One Night With My Fiancé Ruthless Uncle

Chapter Thirteen: The Truth She Wasn't Supposed To know

Jennifer barely slept. Every time she closed her eyes, she heard Sylvia's frightened voice again.

"He knows about your mothe"r.

Then came Marcus Vane's face, calm and knowing beneath the golden lights of the ballroom, followed by the message that had appeared on her phone less than an hour later.

"If you want to know the truth about your mother, meet me alone. Tell no one. Not even him."

She had spent the rest of the night staring at those words, trying to decide whether they were a warning or a threat.

By morning, she still didn't know.What she did know was that someone out there knew something about Elena Reyes that Jennifer had spent her entire life trying to understand.

Her mother's death had always been explained as a tragic accident.

A rainy night and a slippery road, a car that lost control.

Jennifer had been too young to question any of it, and whenever she'd asked her father for details, his answers had always been painfully brief. Her mother was gone. There was nothing they could do about it. They had to move forward.

But now someone was telling her that there was more.

And Jennifer couldn't walk away from that.

She couldn't. She was sitting across from Carter at breakfast when her phone vibrated inside her bag.

Her heart immediately jumped.

She didn't reach for it. Carter noticed. His eyes lifted from his coffee and settled on her face.

"You've been staring at that bag for the past five minutes."

Jennifer forced herself to pick up her cup.

"I'm tired." She whispered slowly

"You didn't sleep." He asked as if he was concerned.

"Neither did you." She said.

"I slept enough." He replied.

There was something about the way he said it that made her stomach tighten.

Carter had always been observant. It was one of the things that made him so dangerous in business and so difficult to lie to.

He leaned back slightly.

"Did something happen after we left the gala?"

Jennifer's fingers tightened around the cup.

"No." The answer came too quickly.

Carter's eyes narrowed.

"Jennifer." She looked at him.

"You're lying." Her heartbeat stumbled.

I'm not." She said trying to defend herself.

"You are." "Carter, I'm just exhausted."

He watched her for several seconds before finally looking away.

"You don't have to tell me everything," he said quietly. "But don't make the mistake of thinking I won't notice when you're hiding something."

Guilt pressed against her chest. For one moment, she almost told him. She almost pulled out her phone and showed him the message.

But then she remembered the final words.

Not even him and she couldn't shake the feeling that whoever had sent it knew something she didn't.

Her phone vibrated again. This time, she stood.

"I'll be right back." She walked into the hallway before pulling it from her bag.

Unknown number.

Tonight. 11:30 p.m at. Old St. Mary's Church.

Come alone.

Jennifer stared at the screen. Then another message appeared. Bring nothing that can be traced.

Her blood ran cold. She deleted both messages.

When she returned to the kitchen, Carter was still watching her.

"Everything okay?" He asked staring at her face.

"Yes." Another lie. Something unreadable crossed his face.

But he didn't push. That almost frightened her more.

At eleven twenty that night, Jennifer stood in front of the bedroom mirror.

She had told Carter she was going to sleep early. She had waited until he disappeared into his study.

Then she'd changed. Dark jeans. Black coat.

Flat shoes. Her phone tucked securely inside her pocket. She opened the bedroom door. The penthouse was silent. She took two steps into the hallway.

"Where are you going?" Jennifer froze. Carter stood at the end of the corridor.

His sleeves were rolled to his elbows, and his expression was far too calm.

"I couldn't sleep." He said.

"So you're going somewhere?"

"I need some air."

"At eleven twenty at night?"

She swallowed. "Carter."

"Who are you meeting?"

"I'm not meeting anyone." His eyes moved over her clothes.

Then back to her face. "You've never been good at lying to me."

Jennifer's heart sank. He walked closer.

"Show me your phone."

"No." The answer slipped out before she could stop it.

Carter stopped. His expression changed.

Not anger, but he was hurt.

"Why?" Jennifer looked away.

"I can't tell you." He said.

"Why?" She asked

"Because I don't know if I can trust the person who contacted me." His eyes hardened.

"And you think you can trust them more than me?"

"I don't know." Silence stretched between them.

Then Jennifer whispered, "They know about my mother."

Everything in Carter's face changed.

"Who?"

"I don't know." She answered.

"What did they tell you?" He asked curiously

"That they know what happened to Elena."

Carter stared at her. "You're going."

It wasn't a question.

"Yes." She asked.

Alone?" He asked.

"Yes." Jennifer said.

"No." Jennifer shook her head.

"I have to."

"You don't know who you're walking into." He said .

"Neither did my mother." The words escaped before she could stop them.

Carter went still. Jennifer's eyes burned.

"I spent my whole life believing she died in an accident. If someone knows the truth, I need to hear it."

Carter looked at her for a long moment. Then he stepped aside.

"Go."Jennifer blinked.

"What?" He asked.

"I said go." She stared at him.

"But understand something." His voice was quiet.

"If whoever contacted you hurts you, I will find them."

Jennifer nodded slowly. Then she walked past him.

She didn't see the way Carter's jaw tightened after she left. She didn't hear him take his phone from his pocket.

And she didn't hear the quiet instruction he gave the moment the elevator doors closed.

"Follow her."

Old St. Mary's Church looked nothing like Jennifer remembered.

The rain had turned the streets nearly empty, and the old church stood between two abandoned buildings like something the city had forgotten.

Jennifer pushed open the heavy wooden door. It creaked loudly through the darkness.

"Hello?" Her voice echoed. Nothing answered.

She stepped inside. The smell of dust and damp stone filled her lungs.

Then she heard footsteps. Jennifer turned.

An older woman emerged slowly from the shadows.

Gray hair and dark coat. With a pair of tired eyes.

Jennifer instinctively stepped back.

"Who are you?" She asked instinctively

"My name is Rosa Martinez." Jennifer frowned.

"Why did you contact me?" Rosa looked at her for a moment.

Then reached inside her coat. Jennifer tensed.

But the woman only pulled out a small yellowed envelope.

She held it toward her.

"This belonged to your mother."Jennifer stopped breathing. Her mother's handwriting was unmistakable.

Elena. It was written across the front. Jennifer took the envelope with trembling fingers.

"Where did you get this?" She asked .

"I promised Elena I'd give it to you if anything happened to her."

Jennifer looked up sharply. "What do you mean?"

Rosa's expression broke.

"Your mother knew she was in danger." She said.

"From who?" Jennifer looked at her shocked at the revelation.

Rosa glanced toward the church doors.

"She found something."

"What?" She asked

"Fraud." Jennifer frowned.

"What kind of fraud?" She asked.

"The kind that destroys companies. Families. Lives."

Rosa's voice lowered.

"Your mother discovered money being moved through accounts that didn't officially exist. She found false records. Shell companies. Payments made to people who were supposed to be loyal to the Kane family."

Jennifer's mind raced.

"And she told someone?"

"She tried."

"Who?" Rosa looked at her.

"That was her mistake."

"Why?" She asked.

"Because the person she trusted was already working for them." Jennifer's fingers tightened around the envelope.

"Who?" Before Rosa could answer, a sound echoed from somewhere behind them.

A door closing. Rosa's face changed.

"They followed you." Jennifer turned toward the entrance.

The church doors were still closed.

"Who?" Rosa grabbed her wrist.

"You need to leave." She said immediately.

"No." Jennifer said.

"Jennifer, listen to me. Whatever you do, don't let them take that envelope."

"What is in it?"

"The truth." She said.

"About my mother?"

Rosa nodded.

"About your mother. About Carter. About the Kane family."

Jennifer's breath caught.

"What does Carter have to do with my mother?"

Rosa stared at her.

"Everything." The word seemed to echo through the empty church.

Jennifer opened the envelope. Inside was a single photograph.

Her mother's face. Standing beside a much younger Carter. Jennifer's breath disappeared. She stared at the photograph.

It had been taken years before she'd ever met Carter.

Years before the scandal and years before his exile.

On the back of the photograph, written in Elena's handwriting, were six words. "He was never the one who betrayed you."

Jennifer looked up.

"What does this mean?" Rosa's eyes filled with tears.

"Your mother discovered the truth before Carter did."

"What truth?" She asked.

"That the person responsible for destroying Carter wasn't Margaret." Jennifer's heart began pounding.

"Then who?" Rosa opened her mouth.

A man's voice suddenly came from the darkness behind them.

"I think you've heard enough." Jennifer spun around.

Her blood ran cold. Gerald stepped into the dim light.

Two men stood behind him and his expression was nothing like the remorseful man who had spent the past few weeks begging Jennifer for another chance.

There was no regret in his eyes. Only certainty.

"Gerald?" He looked at the photograph in Jennifer's hand.

Then at the envelope. His face hardened.

"Give me that." Jennifer stepped backward.

"No." Gerald's jaw tightened.

"You have no idea what you're holding."

"Then tell me." He laughed softly.

"You really want the truth?" He asked.

"Yes." Gerald's eyes flickered toward Rosa.

Then back to Jennifer.

"Your mother didn't die because of some random accident." Jennifer's breath caught.

"What happened to her?" Gerald took another step forward.

"She was killed." The word shattered through Jennifer.

Her knees almost gave way.

"Who killed her?" Gerald's expression changed.

And when he spoke again, his voice was cold.

"She was trying to save Carter." Jennifer stared at him.

"What?"

"Your mother discovered what they were planning to do to him. She tried to stop them."

"You're lying."

"I'm not."

"Then who killed her?" Gerald looked directly into her eyes.

"Margaret ordered it." Jennifer's entire body went numb.

Rosa shook her head violently.

"No." Gerald's gaze snapped toward her.

"You should have stayed quiet, Rosa." Jennifer looked between them.

"Who is telling the truth?" Neither answered.

Then the church doors exploded open.

Everyone turned. Carter stood in the doorway. Rainwater dripped from his coat. His breathing was heavy. His eyes moved from Jennifer to Gerald.

Then to the photograph in her trembling hand. His face went completely pale. Gerald's confidence disappeared.

"Carter." Carter didn't answer. He walked slowly into the church. Jennifer stared at him.

"You followed me."

"I told you I would find you." His eyes remained on Gerald.

Then he said something that made the entire room go silent.

"He's lying." Gerald's expression hardened.

Carter took another step forward.

"I know who killed Elena."bJennifer's heart stopped.bCarter looked at her.

And for the first time since she'd known him, there was something in his eyes she had never seen before.

Not fear for himself. Fear of what she was about to learn.

"Because I was there the night your mother died."

Jennifer stared at him. The photograph slipped from her fingers.

And Carter whispered the words that changed everything.

"I watched her die."