Chapter 2: Twelve Years of Lies
Chapter 2: Twelve Years of Lies
The second document wasn't financial.
It was a private investigator's report.
Thomas looked directly at Dakota.
"I hired someone three months ago."
"I didn't tell anyone."
Dakota blinked.
"You... investigated your own family?"
Thomas nodded slowly.
"I noticed too many things no longer made sense."
Birthdays Dakota supposedly skipped.
Emails Dakota had "never answered."
Medical bills she had "ignored."
Arguments Thomas believed Dakota had started.
The investigator uncovered everything.
Every deleted email.
Every altered text message.
Every fake voicemail.
Every lie Joan carefully planted over twelve years.
The investigator even recovered security footage from years earlier.
One clip appeared on the ballroom projector.
Dakota was seventeen.
She stood outside the family home holding flowers for her father's birthday.
Joan opened the door.
Spoke to her briefly.
Then shut it in her face.
Minutes later Joan walked inside smiling.
Thomas asked,
"Did Dakota come?"
Joan answered effortlessly.
"No."
"She said she had better things to do."
The ballroom fell silent.
Dakota covered her mouth.
She had waited outside for nearly an hour that day.
Her father had never known.
Thomas's voice cracked.
"I believed every word."
May you like
For the first time...
Dakota saw tears in her father's eyes.
