Chapter 11: The Secret My Father Took to His Grave
I picked up the photograph with shaking hands.
My father.
Alive.
Standing outside my company.
Talking to a man I didn’t recognize.
The date was printed in the corner.
Two years ago.
But my father had been dead for three years.
The room disappeared.
“No.””
The word came out quietly.
Everyone looked at me.
“That’s impossible.””
Richard watched carefully.
“It isn’t.””
I looked at him.
“My father died.””
Richard nodded.
“That is what you were told.””
My fingers tightened around the photo.
“Who told me?””
Nobody answered.
And suddenly I knew.
Victoria.
The woman who had always appeared at the right time.
The woman who knew everything about Daniel.
The woman who controlled every detail of the Mercer family.
I looked at Arthur.
“Did you know?””
Arthur looked away.
My heart sank.
Another secret.
Another person who knew.
“You knew.””
Arthur’s voice was quiet.
“I knew there were questions about your father’s death.””
Questions.
That word made me angry.
“My father died alone in a hospital room.””
Arthur nodded.
“I know.””
“No.””
I stepped closer.
“You know what the report said.””
His eyes met mine.
“You don’t know what happened.””
The room went silent.
Claire whispered:
“Emma…”
I ignored everyone.
“What happened?””
Arthur hesitated.
Then he spoke.
“Your father discovered something.””
“What?””
“An investment network.””
Richard smiled slightly.
“He discovered me.””
I turned toward him.
Richard continued.
“Your father was smarter than most people.””
The way he said it sounded almost like respect.
“He found evidence connecting several companies together.””
My mind raced.
“My father knew about this?””
“Yes.””
Richard looked at the photograph.
“He wanted to expose it.””
“And you stopped him.””
Richard didn’t answer.
He didn’t need to.
The silence was enough.
I felt anger replacing shock.
“You killed him.””
Richard’s expression remained calm.
“Careful.””
The agent immediately stepped forward.
“You are not leaving.””
Richard looked amused.
“I didn’t say I was.””
He looked at me.
“Your father’s death was unfortunate.””
Unfortunate.
Like a delayed business meeting.
Like a broken contract.
Not a human life.
“What does this have to do with me?””
Richard opened another file.
Inside was a letter.
My father’s handwriting.
I recognized it instantly.
My hands started shaking.
“No…”
Richard handed it to me.
“He wrote this before he disappeared.””
Disappeared.
Not died.
Disappeared.
I unfolded the paper.
The first sentence made my heart stop.
*Emma, if you are reading this, it means I failed to protect you.*
I covered my mouth.
My father knew.
He knew something would happen.
The letter continued.
*Never trust anyone who tells you they are protecting you. The people closest to power are usually the ones hiding the truth.*
My eyes moved lower.
Then I saw a name.
Daniel Mercer.
But beneath it was another name.
A name that made me freeze.
Victoria Mercer.
My future mother-in-law.
The woman who sat in the front row at my wedding.
The woman who defended Daniel.
The woman who claimed I was destroying her family.
My father had written one final warning.
*Victoria knows why I was targeted.*
The room became silent.
I looked up.
“She knew.””
Arthur closed his eyes.
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Arthur didn’t answer.
Richard did.
“Because Victoria wasn’t just Daniel’s mother.””
I looked at him.
“What was she?””
Richard smiled.
“The person who introduced Daniel to me.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
All this time, I thought Daniel was the monster.
But Daniel was only a piece.
Victoria was the connection.
The mastermind.
Then my phone vibrated.
A message appeared.
Unknown number.
One sentence.
*Stop looking for answers, Emma. The next secret will destroy the only person you still trust.*
I looked at Claire.
Then Arthur.
Then Richard.
May you like
And I realized something terrifying.
I didn’t know who was left to trust.
