"Lips may be sealed, secrets can be kept, but none are safe from me."
Vera Reinhart went from having a clean record to committing murder within ten minutes.
And she didn't kill just anybody. She murdered Jason Hargrove son of the most powerful man...
I need to talk to you. Please, meet me at my house this evening. It's important.
-Jordan
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A/N: DO NOT skip the author's note at the bottom.
Also, this chapter may contain some triggering content for people with mental disorders. Please read with caution or PM me and I'll be more than happy to send you a summary.
The front door opened and closed.
I breathed deeply as I lied on my back, staring up at the ceiling. I clutched the files in my hands tighter. They could tear Vera's life apart in the blink of an eye. I could tear her life apart in the blink of an eye.
I didn't want to. She had just started to heal from the trauma and guilt of what she thought happened with Jason. She had just started to be her happier, imaginative, naive self. She was the book nerd that had still managed to worm her way up the social ranks of high school and stayed there because people wanted her there. They loved her there because of her kindness and cheery deposition. She was finally beginning to be that person again.
And I was about to rip it all away again.
I don't want to, but I have to. For Vera.
Her soft footsteps padded up the stairs. I sat up and forced my fingers to let go of the files. I couldn't show her the news immediately. I had to break it to her slowly.
The family P.I. had admittedly taken longer than expected. I had called him Friday night and he had spent the past couple days searching and skimming for the real documents. It wasn't until this morning, after three days of diligent scouring, that he had finally found the medical files.
The Reinhart's held their secrets close, especially the colossal ones.
Vera knocked twice before nudging the door open. "Jordan?"
"Yeah, I'm here."
She opened the bedroom door completely and stepped in. "Hi."
"Hey."
"You wanted to talk?"
"Yeah. Can you close the door?"
Vera obliged.
"Take a seat," I motioned for the bed then cringed. That sounded so formal. Too formal. Like a doctor's office.
Vera plopped down onto the bed and asked, "What's wrong?"
"It's that- well-um-you..." I stumbled and sighed. This was not going well. And let's be real, no matter how I tell her, it wasn't gonna help. She was still going to have her entire life torn to shreds.
