Chapter 18 - The Truth in the Wreckage
Nora’s livestream had already reached thousands of viewers. Adrian’s copy of the recording was stored on three independent servers, and Simone’s team had released a statement confirming that federal agents were investigating the crash and the attempted destruction of evidence.
Nora knew some of them were telling the truth. She also knew several were lying.
A hotel security guard approached her with a message: Richard wanted to speak to her alone in the underground garage. Simone told her not to go, but Nora had one question she needed answered while he could no longer control the room.
“I’ll stay on the phone,” she said. “If I’m not back in five minutes, come down.”
The garage smelled of wet concrete and gasoline. Richard stood beside the red Ferrari, his cuffs removed but two agents waiting behind a pillar. He looked smaller without the ballroom around him.
“You could have helped me,” he said.
“You could have told the truth.”
“Your brother was going to destroy the company over a patch we could have fixed in a week.”
“He found a dangerous system and refused to let you hide it.”
“I didn’t mean for him to die.”
Nora’s throat tightened. “You knew he was in the car.”
“I thought he’d stop the run. I thought he’d do what I said.” Richard rubbed his face. “When the car hit the barrier, I panicked. I left because if I called for help, the test would be exposed.”
For a moment, Nora could see the choice clearly: he had not planned every second of Ethan’s death, but when the moment came, he chose himself. He had let her brother bleed alone so he could save a deal.
“Did you ever feel sorry?” she asked.
Richard looked at the Ferrari’s red hood. “Every day.”
“Then why did you keep lying?”
“Because every lie made the first one harder to admit.”
Nora held her phone between them. The recording app showed a red timer. Richard noticed it too late.
“You recorded me.”
“You finally said something true.”
He lunged for the phone. Nora stepped aside, and the agents moved in. Richard was forced against the car, shouting her name as they cuffed him again.
She did not feel victorious. She felt cold, empty, and terribly tired.
Then a voice behind her said, “Nora?”
May you like
Adrian stood at the garage entrance, holding a small envelope with Ethan’s handwriting.
“There’s one more thing you need to see,” he said.
