Chapter 4 - Chloe’s Hidden Video
Rachel crossed the room.
“Give me the phone.”
Chloe stood.
“No.”
The single word shocked everyone.
Rachel stopped.
“What did you say?”
Chloe’s hand trembled, but she held the phone tighter.
“I said no.”
I moved between them.
“Let her speak.”
Rachel laughed bitterly.
“You slap Mom, invade the study, and now you’re turning my children against me?”
“I haven’t asked Chloe to do anything.”
“That’s what you do, Emily. You walk into a room and make everyone pick sides.”
From behind me, Chloe said, “She didn’t ask.”
Rachel stared at her daughter.
Chloe unlocked her phone.
“I was filming Madison because she was making pancakes.”
Madison nodded quickly.
“Then Grandma started yelling.”
Chloe opened a video.
The screen showed part of the kitchen.
Madison stood near the counter.
Rachel’s voice came from somewhere beyond the frame.
Chloe dragged the timeline forward.
My mother appeared first.
Margaret was holding the same brass padlock that had been on Sophie’s ankle.
My stomach tightened.
Then Rachel walked into view.
Her dark blue shirt was unmistakable.
Rachel’s recorded voice came through the tiny speaker.
“She keeps wandering around. Keep her away from the study.”
Margaret answered, “I know how to handle a child.”
Then Rachel said, “I’m serious. Emily comes back after four. Until then, Sophie cannot get near Dad’s files.”
The video shook.
Chloe must have lowered the phone.
Margaret’s voice became quieter.
“What am I supposed to do? Stand guard?”
Rachel answered.
“No. Give her chores. Keep her busy.”
There was a pause.
Then Margaret lifted the chain.
Chloe’s breathing could be heard on the recording.
Rachel said something else.
But a cabinet door slammed at the same moment.
The words became muffled.
Then the video ended.
I stared at my sister.
“You knew about the chain.”
“No.”
“It was in Mom’s hand while you were standing beside her.”
“I thought she was moving it.”
“Moving it where?”
Rachel opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Margaret stepped forward.
“The chain was mine.”
“I know.”
“I decided to use it.”
“I know.”
“Then leave Rachel out of it.”
I turned toward my mother.
“No.”
Margaret’s eyes narrowed.
“You’ve always resented her.”
“This isn’t about resentment.”
Rachel reached for Chloe’s phone.
Chloe pulled back.
“Mom!”
I blocked Rachel.
“Don’t touch her.”
“She is my daughter.”
“And she’s terrified of you.”
Rachel’s face changed.
For the first time, I saw something more dangerous than anger.
Calculation.
She stepped away.
“Fine.”
Then she smiled.
“You want to play detective? Go ahead.”
She pointed toward Chloe.
“Show Aunt Emily everything.”
Chloe looked uncertain.
Rachel continued.
“Show her the part after that.”
Chloe frowned.
“There isn’t another part.”
“Yes, there is.”
“No.”
Rachel smiled wider.
“You don’t remember filming Margaret talking about Emily’s test?”
Chloe shook her head.
Rachel turned toward me.
“Interesting.”
“What?”
“She deleted it.”
“I didn’t.”
Rachel held out her hand.
“Then let me check.”
Chloe hesitated.
That was the mistake.
Rachel grabbed the phone.
Chloe screamed.
I reached for it, but Rachel spun away.
Her fingers moved rapidly over the screen.
“Rachel!”
She darted toward the staircase.
I caught her arm.
The phone slipped.
It hit the hardwood.
The screen stayed lit.
For a second, I could see the gallery.
Then Rachel grabbed it again.
She pressed something.
A message appeared.
Recently Deleted: 1 Video.
Chloe gasped.
“You deleted it!”
Rachel’s thumb hovered over the confirmation button.
I lunged.
She backed away.
And Margaret stepped between us.
“Enough!”
Rachel hit Delete Permanently.
The video vanished.
Chloe began crying.
I stared at my sister.
She handed the phone back to her daughter.
“Now there’s nothing to misunderstand.”
But there was.
Because before the screen went dark, I had seen the thumbnail of the deleted second video.
It showed Rachel standing inside Margaret’s study.
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And in her hand was the same DNA laboratory envelope I had picked up only hours earlier.
📖 Discover how Rachel had seen Emily’s sealed DNA results before Emily brought them home—and what disappeared from the study in CHAPTER 5. 👇
