CHAPTER 4: THE LAST MESSAGE FROM HER FATHER
CHAPTER 4: THE LAST MESSAGE FROM HER FATHER
The entire Aurora Grand Art Gallery was frozen.
Not a single person spoke.
Not even the reporters who had entered moments earlier.
Every camera was pointed toward the giant screen.
Every eye was fixed on the mysterious file.
"FOR EMILY. OPEN ONLY WHEN ALEXANDER WHITMORE RETURNS."
Those words carried a weight nobody expected.
Because they meant one thing.
Emily Carter's father had known.
He had known Alexander would eventually come back.
He had known the man who destroyed his family would one day stand in front of his daughter again.
And he had prepared for that moment.
Emily stood completely still.
Her fingers tightened around Lily's hand.
For ten years, she had believed she understood the night everything was taken away from her.
She believed she knew who the enemy was.
Alexander Whitmore.
Marcus Hale.
The people who stole her company.
The people who destroyed her reputation.
But now...
A new question appeared.
What did her father know before he died?
The security director looked at Emily.
"Should I open the file?"
Emily stared at the screen.
For a moment, she said nothing.
Everyone saw the change in her expression.
The woman who had faced a billionaire without fear suddenly looked like a daughter standing before a forgotten memory.
Then she whispered:
"Open it."
The file loaded.
A video appeared.
The screen flickered.
And an old man appeared.
Victor Carter.
Emily's father.
The legendary founder of Carter Corporation.
Even after ten years, his eyes carried the same strength Emily remembered.
He sat inside his private office.
The same office where he had spent thousands of nights building his company.
But this time...
He looked tired.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
As if he had been carrying a secret too heavy for one person.
The room became completely silent.
Then Victor spoke.
"Emily."
The sound of her father's voice nearly broke her.
Her lips parted slightly.
"Dad..."
Lily looked at her mother.
She had rarely seen Emily show emotion.
But now...
Her eyes were shining.
Victor continued.
"If you are watching this, it means Alexander Whitmore has returned."
The guests turned toward Alexander.
His face was expressionless.
But his hands were shaking.
Victor looked directly into the camera.
"Emily, I need you to understand something."
A pause.
"You were never responsible for what happened."
The words hit Emily harder than she expected.
For ten years, she had carried the weight of the world's judgment.
The accusations.
The hatred.
The belief that she had failed her father's dream.
And now...
Her father was telling her the truth.
She was never the cause.
Victor continued.
"The night Carter Corporation collapsed was not an accident."
The screen showed documents appearing beside him.
"Someone planned it."
Marcus looked uncomfortable.
Alexander remained silent.
Victor continued.
"They did not want my company."
A pause.
"They wanted something hidden inside it."
Emily frowned.
Something hidden?
She had spent years searching through old company records.
She knew every major project Carter Corporation had ever created.
Or at least...
She thought she did.
Victor leaned closer.
"Emily, your grandfather created a technology platform twenty years ago."
The screen showed a blueprint.
A complex digital system.
"Project Genesis."
Several guests looked confused.
But Alexander's expression changed immediately.
Emily noticed.
"You know that name."
Alexander didn't answer.
Victor continued.
"Project Genesis was not just a business system."
"It was a security network capable of protecting financial records, identities, and global transactions."
Emily stared at the screen.
Her father had never told her about this.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Her voice was barely audible.
Victor answered as if he could hear her.
"Because I was trying to protect you."
The video continued.
"When I discovered Alexander and Marcus were trying to steal Genesis, I hid the access key."
A pause.
"I hid it somewhere only you could find."
Emily's eyes widened.
Only she could find?
Victor looked serious.
"But there was one person who helped them."
The entire room became tense.
Alexander looked away.
Marcus swallowed.
Victor continued.
"Someone inside our family."
A wave of shock spread.
Family?
Emily stepped closer to the screen.
"No..."
Her voice trembled.
Victor continued.
"I trusted the wrong person."
The video showed an old photograph.
A family dinner.
Victor.
Emily.
And another person.
A young man standing beside them.
Emily's expression changed.
Because she recognized him.
Her childhood friend.
Her father's assistant.
The person who had been with Carter Corporation since the beginning.
The person she trusted like family.
"Daniel..."
She whispered.
Not Alexander's son.
A different Daniel.
Daniel Brooks.
Victor's former assistant.
A man who disappeared after the company collapsed.
The journalist immediately searched her database.
"Daniel Brooks..."
She looked shocked.
"He vanished ten years ago."
Emily stared at the photograph.
Her memories returned.
Daniel had been the person who comforted her after her father's death.
The person who told her:
"Emily, your father would want you to move on."
The person who encouraged her to leave the business world.
The person who convinced her to stop investigating.
Her stomach turned.
Because now she realized.
He was not helping her.
He was stopping her.
Victor continued.
"Emily, if Daniel Brooks is still alive..."
The video paused briefly.
"Do not trust him."
The room became colder.
Marcus suddenly laughed.
A nervous laugh.
"Ridiculous."
Everyone looked at him.
He shook his head.
"An old man's final conspiracy."
Emily turned toward him.
"You knew."
Marcus became silent.
"You knew about Genesis."
His face changed.
Just slightly.
But enough.
Emily saw it.
"You were never just trying to help Alexander steal my company."
She stepped forward.
"You were searching for Project Genesis."
Marcus's expression hardened.
"Careful, Emily."
"No."
Her voice became stronger.
"I'm done being careful."
The crowd watched.
The woman everyone thought was powerless was now standing in front of two of the richest men in the city.
And neither of them looked confident anymore.
Then...
A loud alarm suddenly sounded.
Everyone turned.
The security system flashed red.
The screen went black.
The journalist checked her equipment.
"What happened?"
The security director looked at the controls.
"Someone is trying to erase the gallery servers."
Emily immediately looked at Marcus.
But Marcus was not looking at the computers.
He was looking at Lily.
A strange expression appeared on his face.
Not anger.
Recognition.
Emily noticed.
And her heart stopped.
"Why are you looking at my daughter?"
Marcus slowly smiled.
A dangerous smile.
"Because..."
He took one step forward.
"Your daughter is the reason everything started."
The room went silent.
Emily moved instantly.
She stepped between Marcus and Lily.
"Do not come near her."
Marcus looked at Lily.
"The little girl doesn't even know what she carries."
Emily's face changed.
"What are you talking about?"
Marcus laughed softly.
"Victor never told you?"
A pause.
"Your father didn't hide the Genesis key somewhere."
Emily stared.
"Then where?"
Marcus looked directly at Lily.
"He hid it in someone."
The words felt impossible.
Emily's eyes widened.
"No..."
Marcus smiled.
"Yes."
He pointed toward the little girl.
"The key is connected to your daughter."
The entire gallery erupted in confusion.
Emily held Lily tighter.
"You're lying."
Marcus shook his head.
"Ask yourself one question."
"Why did Alexander choose your daughter tonight?"
Silence.
Emily looked at Lily.
Then at the screen.
Then back at Marcus.
Because suddenly...
The necklace accusation.
The public humiliation.
The entire event.
It was not random.
It was planned.
But not to steal a necklace.
Not to destroy Emily's reputation.
It was designed to get close to Lily.
And now Emily understood.
Her daughter was not just a witness.
She was the target.
The lights suddenly went out.
The gallery disappeared into darkness.
People screamed.
Security guards moved quickly.
Then a single sound echoed through the room.
A phone ringing.
Someone answered.
A voice came through the speakers.
A voice Emily recognized.
A voice from her past.
A voice she thought she would never hear again.
"Hello, Emily."
Her blood froze.
Because the voice belonged to the person who was supposed to be dead.
Her father.
May you like
Victor Carter.
TO BE CONTINUED...
