CHAPTER 28: THE BALCONY

Margaret's voice on the phone had been calm but there was something underneath it. A threat wrapped in politeness.

"Meet me at the manor," she'd said. "Alone. If you bring Damien, I won't talk."

Emma had argued but Margaret hung up. Now Emma stood outside Cross Manor in the darkness, understanding that she was about to walk into something dangerous.

Damien was supposed to be meeting her there in an hour. They'd agreed he would stay back and let Emma talk to Margaret first, then move in if things got bad. Emma had a panic button on her phone. One press and Damien would come running.

She didn't plan on needing it.

The manor was exactly as she remembered. Cold stone. Expensive everything. The kind of place that had seen too many secrets.

Margaret was waiting in the study.

"Thank you for coming," Margaret said. She was sitting in a leather chair, looking like she owned the world.

"What do you want?" Emma asked.

"To tell you the truth," Margaret replied. "About your husband. About his family. About what really happened to Katherine."

"I know what happened to Katherine," Emma said. "Richard killed her."

"Yes," Margaret agreed. "But do you know why?"

Emma didn't respond.

Margaret stood and walked to the window.

"Damien's father wasn't actually Damien's father," Margaret said quietly. "My brother couldn't have children. It was a family secret. So when his wife Katherine got pregnant, everyone assumed it was his."

Emma's mind was racing. "Whose child is Damien?"

"Richard's," Margaret said. "Katherine and Richard were in love. My brother knew it. So he kept her anyway because he couldn't bear to lose her. And when Damien was born, my brother raised him as his own."

Emma moved to sit down because her legs had stopped working.

"When Katherine tried to expose the corruption in the business, Richard panicked," Margaret continued. "He thought she was going to tell Damien the truth. He thought she was going to ruin everything."

"So he killed her," Emma said.

"Yes," Margaret replied. "And my mother, Vivian, helped him cover it up because she couldn't let the scandal destroy the family business."

Emma understood now why Vivian had been so involved in the cover-up. Why she'd protected Richard so fiercely.

"Why are you telling me this?" Emma asked.

"Because Damien doesn't know," Margaret said. "And he needs to."

"You should tell him," Emma said.

"I'm a coward," Margaret replied. "I've always been a coward. So I'm telling you. And I'm going to let you decide whether to tell him or keep it secret."

Emma stood up.

"I'm leaving," she said.

But Margaret grabbed her arm.

"There's more," Margaret said. "About you. About why Richard is really interested in you."

"Let go of me," Emma said.

Margaret released her but blocked the door.

"Richard knows you're his daughter," Margaret said. "He's known since before you married Damien. He's been watching you. Planning something."

Emma felt the room spin.

"That's not possible," she said. "Richard is in prison."

"Richard has connections," Margaret replied. "Even in prison. Even now, he's orchestrating things. Pulling strings. Making sure certain people do what he wants."

"Like who?" Emma asked.

"Like me," Margaret said. "He's been paying me to watch you. To report back to him. To make sure you stayed with Damien."

Emma pulled out her phone to call Damien but Margaret moved faster. She knocked the phone out of Emma's hand and it skidded across the floor.

"I'm sorry," Margaret said. She actually sounded like she meant it. "But I can't let you leave."

She pulled out a gun.

Emma backed away slowly.

"You're going to walk upstairs," Margaret said, gesturing with the gun. "You're going to go to the master bedroom. And you're going to go out on the balcony. The one where Katherine died."

"Why?" Emma asked.

"Because Richard wants you gone," Margaret said. "And he's promised me enough money to disappear if I make sure it happens."

Emma moved toward the stairs with Margaret behind her. The gun was steady in Margaret's hand. She'd done this before, Emma realized. Or at least she'd thought about doing it many times.

They climbed the stairs slowly. The master bedroom was exactly as Emma remembered from months ago. The balcony overlooked the gardens.

The same balcony where Katherine had died.

"Go," Margaret said, gesturing toward the glass doors.

Emma opened them and stepped out onto the cold stone. The night air hit her face. Below, the gardens were dark and empty.

Margaret followed her onto the balcony, keeping the gun trained on her.

"I'm sorry," Margaret said again. "I never wanted this. But Richard owns me. He's always owned me."

Emma looked at the railing. At the drop below. At the place where Katherine's body had hit the ground.

"Please," Emma said. "Don't do this."

"I don't have a choice," Margaret replied.

But before Margaret could move, the balcony doors burst open.

Damien stood there with a gun in his hand. His face was ice.

"Step away from her," he said to Margaret.

Margaret turned, confused.

"You weren't supposed to be here," Margaret said.

"I've always been here," Damien replied. "Emma told me to wait an hour but I came early. I heard everything."

Margaret raised her gun toward Damien.

Emma didn't think. She just moved.

She threw herself in front of Damien as Margaret pulled the trigger.

The bullet hit Emma in the chest.

She fell backward, hitting the railing, understanding finally that this was how it ended. On the same balcony where Katherine had died. Taking a bullet meant for the man she loved.

As she fell toward the darkness below, she heard Damien scream her name.