Chapter 11 - Daniel did not speak during the drive back.Neither did Claire.
Emma slept in the backseat.
Marcus drove.
Evelyn sat beside him.
The tension inside the car was unbearable.
Finally Daniel said:
“Tell me.”
Evelyn stared out the window.
“Your father discovered Adrian was stealing from the family company.”
“And?”
“He confronted him.”
“Then what happened?”
Evelyn's voice trembled.
“Your father was going to report him.”
“Why didn't he?”
“Because Adrian threatened you.”
Daniel's jaw tightened.
“How?”
“He said he would kill you.”
“You should have told the police.”
“I did.”
Marcus looked at her.
“You did?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“They said they couldn't act without evidence.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“So Dad died.”
Evelyn closed her eyes.
“The accident was staged.”
Claire's heart sank.
“Who staged it?”
Evelyn hesitated.
“Adrian.”
Marcus shook his head.
“No.”
“What?”
“I investigated the accident.”
Everyone turned.
“Adrian didn't order it.”
Daniel stared.
“Then who?”
Marcus looked at Evelyn.
“You.”
The car went silent.
Evelyn's face drained of color.
“What?”
Marcus continued.
“You were supposed to meet your husband that night.”
“I did.”
“You knew the route.”
“I didn't touch the car.”
“You gave Adrian the route.”
Evelyn's voice cracked.
“I was trying to save Daniel.”
“You believed threatening Adrian would make him back off.”
“It was supposed to scare him.”
“And your husband died instead.”
Claire stared.
Daniel looked devastated.
“Mom.”
Evelyn began crying.
“I never meant for him to die.”
Daniel turned away.
Emma woke in the backseat.
“Dad?”
Daniel wiped his eyes.
“I'm here.”
Emma reached forward.
“Don't be sad.”
He smiled weakly.
“I'll be okay.”
When they reached the safe house, Marcus handed Claire a cassette tape.
She looked at it.
“What is this?”
“Your voice.”
“My voice?”
“Recorded before the accident.”
Claire stared.
“Why did you keep it?”
“Because your nurse gave it to me.”
“What does it say?”
Marcus hesitated.
“Your final conversation before the crash.”
Daniel inserted the tape into an old player.
Static.
Then Claire's voice.
“If anything happens to me, tell Daniel the truth.”
Claire froze.
Her recorded voice continued.
“His father is hiding something.”
Daniel stared.
“Go on.”
Claire's voice became quieter.
“The trust isn't for Emma.”
Marcus frowned.
“What?”
The recording continued.
“It's for the person who can prove Daniel isn't his father's biological son.”
The tape stopped.
Nobody moved.
Daniel looked at Claire.
“What did you say?”
“I don't know.”
Marcus slowly turned toward Evelyn.
“Is Daniel your husband's son?”
Evelyn covered her mouth.
Daniel's face went pale.
“What is he talking about?”
Evelyn stood.
“Daniel…”
“Am I his son?”
She cried.
“Yes.”
Marcus stared at her.
“Then why did Claire say otherwise?”
Evelyn looked at Claire.
“Because your father had another secret.”
Daniel's hands shook.
“What secret?”
Evelyn opened the old box.
She pulled out a birth certificate.
Daniel read it.
The father's name had been altered.
There was a second document beneath it.
A DNA report.
Daniel looked at the result.
He read it twice.
Then dropped the paper.
“No.”
Claire picked it up.
The report stated that Daniel was not biologically related to the man he had called Father his entire life.
Daniel looked at Evelyn.
“You knew.”
She nodded.
“Who is my father?”
Evelyn couldn't answer.
The safe house door opened.
A man stood outside.
Marcus reached for his weapon.
The man raised his hands.
“Don't shoot.”
Claire recognized him.
He was Daniel's father's former lawyer.
He looked at Daniel.
“I know who your biological father is.”
Daniel stepped forward.
“Who?”
The lawyer's expression was grim.
“Marcus Hale.”
Everyone froze.
Marcus turned white.
“No.”
The lawyer continued.
“Your father wasn't your father.”
May you like
He looked at Daniel.
“Your real father is standing right there.”
