Chapter 16 - The Truth About DanielDaniel looked like he had been struck.
“What did he mean?”
Samuel was dragged away.
Nobody answered.
Outside the bank, snow began to fall.
We sat in Richard's car.
Daniel stared through the windshield.
“Why would Thomas save me?”
Richard looked at him.
“Because you were innocent.”
“That doesn't explain it.”
Victor sat in the back.
“It does.”
He leaned forward.
“Your grandfather planned to use you.”
“For what?”
“As leverage.”
Daniel swallowed.
“Against my father?”
“Yes.”
Victor explained.
Thomas had discovered Samuel's accounts.
He planned to expose them.
Samuel retaliated by threatening Daniel.
“If Thomas went to the police, Daniel would be killed.”
My stomach turned.
“So my father stayed silent.”
“For a time.”
“What changed?”
“Thomas found a way to protect you.”
“How?”
“He transferred everything to Emily.”
I looked at Daniel.
My father had sacrificed his power to protect me.
But why me?
Victor answered:
“Because Samuel could not touch Emily without losing control of the company.”
Daniel looked stunned.
“Then why did Thomas still die?”
“Because Peter found the transfer.”
“And crashed into his car.”
“Yes.”
Richard looked down.
“I arrived too late.”
Daniel stared at him.
“But you saw him.”
“Yes.”
“What did he say?”
Richard's eyes filled with tears.
“He told me to save you.”
Daniel broke down.
“My father…”
Richard continued:
“He told me to take you away.”
“And you did.”
“No.”
Daniel looked at him.
“I handed you to Margaret.”
The silence was brutal.
“Why?”
Richard looked ashamed.
“Because she said Peter would kill you if I didn't.”
Daniel stared.
“You chose fear.”
“Yes.”
I reached for Daniel's hand.
For the first time, I understood that he had also been trapped.
Not an excuse.
But an explanation.
Then my mother called.
Her voice was urgent.
“Emily, come back.”
“Why?”
“I found something in the old house.”
“What?”
“A second letter from your father.”
My heart dropped.
“Where?”
“In the attic.”
We returned that evening.
My mother led us upstairs.
She showed me a wooden box.
Inside was a letter.
The envelope was addressed to me.
I opened it.
My father's words were short.
Emily,
If you are reading this, then they failed to keep you ignorant.
There is one person you must forgive.
I looked at Daniel.
The letter continued.
It is your mother.
I turned toward her.
She was crying.
“Why?”
My mother whispered:
“Because I was the one who changed the accident report.”
My chest tightened.
“You?”
“I had to.”
“You lied.”
“Yes.”
“You let me believe Dad died by accident.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
She broke down.
“Because Peter was watching you.”
She explained.
After the crash, she took me and disappeared.
She altered the report because Peter threatened to find us.
She believed secrecy was the only way to keep me alive.
But there was one final sentence.
Your mother knows where the original proof is hidden.
I looked up.
“Where?”
My mother stared at the floor.
“In the place where Thomas and I first met.”
“Where?”
She whispered:
“The old train station.”
Then we heard a noise downstairs.
The front door slammed.
Daniel grabbed a flashlight.
Someone was inside.
A shadow moved across the hall.
My mother gasped.
Then a man's voice echoed through the house.
“Emily.”
May you like
I froze.
The voice belonged to Peter.
