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CALIFORNIA, 2011

Ben gives Zoe a cursory glance as she walks into the living room, and I wait for him to see something in her that he recognizes. Like I did, even though I didn’t know it at the time—or maybe I was in denial.

Yet there’s nothing but a muddled expression, as he no doubt asks himself why I need a stranger to help me say what needs to be said.

“Ben, this is Zoe,” I say, my voice wavering as nervousness takes hold. “Zoe, Ben…”

Her eyes darken and her lips pull thin as she looks at him with nothing but disdain and contempt.

“I don’t even have the words,” she starts. “I’ve imagined this moment all my life, but now that you’re here…”

“What’s going on?” asks Ben, looking between us with a look of bewilderment.

“Twenty-five years ago, I did something that I”—my voice cracks—“that I have never been able to forgive myself for. And I don’t expect you to ever be able to forgive me either, but I have to tell you the truth, because I can’t live the rest of my life with the guilt that I carry around with me every day…”

There’s a daunting silence, but I will myself to go on, despite my heart almost beating out of my chest.

“I am so sorry that I wasn’t brave enough to tell you, Ben…” I dare to look at him. “But I was young—we all were—and I was terrified that if I told you, told anyone …”

His jaw spasms as he looks between me and Zoe, trying to second-guess what I’m about to say. But he can’t possibly imagine.

“Only one person knew…” I go on, before being cut off by the ringing of Zoe’s phone.

We all look at each other, questioning whether there is anyone important enough to interrupt what’s going on.

“It’s Cassie,” says Zoe, pressing the button to answer it.

My blood runs cold. I’ve had all these years to speak my truth, and when I finally find the courage, she comes in with a wrecking ball, as always. But I won’t let her do it this time.

“She wants to speak to you,” says Zoe, holding the phone out.

It feels like a hot coal in my hand as I take it, the thought of my sister being so close making my insides burn with a ferocious heat.

“So, you’ve finally found the balls to admit to what you did,” she sneers, as soon as she hears my breath.

All the words I’ve saved for her are snatched away. “I have nothing to say to you.”

“Have you told him yet?”

I open and close my fist, wishing I could reach through the phone and smash it into her face. “Which part?”

She laughs. “The part where he realizes that, if it weren’t for you, his life would have turned out very differently.”

Ben’s eyeing me with increasing suspicion, no doubt wondering what I’ve brought to his door.

“It’s over,” I choke. “Dad wrote me a letter. He told me everything.”

There’s a drawn-out silence and I wonder if she’s still there or already on her way to the nearest airport to avoid arrest.

“You were as much to blame as I was,” she hisses. “Yet you think you’re going to waltz off into the sunset with what’s rightfully mine… again .”

I laugh, unable to believe that she’s still trapped in the imaginary relationship she thought she was having twenty-five years ago. But then it dawns on me: It’s not about Ben at all.

“Is this about Dad’s estate?” I ask, disbelievingly.

“You’re not entitled to a penny,” she seethes. “I’m the one who stayed here to face the music. I’m the one who had to deal with the fallout. That money is mine.”

The breath I’d been holding comes out in a rush. She’d thrown a bomb into my life, not leaving a corner untouched, all because our father had called time on her deceit.

“You should have told the truth when you had the chance,” I say.

“So should you!” she hollers.

“That’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

“It’s too late for that,” she says. “Justice was served a long time ago.”

“ Justice? ” I croak, looking to Ben and Zoe, who stand paralyzed by unease and apprehension. “An innocent man was convicted of manslaughter and sent to prison for five years. How is that justice?”

“You’re not taking me down with you,” says Cassie, her voice laced with venom. “I won’t let you.”

“You can’t hold me to ransom anymore. There’s nothing more you can do.”

“Are you sure about that?”

A cold shiver runs down my spine as I momentarily allow myself to believe that she still has a hold over me, but the shackles she’s held me by for all these years are finally off. It’s time we both paid penance.

“Goodbye, Cassie.”

“Is admitting to something that happened twenty-five years ago really worth losing your precious family over?” says Cassie in a panicked rush.

“We’re stronger than you think,” I say. “You can’t break us, and neither can the truth.”

“I wouldn’t bet on that,” she says, before putting the phone down.

A second later, a text message pings through, and when I open it up my whole world crashes down around me.