Chapter 8: The Father I Didn’t Know
I couldn’t move.
Daniel’s words repeated in my mind.
*Your father was the one who asked me to send them.*
That made no sense.
The same man who removed James’s picture.
The same man who told me to leave.
The same man who tried to claim ownership of my home.
He was the one revealing the truth?
I looked at Daniel.
“Why would he do that?””
Daniel folded his hands.
“Because he realized something.””
“What?””
“That he went too far.””
I almost laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because I couldn’t believe it.
My father realizing he went too far?
That was something I had waited for my entire life.
But now that it happened, I didn’t know what to feel.
Michael looked at Daniel.
“Then why did he challenge the ownership?””
Daniel sighed.
“Because he was trying to force a conversation.””
I stared at him.
“He could have just talked to me.””
“Yes.””
Daniel looked away.
“But Richard Carter has never been good at admitting he’s afraid.””
That word surprised me.
Afraid.
My father?
I thought back to every argument.
Every cold response.
Every moment he acted like nothing could hurt him.
Maybe I had mistaken fear for arrogance.
“What is underneath the villa?”” I asked.
Daniel opened another document.
“A sealed room.””
My eyebrows raised.
“A room?””
“Yes.””
“When was it built?””
“Before Richard owned the property.””
Michael studied the plans.
“Why was it sealed?””
Daniel hesitated.
“That is the part your father never wanted anyone to know.””
I leaned forward.
“Tell me.””
Daniel looked directly at me.
“The room contains records from your family’s history.””
“That’s all?””
“No.””
He paused.
“It contains evidence connected to your grandfather’s company.””
I felt a chill.
“My grandfather?””
“Yes.””
I barely remembered him.
He died when I was young.
Everyone always said he was a brilliant businessman.
But nobody ever talked about the details.
“What kind of evidence?””
Daniel looked at Michael.
Then back at me.
“Evidence that could change who controls the Carter family assets.””
The room suddenly felt smaller.
“So this was never about the house.””
Daniel shook his head.
“No.””
“It was about what the house represents.””
I looked down at the papers.
My father hadn’t been trying to steal my home.
He had been trying to control access to something hidden inside it.
But that still didn’t excuse what he did.
“You should have told me,” I whispered.
Daniel nodded.
“I agree.””
The meeting ended an hour later.
I returned to the villa alone.
For the first time since I came back, I walked through the rooms slowly.
Not as a battlefield.
As a place full of questions.
I stopped near the fireplace.
James and I used to sit there during winter storms.
He always said this house felt like it was waiting for a story.
I never understood what he meant.
Now I did.
The house had secrets.
That evening, my father called.
I stared at the screen.
Part of me wanted to ignore him.
But another part needed answers.
I answered.
“Hello.””
His voice was quieter than usual.
“Emma.””
I said nothing.
“I know you met Daniel.””
“How?””
“Because I asked him to contact you.””
I looked out at the lake.
“Why?””
A long silence.
Then:
“Because you deserved the truth.””
I closed my eyes.
“Did I deserve the truth before you threw me out?””
His breathing changed.
“I made a mistake.””
That sentence shocked me.
My father almost never admitted mistakes.
“You hurt me.””
“I know.””
“You made me feel like I had no place in my own home.””
“I know.””
I waited.
Then he said:
“Emma, there is something else you need to understand.””
“What?””
“The room under the villa isn’t the only secret.””
My grip tightened around the phone.
“What else?””
His voice became serious.
“Your husband knew about it.””
My heart stopped.
“James?””
“Yes.””
I couldn’t speak.
“Before his final deployment, James discovered something about this property.””
The room suddenly felt silent.
“What did he discover?””
My father didn’t answer immediately.
May you like
Then he whispered:
“Something that may explain why he never came home.””
