouble. We didn’t talk much about the mansion, focusing on Harrison’s recovery, but the truth about Adrianne was a constant worry.
One evening, Rachel came back with a USB stick. “I found it,” she said excitedly. “The proof we need.” The files showed Mr. Blackwood’s wrongdoings – photos, documents, and recordings. It was everything we needed to expose him.
“Is this the same USB you had before?” I asked. Rachel nodded, a serious smile on her face. “Yes, but I added more evidence.”
Her words made me uneasy. “What do you mean?”
Rachel smiled coldly. “Don’t worry, Emma. You’ll see everything soon,” she said, her eyes shining with anger and joy. “I’ve been playing this game for a long time.”