He had planned to erase my daughter from the earth, along with every trace of the lie he had built.

If the estate burned and collapsed, the police would find nothing but charred ruins and old stones.

My search for the truth, my entire life’s work, would be buried under ten feet of rubble.

Behind me, Elena let out a long, ragged sob, clutching her raw wrists against her chest.

Her skin was pale, almost gray under the dirt and sweat of her captivity.

“I didn’t want this,” Elena whispered, her head shaking back and forth.

“I swear to you, Adrian, I didn’t want any of this.”

I stood up, my knees cracking in the damp chill of the cellar.

“Why did you help him, Elena?” I asked, keeping my voice flat, empty of the anger that was clawing at my throat.

Before Elena could answer, the heavy wooden door at the top of the stone stairs creaked open.

Footsteps hurried down the steps, sharp and uneven.

Nora appeared in the dim light of the lantern, her face pale, her coat damp from the autumn mist outside.