Ethan interrupted, his voice hoarse but steady. “Claire, please. It’s not what it seems. I was trying to—” His words were cut off as the officers began to lead him away.

I wanted to scream, to demand answers, but the chaos of the moment made it impossible to articulate my questions. Instead, I focused on the papers I had found in Lily’s lunchbox. The names, the amounts—what did it all mean?

With Ethan’s plea echoing in my mind, I turned to Officer Stevens. “Can I at least know what this is about?” I asked, my voice trembling with a mixture of anger and desperation.

The officer paused, glancing at his colleague before replying. “Mrs. Carter, your husband has been under investigation for suspected embezzlement. The documents and the USB drive you found are evidence he compiled. It seems he was trying to expose a larger scheme.”

My heart twisted. Ethan wasn’t a criminal; he was trying to right a wrong. But why hadn’t he told me? Why involve Lily?

As the officers led Ethan out of the building, I felt a mix of relief and fear. Relief that Ethan wasn’t the villain I feared, but fear for what lay ahead for our family. My mind raced with thoughts of how to protect Lily, how to navigate this storm. I needed to understand the full story, to piece together not just the evidence but the events that had led to this moment.

Back in the car, I gripped the steering wheel, trying to steady my breath. Lily was safe with my sister, but I needed to be strong for her, to ensure that whatever happened next, we would face it together as a family.

I took a deep breath and whispered a silent promise to Ethan, wherever he was. “I will find the truth, and I will stand by you.” As I drove away from the office, the enormity of the journey ahead loomed large. But one thing was certain: I would not rest until I uncovered every piece of the puzzle Ethan had left for me to find.