Chapter 14: The Man Behind Everything
Daniel Vale looked nothing like the monster I had imagined.
That was the hardest part.
Monsters were supposed to look dangerous.
They were supposed to have cruel eyes and obvious signs.
Daniel looked ordinary.
Gray hair.
A tired face.
A polite smile.
That almost made me hate him more.
Because ordinary people could destroy lives too.
The meeting took place in a private room at the courthouse.
Daniel sat across from us.
My mother refused to look at him.
My father looked like he was seeing a ghost.
“You ruined everything,” my father said.
Daniel smiled sadly.
“No.””
Everyone looked at him.
“I exposed what was already broken.””
Sterling stepped forward.
“Still lying after all these years.””
Daniel looked at him.
“You always thought you were smarter than everyone.””
“No.””
Sterling’s voice was calm.
“I just remembered what happened.””
Daniel laughed.
“Memories are interesting.””
He looked at me.
“Especially when people tell them differently.””
I crossed my arms.
“Why?””
He studied me.
“Why what?””
“Why destroy my family?””
His expression changed.
“Because your father had everything.””
“That’s your answer?””
“It was never about money.””
He leaned back.
“It was about being invisible.””
Nobody spoke.
“I worked beside Richard for years. I built that company.””
My father shook his head.
“You betrayed everyone.””
Daniel ignored him.
“Richard was always the hero.””
He looked at me.
“People loved him.””
“And you hated him.””
“Yes.””
The honesty surprised me.
“I did.””
My mother whispered:
“Daniel…”
He looked at her.
“You knew what I wanted.””
Her face crumbled.
“You promised nobody would get hurt.””
“I didn’t expect Richard to play hero.””
My hands tightened.
“Wesley got hurt.””
Daniel looked away.
For the first time, guilt appeared.
“I know.””
Sterling stared at him.
“That was the moment everything changed.””
Daniel sighed.
“I never wanted the boy there.””
“But he was.””
“Yes.””
“And Richard saved him.””
Daniel nodded.
“And after that, I knew I had lost.””
I looked at my mother.
“You still helped him.””
She cried.
“I was scared.””
I shook my head.
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
The room became silent.
“Everyone was scared.””
I looked at Daniel.
“My father was scared.””
I looked at Sterling.
“You were scared.””
I looked at Wesley.
“We were all scared.””
Then I looked at my mother.
“But only some people chose to hurt others.””
Nobody spoke.
Because there was nothing left to say.
Daniel looked at me.
“You sound like your father.””
The sentence surprised me.
“Is that supposed to be an insult?””
“No.””
He smiled faintly.
“It’s the reason I never won.””
After the meeting, Wesley and I stood outside the courthouse.
The sun was setting.
For the first time in days, everything felt quiet.
“Are you okay?””
I looked at him.
“No.””
He nodded.
“Me neither.””
I smiled slightly.
“At least we’re honest.””
He laughed softly.
Then he became serious.
“Corinne.””
“Yes?””
“I don’t want us to be together because our families are connected.””
I looked at him.
“I don’t either.””
“I want it to be because of us.””
The words stayed with me.
Because that was the first choice we had made without anyone else involved.
“I need time.””
He nodded.
“I know.””
“And I need you to understand something.””
“What?””
“I don’t want promises.””
He waited.
“I want actions.””
A small smile appeared.
“That sounds fair.””
Before we left, my phone buzzed.
A message.
From an unknown number.
I opened it.
My heart stopped.
It was a photo.
An old photo.
My father.
My mother.
Daniel.
And someone else.
Someone I recognized.
The message below said:
*Daniel wasn’t the only person involved.*
I looked at Wesley.
“What?””
I showed him.
His face changed.
May you like
Because he recognized the person too.
Sterling.
