Chapter 9 - Emma couldn't understand what she had just heard.Matthias Moretti.
Her biological father.
It explained nothing.
And everything.
She looked at her mother.
“Is it true?”
Her mother sobbed.
“Yes.”
Emma stepped backward.
“No.”
“You were born before I married Daniel.”
“You told me Daniel was my father.”
“He raised you.”
“That wasn't my question.”
Her mother looked away.
Julian lowered the knife.
“I found the records.”
Emma stared at him.
“You said Matthias was our father.”
“He was.”
“Why did Daniel take care of me?”
“Because Matthias didn't want you.”
Emma's face fell.
“Why?”
Her mother whispered,
“Because you were born a girl.”
Emma's expression hardened.
“He didn't want me because I was a girl?”
Julian looked away.
“He wanted a son.”
Emma stared at him.
“And he wanted you.”
Julian nodded.
“But Daniel loved you.”
Her mother looked at Emma.
“Daniel loved you more than anyone.”
Emma thought about every birthday.
Every Christmas.
Every time she had sat beside an empty chair asking why her father had left.
He had never left.
He had sacrificed himself.
Julian continued.
“Matthias used me.”
“For what?”
“To get Daniel's shares.”
Emma frowned.
“He wanted the company.”
“More than that.”
Julian stepped closer.
“He wanted the Moretti name.”
Vincent interrupted.
“Matthias was never supposed to inherit.”
“No,” Julian said. “Because my grandfather changed the will.”
He handed Emma an old document.
“Your biological father discovered the change.”
Emma read it.
Matthias was disinherited.
Vincent was named successor.
The condition was strange.
Vincent could only inherit if he protected Daniel Carter.
Emma looked at Vincent.
“Why would your father make that condition?”
Vincent stared at the document.
“I didn't know about this.”
Julian smiled.
“Because Daniel saved his life.”
“How?”
“He knew Matthias planned to murder him.”
Vincent looked horrified.
“My father knew?”
“Everyone knew except you.”
A sound came from outside.
Car doors.
Julian turned.
“They found us.”
Vincent looked through the window.
Black SUVs surrounded the house.
Security forces.
But among them was Victoria Langford.
Alive.
Emma stared.
Victoria entered through the front door.
“Well.”
Julian smiled.
“Right on time.”
Emma looked between them.
“You're all working together.”
Victoria shook her head.
“Not exactly.”
She walked closer.
“Julian has his own agenda.”
“What do you want?”
Victoria looked at Emma.
“The truth.”
Emma almost laughed.
“You tried to slap an old woman.”
“I needed Isabella to remember.”
“Remember what?”
Victoria looked at Vincent.
“The night your father died.”
Vincent's expression changed.
“My father is dead.”
Victoria nodded.
“Publicly.”
Emma frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Victoria smiled.
“It means the man buried twenty years ago wasn't him.”
Vincent went pale.
“What?”
“Your father is alive.”
The room went silent.
Victoria turned toward Julian.
“You can give them the evidence.”
Julian shook his head.
“Not yet.”
Victoria raised an eyebrow.
“You promised.”
“I promised to expose Matthias.”
“And?”
Julian looked at Emma.
“I promised my sister would hear everything first.”
Then a gunshot came from outside.
Julian pushed Emma to the floor.
Glass shattered.
Victoria dropped behind the sofa.
Vincent fired toward the window.
Moretti security returned fire.
Julian grabbed Emma's hand.
“Come with me.”
“Where?”
“To your father.”
“Which one?”
Julian stopped.
Then smiled.
“The one you actually loved.”
He opened a hidden passage.
Emma looked back.
Vincent was trapped behind the furniture.
Victoria was gone.
Her mother was screaming.
Julian dragged Emma underground.
They entered a stone tunnel beneath the house.
After several minutes, they reached a steel door.
Julian entered a code.
The door opened.
Inside was a small room.
A hospital bed.
A monitor.
And Daniel Carter.
Alive.
Emma ran to him.
“Dad!”
Daniel opened his eyes.
“Emma…”
She grabbed his hand.
“I know everything.”
Daniel smiled sadly.
“No.”
He looked at Julian.
Then back at Emma.
“You know what they wanted you to know.”
“What do you mean?”
Daniel's expression turned terrified.
“Your biological father is not Matthias.”
Emma froze.
Julian's face changed.
Daniel whispered,
“Matthias isn't your brother's father either.”
Julian stepped backward.
“What?”
Daniel continued,
“There was another man.”
Emma stared.
“Who?”
Daniel looked toward the doorway.
May you like
Then his eyes filled with fear.
“He just arrived.”
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