Chapter 6: The Man Behind the Accident
“Put the notebook down.””
Daniel's voice was calm.
That frightened me more than shouting would have.
He stood in the doorway wearing the same charcoal suit from the gala. His expensive watch reflected the weak afternoon light.
But the friendly smile he usually wore was gone.
Marcus stepped between him and his father.
“Daniel, put the gun down.””
Daniel laughed.
“You always were the dramatic one.””
“You've been holding our father prisoner.””
“Prisoner?”” Daniel glanced at Richard.
“I kept him alive.””
Richard tried to move his wheelchair.
“Liar.””
Daniel pointed the gun toward him.
“Stay where you are.””
Marcus took another step forward.
“You stole from the company. You helped Vanessa fake my wife's death. And you tried to take my son.””
Daniel sighed.
“Do you know how exhausting it is being your brother?””
Marcus stared at him.
“What?””
“Everything was always yours. The company. Father's approval.
The perfect wife. The perfect son.””
Daniel gestured toward the room.
“Even now, after all these years, everyone looks at you first.””
Marcus shook his head.
“Is that why you tried to kill Danielle?””
Daniel's expression hardened.
“I didn't plan for her to survive.””
The words hit me like ice.
I felt Richard's hand tighten around mine.
Marcus's voice dropped.
“You just admitted it.””
Daniel glanced toward the hallway.
“Where's Vanessa?””
Marcus didn't answer.
Daniel smiled.
“She's probably already halfway out of the country.””
My stomach turned.
“You planned this together?”” I asked.
Daniel looked at me.
“Danielle, you should have stayed away.””
“You destroyed my life.””
“No. You destroyed your own life when you started asking questions.””
“What questions?””
He gave a small laugh.
“You really don't remember?””
I shook my head.
Daniel stepped closer.
“Six years ago, you found the company's original financial ledger. You discovered that millions of dollars were being transferred into accounts connected to me and Vanessa.””
Marcus looked stunned.
“You knew Danielle had the ledger?””
“Of course. She was going to tell you.””
Daniel pointed toward me.
“She was going to show you everything. And then Father would have removed me from the company.””
Richard spoke through clenched teeth.
“Because you deserved to be removed.””
Daniel turned sharply.
“You were supposed to stay quiet!””
“You should have let me die,” Richard replied.
Daniel's face twisted.
For the first time, his composure disappeared.
“You have no idea what I sacrificed!””
Marcus moved toward him.
“You sacrificed your family.””
Daniel raised the gun.
“Stop!””
The room went still.
I glanced at the bedside table.
Richard's notebook was lying open.
The final page contained a series of account numbers and a handwritten note.
I recognized the handwriting.
It was mine.
Suddenly, a memory flashed through my mind.
I was sitting at Marcus's desk, writing something down.
A man stood behind me.
Not Daniel.
Someone else.
Someone whose face I couldn't quite see.
I remembered a voice.
If anything happens to me, give the ledger to Marcus.
Then the memory disappeared.
“Danielle?”” Marcus whispered.
I looked at him.
“I think I know where the original ledger is.””
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
“Where?””
I didn't answer.
Instead, I looked at the notebook.
“It's not in the company building.””
Daniel laughed.
“Then where?””
I closed my eyes.
A silver jewelry box.
A loose floorboard.
A photograph of Noah.
I remembered hiding something in the nursery.
The nursery in our old mansion.
“It's in Noah's room,” I whispered.
Marcus turned toward me.
“What?””
“I hid it before the accident. I think I left it under the floor.””
Daniel's face changed.
“You're lying.””
“Am I?””
He stepped forward.
“Tell me exactly where.””
Marcus moved to block him.
“You're not going anywhere near my son.””
Daniel suddenly swung the gun toward Marcus.
A loud crack exploded through the room.
Richard shouted.
Marcus stumbled backward.
For one terrible second, I thought he had been shot.
But the bullet struck the wooden doorframe.
A security guard rushed into the room and tackled Daniel from behind.
The gun skidded across the floor.
Another guard seized his arms.
“Don't move!””
Daniel fought violently.
“Get off me!””
Marcus grabbed the gun and pushed it away.
Then he turned toward me.
“Are you hurt?””
I shook my head.
Richard was breathing heavily.
Marcus rushed to his father.
“Dad, we need an ambulance.””
Richard shook his head.
“First, call Eleanor.””
Marcus immediately took out his phone.
“Why?””
Richard looked toward the window.
“Because Vanessa knows about the ledger.””
Marcus stopped.
“What do you mean?””
Richard's voice weakened.
“She called me yesterday. She said if the original evidence wasn't destroyed by tonight, Noah would disappear.””
My blood turned cold.
“Noah is with Grandma!””
Marcus dialed the hotel.
The phone rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Finally, a guard answered.
“Mr. Blackwood?””
“Is my son safe?””
There was a pause.
Marcus's face tightened.
“Answer me!””
The guard spoke quickly.
“Sir, Mrs. Blackwood is safe. But there's a problem.””
“What problem?””
“Someone entered the family suite.””
Marcus's grip tightened around the phone.
“Where is Noah?””
“We're searching the building.””
I heard a faint sound through the speaker.
A child's cry.
Then a woman's voice.
“Stop struggling, sweetheart. Your father sent me.””
Marcus went completely pale.
“Noah!””
The call disconnected.
I grabbed his arm.
“What happened?””
He looked at me.
His voice barely came out.
“Someone has taken our son.””
I felt the room tilt.
“No…”
Marcus turned toward Daniel.
His brother was no longer struggling.
He was smiling.
“You should have married Vanessa when you had the chance,” Daniel said.
Marcus seized his collar.
“Where is my son?””
Daniel leaned closer.
“Ask the woman who raised him.””
Marcus froze.
“What?””
Daniel's smile widened.
“There's something Danielle doesn't remember.””
I stared at him.
“What are you talking about?””
Daniel looked directly into my eyes.
“Your accident wasn't the first time someone tried to take Noah away from you.””
He paused.
“Because the woman you trusted most after giving birth to him…”
His smile disappeared.
“Was the person who handed him over to Vanessa.””
Richard closed his eyes.
And then he whispered a name.
“Eleanor.””
I stepped backward.
Marcus stared at his father.
“No. Grandma would never…”
Richard reached for his son's hand.
“Marcus, there's one more secret about Noah's birth.””
His voice trembled.
May you like
“The child you brought home from the hospital six years ago wasn't the only baby born that night.””
And suddenly, the paternity envelope from the ballroom made terrifying sense.
