Allegedly

Chapter 11: Buried Secrets

The afternoon light filtered through the windows, casting long, slanting shadows across the living room floor. The house had grown quieter since the initial flurry of the investigation, but the tension was far from gone. Rowan sat near the fireplace, his mind swirling with the weight of everything that had happened. The detectives were still combing the property, questioning everyone, but nothing felt resolved.

Emma sat in her armchair, silent and distant, as if lost in a world only she could see. Her Corgi, Lucy, lay at her feet, calm but alert, as if sensing the unease that hung in the air. Rowan had always known that Emma carried burdens from her past-hints of sorrow and pain that lingered just beneath the surface-but today, something felt different. There was a darkness surrounding her that he couldn't quite place.

Just then, Detective Navarro entered the room, her face set in a grim line. Behind her were two officers, one of them holding the leash of a K9 unit-a sleek, powerful-looking dog that was sniffing the air with intensity. Rowan stood up, his pulse quickening.

"We found something," Navarro said, her voice low. "Outside, near the woods. We need to talk."

Emma's head lifted slightly at the sound of the detective's voice, but she didn't speak. Her hands gripped the armrests of her chair, her knuckles white.

Rowan frowned. "What did you find?"

Navarro hesitated, her gaze shifting between Rowan and Emma. "A body. We were sweeping the grounds with the K9 unit, and the dog picked up a scent. We followed it to the far end of the property, near the old shed. It's an old grave, but based on the condition of the remains... it's been there for a long time."

Rowan felt a chill run down his spine. He glanced at Emma, whose face had gone deathly pale. Her fingers tightened around the armrests, and for a moment, it seemed like she might collapse.

"Emma," Rowan said softly, stepping toward her. "Do you know anything about this?"

Emma didn't respond at first. She sat there, her face expressionless, as if the weight of the discovery had paralyzed her. Then, slowly, she turned her head toward Rowan, her eyes wide but unseeing.

"I knew this day would come," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I always knew it."

Rowan's heart pounded in his chest. "What are you talking about?"

Emma took a deep breath, her shoulders sagging as if the weight of years had finally crushed her. "It's him," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's my husband. Charles."

The room seemed to freeze. Rowan stared at her, unable to process what she had just said. Navarro, standing by the door, remained silent, waiting for Emma to continue.

Emma's lips trembled as she spoke. "He... he was an abusive man. Cruel. Controlling. No one knew what he was really like behind closed doors. To the outside world, he was a respected businessman, a good husband. But inside this house, he was a monster."

Rowan's throat tightened as Emma's words washed over him. He had never known much about Emma's marriage-she had never spoken of her husband in detail, only that he had died years ago, and that his death had left her alone on the ranch. But this was something far darker than he had ever imagined.

"He beat me," Emma continued, her voice growing steadier as she spoke. "For years, he beat me. He controlled everything-my life, my money, my freedom. I was his prisoner. And one night... one night, it went too far."

Rowan's hands curled into fists, anger boiling inside him. "What happened, Emma?"

Emma swallowed hard, her hands trembling as she reached up to touch her face, her fingers brushing over the scars that had been hidden by time. "We were arguing. He was angry-angrier than usual. I don't even remember what started it, but I remember how it ended. He hit me. Hard. I fell, hit my head on the floor. I didn't realize it at first, but something in my vision changed. I couldn't see properly anymore. That was the night I started to lose my sight."

Rowan's heart ached at her words. He could picture it-the violence, the fear, the way Emma must have felt as her world began to fade into darkness.

"I was scared," Emma whispered. "I didn't know what to do. But I couldn't take it anymore. I had to protect myself."

Rowan's breath caught in his throat. "Did you...?"

Emma nodded, her voice trembling. "Yes. I killed him. I didn't mean to, but I did. He came at me again, and I grabbed the nearest thing I could find-a heavy vase. I hit him with it. And when he fell... I knew he wasn't getting up."

Rowan felt dizzy, the weight of her confession pressing down on him like a lead blanket. He had always suspected that Emma's life had been hard, but this... this was something he hadn't expected.

"What did you do with the body?" Navarro asked, her voice calm but insistent.

Emma took a deep breath, her face blank with resignation. "I didn't know what to do. I was terrified. So I buried him. Out by the old shed, where no one would find him."

Rowan's heart pounded in his chest as he processed Emma's words. She had been living with this secret for years, hiding the truth about her husband's death. And now, with Marcus dead, the past had come rushing back.

"But there's more," Emma said, her voice softer now, almost fragile. "Charles wasn't just my husband. He had another family before me. A son. Marcus."

Rowan's eyes widened in shock. "Marcus was your stepson?"

Emma nodded. "Yes. Cecilia never knew. I didn't want her to know. I kept it hidden from everyone. Marcus and Cecilia didn't grow up together-they never knew they were related. But when Marcus found out a few years ago... he came to me. He threatened to expose the truth. He wanted money, power. He was just like his father."

Rowan's mind raced. The pieces were starting to fall into place. Marcus had been using his connection to Emma to manipulate her, just like his father had. And now, Marcus was dead-killed in the very house where his father had met a similar fate.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Rowan asked, his voice heavy with emotion. "Why keep this a secret for so long?"

Emma's face crumpled, her eyes filling with tears. "Because I was ashamed. I didn't want anyone to know what I'd done. I thought I could bury the past, but I was wrong. It always comes back."

Navarro stepped forward, her face somber. "Emma, we'll have to investigate this further. The discovery of your husband's body complicates things. We'll need to examine the remains and determine the exact cause of death."

Emma nodded weakly, her body slumping in the chair as if the weight of her confession had drained all the strength from her.

As Navarro and the officers left the room to continue their investigation, Rowan stayed behind, sitting quietly by Emma's side. He felt a deep sadness for her-this strong, independent woman who had carried the weight of so much pain and fear for years, all alone.

"Emma," Rowan said softly, reaching out to touch her hand. "I'm so sorry. I had no idea."

Emma turned her head toward him, her sightless eyes filled with a deep, quiet sorrow. "You couldn't have known, Rowan. No one knew. But now... now it's all coming to the surface. And I don't know how much more I can take."

Rowan squeezed her hand gently, offering her the only comfort he could. "You're not alone anymore, Emma. I'm here. We'll get through this. Together."

But even as he said the words, Rowan couldn't shake the feeling that the darkness surrounding Emma's past-and Marcus's murder-was far from over.