Chapter 66 - THE MISSING PAGE
We spent the entire night studying the journal.
Every page.
Every sentence.
Every crossed-out name.
One thing became clear.
Elena had discovered the truth about the network before I was born.
She had tried to leave.
But she knew too much.
My father believed she had planned to expose everyone.
My grandfather believed she had been involved.
I didn't know whom to trust.
Then Julian found something.
A page number.
The journal jumped from page 87 to page 92.
Five pages were missing.
He checked the binding.
“They weren't torn out recently.”
“When?”
“Years ago.”
I looked at my father.
“Did you remove them?”
“No.”
My grandfather said nothing.
I looked at him.
“You did.”
He sighed.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because those pages contained the name of the person Elena trusted most.”
“Who?”
He reached into his pocket.
Then handed me a folded page.
I opened it.
There was one name.
Michael Reed.
I looked at my father.
He was crying.
The page continued.
Michael knows the truth.
He knows I never betrayed him.
If I disappear, he will understand why.
Then another sentence.
I am leaving Emily with the woman I trust most.
I looked at my mother.
Her face broke.
“She chose you.”
My mother nodded.
“I promised her I'd protect you.”
I hugged her.
For the first time, I understood.
She hadn't stolen me from Elena.
She had saved me for her.
Then Julian found one final line.
If Emily ever learns the truth, tell her this:
May you like
Her father did not abandon her.
He saved her.
