Chapter 4 - Sarah’s Last Christmas Letter
Dana found an envelope Sarah had sealed before her death.
NATHAN — OPEN IF MY MOTHER-IN-LAW EVER TRIES TO CONTROL LILY.
Nathan recognized his wife’s handwriting.
Inside Sarah warned him that Margaret confused love with ownership. She told him never to let Lily believe affection had to be earned.
Then came another revelation.
“I discovered money disappearing from Colewell before I got sick. Aaron was not working alone.”
The next page was missing.
Investigators found it in Aaron’s safe.
Nathan confronted his brother.
“Why did you have Sarah’s letter?”
“Mom gave it to me after Sarah died.”
Aaron admitted stealing company money. First fifty thousand dollars. Eventually two million.
“Gambling,” he whispered. “Bad investments. I thought I could repay it.”
“Every thief plans to repay it someday.”
Aaron said Margaret discovered the theft and covered it up, then used the secret to control him.
“She owns everybody through their worst mistake.”
Nathan leaned forward.
“What mistake did Lily make?”
Aaron looked down.
“Being Sarah’s daughter.”
Margaret had resented Sarah because Sarah challenged her. As Lily grew older, she began looking and speaking like her mother.
“I should have stopped it,” Aaron said.
“Yes.”
“I know.”
“Knowing now does not erase standing outside a door while my daughter cried.”
Nathan returned to the hotel.
Lily and Claire were baking cookies. Flour covered Lily’s nose. One cookie looked nothing like a star.
“It looks like Texas,” Lily announced.
Nathan laughed.
The mess mattered. A child feeling safe enough to make one mattered more.
Then his phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
SARAH DIDN’T WRITE THAT LETTER ALONE.
A photograph followed.
Sarah sat in a diner shortly before her death. Across from her was Rebecca, Lily’s pediatrician.
Nathan called.
Rebecca answered quietly.
“You finally found it.”
“You knew Sarah was investigating my family?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Sarah made me promise.”
“What was she afraid of?”
Rebecca paused.
“Not Margaret.”
Nathan frowned.
May you like
“Then who?”
“You.”
