Matthew did not move when Elena recoiled from him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He simply turned the phone face down on the seat, as if hiding the name could erase what she had seen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 You know her, Elena whispered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The SUV behind them flashed its headlights twice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The driver\u2019s eyes flicked to the mirror.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 Sir, they\u2019re signaling us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Elena\u2019s hand found the door handle, but Matthew caught her wrist before she could pull it. He did not squeeze hard. He did not hurt her. Somehow, that made it worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 If you jump now, they will have you in thirty seconds, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 And if I stay with you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For the first time, his calm expression cracked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 Then you might survive long enough to hear why your stepmother has been calling me all week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Elena stared at him, rain streaking down the tinted glass beside her face. The road curved sharply into a line of old warehouses, far from the city, far from witnesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Matthew opened a small compartment between the seats and took out a sealed brown envelope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her name was written on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Elena Vargas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her breath stopped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 What is that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Matthew looked at the envelope as if it weighed more than money, more than secrets, more than guilt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 Something your father left before he died.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Elena shook her head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 My father died with nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 That\u2019s what Isabel needed you to believe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The SUV rammed closer, nearly kissing their bumper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Matthew\u2019s driver cursed under his breath and swerved beneath a broken streetlamp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The envelope slid into Elena\u2019s lap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inside it, beneath an old photograph, was a document stamped with the name of her father\u2019s company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And on the last page, where Elena expected to see Isabel\u2019s signature, she saw a name that made her body go numb\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Matthew did not move when Elena recoiled from him. He simply turned the phone face down on the seat, as if hiding the name could erase what she had seen. … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3916,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3915","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-story"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t