The Vanishing Heiress

Chapter 12

Emily Montgomery stood frozen, struggling to process everything she had just witnessed in such a short span of time.

If she had still doubted the authenticity of those reports this morning, after reading the diary, her skepticism had completely crumbled.

Had everything she'd seen over the years been a lie? Had Rachel Montgomery hidden her true nature so well, so deeply?

A cold shiver ran down Emily's spine.

She pulled out her phone, intending to call Ethan Sterling.

There was a passage in Megan's diary specifically addressed to him.

But just as she was about to dial, Emily hesitated.

Ethan had loved Megan. Now that Megan was gone, showing him these words would only send him into a blind rage, stripping him of all reason.

After careful consideration, Emily decided to visit the hospital first.

Some words, some truths—were better settled among the Montgomerys before anyone else got involved.

By then, it was nearly 8 PM. She would go first thing in the morning.

Meanwhile, at the Sterling mansion.

Ethan kept dialing Megan's number, over and over.

At first, the calls went unanswered. Then, the automated voice informed him that the number was no longer in service.

Megan had deactivated it.

The realization sent a wave of panic through him.

A gnawing sense told him he had lost something irreplaceable—something he could never get back.

Ethan stared at the silent chat window on his phone, his expression hardening into ice.

He called his assistant.

"Use every connection we have. Spare no expense. Turn the entire city upside down if you have to—but find Megan."

After hanging up, Ethan sat in the suffocating darkness, unable to calm the storm inside him.

Sleep never came.

The next morning, 8 AM.

Emily arrived at the hospital where her family had been staying, only to be told by a nurse:

"Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery checked out early this morning and took Miss Montgomery home."

Frustrated, Emily had no choice but to return to the family estate.

The mansion had been restored to its pre-wedding state, but the staff wore grim expressions.

The moment they saw Emily, their faces lit up as if she were their salvation.

"Miss Emily, please hurry! Miss Rachel is throwing a fit—she's demanding to burn down Miss Megan's room!"

Emily's brows furrowed deeply.

"Emily, you're back!" Her mother's eyes were red, fresh tears staining her cheeks. "Please talk some sense into your sister!"

Without a word, Emily pulled out the diary.

"Mom, Dad—you need to read this first."

She flipped to the last page.

"Megan knew French. She understood every cruel word we said to her."

Her parents froze.

"How…?" Her mother whispered. "She never showed it. Never said a word."

Her father took the diary and began reading, his expression darkening with every line.

Emily pressed her lips together and turned toward the storage room—the space that had served as Megan's bedroom.

Rachel had already destroyed most of it, though Megan had left little behind.

Watching her sister's frenzied state, Emily spoke coldly:

"Rachel, it wasn't you who donated a kidney to Ethan, was it?"

Rachel froze mid-motion.

Her reaction told Emily everything.

The truth hit her like a collapsing wall. Instinct never lied.

Realizing how deeply they had wronged Megan, Emily looked at Rachel with undisguised disappointment.

"Just how many lies have you told us, Rachel?"

"Why did you intercept the allowance Mom and Dad sent Megan?"

"Why did you have people torment her in prison?"

"Why did you lie about being Ethan's donor?"

The barrage of questions deflated Rachel's rage.

She forced a laugh. "Emily, what nonsense are you spouting?"

Just then, their parents approached, the diary clutched in their father's hands.

"Emily, what's the meaning of these accusations?" her mother asked, bewildered.

With a sigh, Emily pulled out the medical reports and records from her bag.

Then she called her assistant.

"Bring them in."

Five minutes later, the assistant entered—followed by a prison guard, the Montgomery family accountant, and a rough-looking woman.

But no one expected the final arrival.

Ethan Sterling stepped in, his expression glacial.

His gaze swept over the Montgomerys before settling on Rachel.

"As Megan's fiancé," he said, voice like steel, "I believe I have the right to hear the truth."