Chapter 4 - THE CALL GALEN NEVER HEARD
Galen did not touch Ainsley.
He did not shout.
For a man like him, stillness was more dangerous.
“You told my dying wife I wasn’t coming.”
“I didn’t know she was dying.”
Ainsley stood quickly.
“She sounded upset.”
“Serena had a heart condition.”
“She was always worried about it.”
Galen stared.
Ainsley realized how terrible that sounded.
She tried again.
“She called during your meeting.”
“So?”
“You and Serena had fought that morning.”
Galen remembered.
Serena wanted him to skip the family gathering.
Eira had been sick for two nights.
Serena was exhausted.
Galen went anyway.
He told himself he would be gone ninety minutes.
He stayed longer.
The meeting became tense.
Ainsley was there helping host.
Serena called.
Ainsley saw the phone vibrating inside Galen’s coat pocket.
She took it into the hallway.
Answered.
Serena was crying.
She asked for Galen.
Ainsley said he was busy.
Serena asked again.
Ainsley told her:
“He chose to be here.”
Galen closed his eyes.
Serena’s final hours had contained that sentence.
Not his.
Ainsley’s.
“What happened next?”
“She hung up.”
“You deleted the call.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I was afraid you would ask why I answered.”
Galen looked at her.
That was not enough.
Ainsley finally admitted more.
Serena called again.
Ainsley declined it.
Then Serena sent a voice message.
Ainsley listened.
Deleted it.
Galen’s face changed.
“What did she say?”
Ainsley cried now.
“Galen, I’m dizzy.”
His chest tightened.
“She said she had taken Eira to the guest room because she didn’t want the child frightened.”
Ainsley struggled to breathe.
“She said she was going to call emergency services.”
Galen stepped closer.
“And?”
“She said she was sorry about the fight.”
A long pause.
“And she said she loved you.”
The room went silent.
Galen looked away.
He remembered returning to the lake house after someone finally called.
Serena was already gone.
Eira was eighteen months old.
Asleep in another room.
Galen never understood why Serena had not called him.
Now he knew.
“She did.”
Ainsley nodded.
“Yes.”
Galen’s voice became quiet.
“You stole her goodbye.”
Ainsley covered her face.
“I know.”
“You stole mine too.”
“I know.”
Then Galen asked:
“Who called for help?”
Ainsley lowered her hands.
“The housekeeper.”
Not Ainsley.
A housekeeper arrived and found Serena collapsed.
She called.
Galen looked at Ainsley.
“You went to the lake house?”
Ainsley froze.
He had assumed she remained at the meeting.
But if the housekeeper found Serena, how did Ainsley know where she collapsed?
The silence gave her away.
Galen stepped closer.
“You were there.”
Ainsley shook her head.
“After.”
“When?”
No answer.
Galen’s jaw tightened.
“When?”
Ainsley finally whispered:
“Before the housekeeper.”
The truth came apart.
After deleting Serena’s messages, Ainsley left the meeting.
She drove to the lake house.
Not to hurt Serena.
To confront her.
Serena had told Ainsley she was finished allowing her inside their marriage.
She planned to tell Galen everything she knew about Claire.
About Rose’s warnings.
About Ainsley’s manipulation.
Ainsley panicked.
She went there to stop her.
They argued.
Serena became dizzy.
She sat down.
Ainsley thought it was another panic episode.
Serena told her to leave.
Ainsley did.
“You left her.”
“Yes.”
“Knowing she felt sick.”
Ainsley’s voice cracked.
“I thought she was trying to frighten me.”
Galen stared.
Then he asked the question he was terrified to ask.
“Was she conscious when you left?”
Ainsley nodded.
“Yes.”
Galen turned away.
For eighteen months, he had blamed himself for not being there.
Ainsley had been there.
And chose to walk out.
Then one of the bodyguards entered.
“Boss.”
Galen did not look up.
“What?”
“We found something in Miss Serena’s lake-house room.”
Galen turned.
The guard held an old tablet.
“It was hidden behind the dresser.”
Ainsley went pale.
The device still powered on.
One video remained.
Recorded the night Serena died.
Galen pressed play.
Serena appeared on screen.
Breathing hard.
Her face pale.
Then she looked directly into the camera.
“Ainsley just left.”
Galen’s hands tightened.
Serena swallowed.
“If Galen sees this, tell him I tried to tell him one more thing.”
A pause.
“Ainsley isn’t the only person lying to him.”
Galen froze.
May you like
Then Serena said the name.
“His brother Michael knows.”
