Chapter 4
After leaving that suffocating house, I checked into a quiet hotel.
The first thing I did was block Ethan, Patricia, and every single member of the Zamora family from my contacts.
I needed a place where I could focus and regain my strength.
I used to be a legal advisor. But for Ethan's sweet promises, like he'd take care of you, and my goal of being the perfect trophy wife for the Zamora family, I gave up my career and let myself become less sharp.
For five long years, I lived like a pampered wife, slowly forgetting that I had once been capable of more.
Now, it was time to find that sharp edge again.
I called my old mentor from the law firm, the one I trusted most, Corey Hinton.
His voice was steady as ever on the other end. "Helena, I saw the news. I'm sorry for your loss."
"Corey," I replied, my voice a little rough. "I'm not looking for sympathy. I want justice."
I laid it all out for him—the fireworks incident, William's death, and the Zamora family's attempt to bury the truth.
There was a pause on the other end of the line.
"Helena, what do you want to do?" Corey asked.
"I want Ethan to be held responsible for his father's death," I said.
"Alright," Corey replied, without a second of hesitation.
He added, "I get it. For a big fireworks display like that, especially by the river downtown, it would've needed approvals from every department—police, fire, maritime, air traffic, and environmental. The approval process is strict. If Ethan pulled that off in just an hour, there's no way the paperwork was legit.
"Hang in there. I'll find out which authorities signed off on it and the company that ran the fireworks show."
After I hung up, my anger flared up again, hotter than before.
*****
The next day, I slipped into one of my old work suits, the kind I used to wear when I had a real job. I walked into the city power company's office, playing the part of a grieving relative.
With calm composure and everything laid out clearly, I formally submitted a written request for an investigation into the power outage at Jinsburg Central Hospital on December 31st.
The staff member who helped me took one look at my all-black outfit and pale face, gave me a sympathetic glance, and then quickly got to work, handling the paperwork with professional courtesy.
The Zamora family reacted quickly.
That same afternoon, I got a call from their top-notch legal team.
The voice on the other end sounded polite, but the arrogance was unmistakable.
A layer said, "Ms. Sexton, everyone in the Zamora family is deeply sorry for your father-in-law's accident.
"Mr. Zamora wants you to know that, since you are married to him, he doesn't want any bad blood over a misunderstanding. If you agree to drop this, the Zamora family is prepared to offer you a generous compensation package, enough to make sure you never have to worry about money again."
"A generous compensation package?" I scoffed. "How much are we talking?"
He clearly hadn't expected that response. After a brief pause, he replied, "I assure you that it's more than enough."
"Tell me," I said. "How much is my father-in-law's life worth to you?"
He fell silent, lost for words.
I hung up before he could say another word.
Money was their answer to everything. That was the arrogant approach Ethan and the whole Zamora family took to solving problems.
They truly believed they could put a price on someone's life and dignity, as if it were just a transaction.
*****
A few days later, Corey got news for me.
He'd pulled some strings and found the company that ran the fireworks show that night. He even tracked down a key person, the on-site technician, Sergio.
According to Corey's contact, Sergio had been a nervous wreck lately. The company was getting ready to make him the scapegoat.
I got Sergio's number and asked to meet him at a small café.
He looked barely out of his teens, his eyes full of fear and exhaustion.
I didn't threaten him or try to bribe him, like he was clearly expecting.
Instead, I slid my phone across the table. On the screen was a photo of me and William.
He was smiling in it, gentle and warm, holding the scarf I'd made for him.
"That's my father-in-law," I said quietly. "He was a kind man. He didn't deserve to die that night."
My calm tone only made Sergio shrink further into his seat.
"I know you're scared," I said. "You're afraid the company will throw you under the bus, or the Zamora family will come after you.
I looked at him and continued, "But if you tell the truth, I'll make sure you get protection. Your conscience is worth more than any hush money they offer."
He suddenly looked up, eyes brimming with tears. His lips quivered for a while before he finally steeled himself.
He reached into his bag and handed me a USB drive.
He said, "Ethan said the original plan wasn't flashy enough. He told us to double the fireworks and turn everything up to max.
"Our team leader warned him it was risky and that it could mess with public systems nearby, but Ethan wouldn't listen. He said he'd take the blame if anything went wrong. Everything's on this drive—the team's chat logs and his assistant's messages telling us to go ahead no matter what."
Holding that USB, I felt a sharp jolt of clarity. I was finally getting closer to the truth.
Just as I was about to leave, my phone rang. It was an unknown number.
I picked up, and Patricia's shrill voice came through the line.
"Helena, I'm downstairs at your hotel. Get your ass down here!" she yelled.