When The Rain Forgot Our Names

Chapter 13 : When The Rain Forgot Our Names

Chapter Thirteen: The Recording

The Cole mansion had never felt so cold.

Ethan stood in the entrance hall with Amara beside him, while Daniel and Mama Grace followed closely behind.

Every corner of the mansion seemed to hold a memory.

A secret.

A lie.

Tonight, they were going to uncover it.

"The recording is here," Mama Grace said quietly.

Ethan looked around.

"Where?"

"Your mother knew your father would never search his own bedroom."

Daniel frowned.

"So we're looking for something in Father's room?"

Mama Grace nodded.

"Behind a portrait."

---

They entered Richard's old bedroom.

Ethan walked toward a large painting of his mother.

He stared at her face.

"I remember this."

Mama Grace stepped forward.

"Move it."

Ethan carefully lifted the portrait from the wall.

Behind it was a small metal box.

His heart began to pound.

He pulled it free.

There was no lock.

Inside was an old cassette recorder and a small envelope.

Amara picked up the envelope.

Her hands trembled when she saw the writing.

For Amara, when she is old enough to know the truth.

She stared at it.

"My parents wrote this."

Ethan stood beside her.

"Open it."

Amara slowly unfolded the letter.

"Our beautiful daughter,

If you're reading this, then we couldn't tell you the truth ourselves.

We loved you more than anything.

Never believe that your life was an accident.

Your father and I discovered something dangerous.

We trusted someone we should never have trusted.

And when the truth comes out, remember this:

Not everyone carrying our name is guilty.

And not everyone who claims to love you is innocent.

Love,

Mom and Dad."

Amara's tears fell onto the paper.

She covered her mouth.

"They knew."

Ethan gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"They knew they might not survive."

---

Daniel picked up the recorder.

"There might still be something on it."

He pressed the button.

Static filled the room.

Then a man's voice emerged.

David.

"If you're hearing this, something has happened to Sarah and me."

Amara froze.

Her father's voice.

A voice she had not heard since childhood.

She began crying silently.

Sarah's voice followed.

"We discovered that someone has been transferring money from the company into secret accounts."

David continued.

"We traced the accounts to someone we trusted."

There was a long pause.

Then Sarah whispered:

"Victor isn't the person behind it."

Everyone looked at each other.

Daniel frowned.

"Then who?"

The recording continued.

"We discovered that the money is being transferred through a private account controlled by..."

Suddenly, the recording became distorted.

Static.

Then silence.

Amara stared at the recorder.

"No."

Ethan pressed the button again.

Nothing.

"The file is damaged."

Mama Grace closed her eyes.

"We need the missing part."

---

A loud sound came from downstairs.

Everyone froze.

Footsteps.

Someone was inside the mansion.

Daniel quietly moved toward the door.

Ethan whispered,

"Who could it be?"

Then the lights went out.

Amara grabbed Ethan's hand.

"I don't like this."

"Stay close."

A shadow moved across the hallway.

Daniel stepped forward.

"Show yourself!"

Silence.

Then a voice answered.

"You shouldn't have opened that box."

Ethan recognized the voice.

"Vanessa."

She stepped into the moonlight.

She wasn't alone.

Two men stood behind her.

Amara's expression hardened.

"What do you want?"

Vanessa looked directly at her.

"The recording."

"You'll never get it."

Vanessa smiled.

"Then I'll take it."

---

Daniel stepped between them.

"You've gone too far."

Vanessa laughed.

"Too far?"

"You have no idea how far this family has gone."

She looked at Richard's portrait hanging on the wall.

"Your father destroyed my family."

Ethan stared at her.

"What are you talking about?"

Vanessa's smile disappeared.

"My father was Victor Kane's partner."

Silence.

"Years ago, your father accused him of stealing from the company."

"He destroyed his reputation."

"He took everything from us."

Daniel shook his head.

"That's not what happened."

Vanessa looked at him.

"Maybe."

"Maybe not."

"But I know one thing."

She pointed at Ethan.

"Your father has been lying to you."

---

Suddenly, Mama Grace stepped forward.

"Vanessa..."

Everyone turned.

"You don't know the whole story."

Vanessa stared at her.

"Then tell me."

Mama Grace's voice trembled.

"Your father wasn't innocent."

Vanessa's face changed.

"He wasn't?"

"He was involved."

"But he wasn't the mastermind."

"Someone else controlled him."

"Who?"

Mama Grace looked toward Richard's portrait.

Then she whispered:

"Someone in this mansion."

---

A loud crash came from upstairs.

Everyone looked up.

Ethan immediately ran toward the sound.

Amara followed.

They reached the hallway.

A window was shattered.

The small metal box was gone.

"The recording!"

Someone had stolen it.

Ethan looked outside.

A black car sped away from the mansion.

He ran toward the entrance.

But it was already too late.

Vanessa stood behind him, staring at the disappearing vehicle.

"I didn't take it."

Ethan turned.

"Then who did?"

Vanessa slowly shook her head.

"I don't know."

For the first time, she looked genuinely frightened.

Then her phone rang.

She answered.

Nobody spoke on the other end.

Only a recording played.

David's voice.

"The person behind everything is..."

The message suddenly ended.

Vanessa's eyes widened.

She slowly lowered the phone.

"What happened?" Amara asked.

Vanessa looked at her.

"The recording wasn't stolen."

"It was copied."

Ethan frowned.

"Copied by who?"

Vanessa whispered the answer.

"Someone who knew we'd find it."

She looked toward the dark hallway.

"Someone who wanted us to hear exactly enough to start fighting each other."

Then the mansion door slammed shut.

And from somewhere in the darkness...

A man's voice whispered:

"Finally."

The game had changed.

And now everyone was a target.