Chapter 5
I found the rehearsal recordings on Emily’s confiscated phone.
Ryan had recorded them.
Not secretly.
He made her repeat the request until she sounded convincing.
On the first clip, Emily’s voice shook.
Ryan stopped her.
“You sound like a hostage.”
The irony almost made me sick.
Second clip.
Emily tried again.
Ryan corrected the wording.
“Don’t say council seat. Say responsibility.”
Third clip.
Linda’s voice came from somewhere behind the phone.
“Smile when you speak to him.”
Emily stopped.
“I’m on the phone. He can’t see me.”
Linda answered:
“He’ll hear it.”
I paused the recording.
No one spoke.
Ryan looked at the floor.
Linda did not.
She still believed there was logic inside all this.
I resumed.
The final recording was different.
Emily refused.
“I’m not doing this.”
Ryan’s voice hardened.
“You promised.”
“I promised to support you. I did not promise to lie to my father.”
Then a noise.
Movement.
Emily saying his name.
Recording ended.
That was the night of the largest bruise.
I placed the phone down.
Ryan said:
“You have no idea how humiliating it is to beg another man for a place at his table.”
I looked at him.
“Then don’t.”
His face tightened.
“I earned more.”
“Maybe.”
I nodded.
“But not by turning my daughter into your application.”
Emily covered her mouth.
Ryan looked toward her.
For the first time, shame appeared.
Not enough.
But real.
Linda saw it and immediately intervened.
“He did this because he was desperate.”
I stared at her.
“That explains why he wanted something.”
May you like
My voice stayed quiet.
“It does not explain why Emily had to bleed for it.”
