Chapter 17 - Kayla's Last Confession
Kayla arrived at Diane's house three days later.
I hadn't spoken to her since the baby shower.
She stood on the porch holding a white envelope, her face pale and her eyes swollen from crying.
Diane opened the door but didn't invite her inside.
"What do you want?"
"I need to speak to Hannah."
"Why should she listen to you?"
Kayla lowered her head.
"Because I know something about Ryan's plan that she doesn't."
Diane looked back at me.
I was sitting in the living room, resting with my feet elevated. My doctor had instructed me to take things slowly, and the last thing I wanted was another confrontation.
Still, I needed answers.
"Let her come in," I said.
Kayla entered cautiously.
She looked at my stomach, then quickly away.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
I said nothing.
She placed the envelope on the coffee table.
"I brought copies of the messages Ryan sent me. And some financial records."
I looked at the envelope but didn't touch it.
"Why now?"
"Because I found out what he intended to do with the property money."
"Didn't you already know?"
Kayla began crying.
"I knew about the affair. I knew about the transfers. I knew Ryan was trying to make money from Northstar. But I didn't understand what the original deal involved."
"You never thought to ask?"
"I was selfish. I believed him when he said you were going to leave him. He told me you had agreed to separate after Ella was born."
"And you believed that?"
She nodded miserably.
"Then why did you send me messages saying you were sorry?"
"Because I knew I was wrong. But I was afraid of losing everything."
I stared at her.
"You were afraid of losing what? Your friendship? Or the money?"
She couldn't answer.
I opened the envelope.
Inside were printed messages between Kayla and Ryan.
One message from August read:
Ryan: Once the property closes, we can move forward. Hannah doesn't need to know until everything is settled.
Kayla had replied:
Kayla: What about Ella? What happens to the savings?
Ryan's answer was chilling.
Ryan: I'll replace every dollar. She'll never know the difference.
I placed the page down.
Another message showed Ryan discussing the apartment complex and the possibility of selling it after the disputed deed had been accepted by the lender.
Kayla had asked whether the ownership documents were legitimate.
Ryan replied that Andrew had handled everything and that the lawyers had approved it.
But a later message revealed that Kayla had begun to suspect something was wrong.
Kayla: The original records don't match the new documents. You told me this was all legal.
Ryan: Stop asking questions. You wanted a future with me. I'm trying to give you one.
I looked at her.
"Did you know about my father's involvement?"
Kayla wiped her face.
"Not at first. I learned his name when I saw the older records. Ryan told me your father had caused the original financial problems and that the property was rightfully his company's."
"And you accepted that explanation."
"Yes."
I wanted to hate her.
Part of me still did.
But as she continued, I realized she had something I needed: a direct record of what Ryan had told her and when he had told her.
"Why did you bring these to me?"
"Because Ryan called me last night. He said the investigation was getting worse. He wanted me to delete our messages and tell anyone who asked that the money was a personal loan."
Diane stepped forward.
"Did he threaten you?"
"He said if I didn't cooperate, he'd tell everyone I was responsible for the transfers."
Kayla looked at me.
"I knew about some of them. I accepted the money. I lied to you. I won't pretend I'm innocent."
For the first time, her apology sounded like an acknowledgment of what she had done rather than a request to be forgiven.
My attorney had instructed me not to alter or circulate any potential evidence, so I photographed the envelope and contacted her immediately. She arranged to collect the records and preserve the original messages through an appropriate process.
Kayla stood.
"I don't expect you to forgive me."
"Good."
She flinched.
I continued.
"You don't get to walk back into my life because you're frightened of the consequences. You helped him betray me. You helped him move money that belonged to our family. You stood at my baby shower and watched me smile for photographs while you knew the truth."
"I know."
"No, you don't know what that did to me."
My voice cracked.
I placed a hand over my stomach.
"You were supposed to be Ella's godmother. I trusted you with the most important parts of my life."
Kayla began sobbing.
I looked away.
"I hope you tell the truth to the people investigating this. I hope you take responsibility for your part in it. But I can't be your friend anymore."
She nodded.
"I understand."
She walked toward the door.
Before leaving, she turned back.
"There is one more thing."
I waited.
"Ryan didn't choose Northstar by accident. Andrew approached him because they needed someone who could access the family finances without raising immediate suspicion. Ryan told me that marrying you made him part of the family, and that people would trust him."
The room went silent.
I stared at her.
"Are you saying he married me for the property?"
Kayla shook her head quickly.
"I don't know if that's why he married you. I can't prove that. But he said your connection to the property made the investment easier. He believed he could use the marriage to gain access to information about your father's estate."
I felt sick.
Our wedding photographs flashed through my mind.
Ryan holding my hand.
Ryan promising to love me.
Ryan smiling as we danced beneath the lights.
Had any of it been real?
Kayla left without another word.
Diane sat beside me.
Neither of us spoke for a long time.
Finally, I whispered, "I don't know what part of my marriage was true."
Diane took my hand.
"That is something Ryan will have to live with. You don't have to solve it tonight."
I looked down at the messages.
The betrayal had become more complicated, more calculated, and more painful than I had imagined.
But it had also become clearer.
Ryan could deny what he had done.
He could blame Kayla.
He could accuse Daniel of lying.
But the messages existed.
May you like
The financial records existed.
And for the first time, several people who had once been afraid to speak were prepared to tell the truth.
