Chapter 6: The Woman Who Knew Everything
Daniel sat across from me in my father’s office.
For the first time in nine years, he looked powerless.
Not confident.
Not controlled.
Afraid.
“Who sent that message?”” I asked.
He didn’t answer.
“Daniel.””
His fingers tightened.
“Richard.””
I stared at him.
“Your business partner?””
He nodded.
“Why would he send me that?””
Daniel looked at the floor.
“Because he wants to destroy me.””
I almost laughed.
“Destroy you?””
I held up my phone.
“You destroyed yourself.””
He looked at me.
“You don’t understand.””
“Then explain.””
Daniel took a deep breath.
“Vanessa and I were never together.””
I stared at him.
After everything?
After the party?
After the necklace?
“You expect me to believe that?””
“I know how it looks.””
“It looks like you replaced your wife.””
His face tightened.
“I needed Vanessa close.””
I froze.
“What?””
Daniel leaned forward.
“Richard was using her.””
I crossed my arms.
“And you weren’t?””
He had no answer.
The silence said enough.
Daniel explained that Richard had been secretly moving money through company accounts.
Vanessa was Richard’s assistant before she became Daniel’s secretary.
She had discovered what he was doing.
But instead of exposing him, Richard threatened her.
So Vanessa made a deal with Daniel.
She would pretend they were having an affair.
She would get close enough to collect evidence.
I listened.
But something bothered me.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
Daniel looked away.
“Because I knew you would be in danger.””
“That’s a lie.””
He looked at me.
“I’m serious.””
“No.””
I stepped closer.
“You didn’t tell me because you didn’t trust me.””
His expression changed.
Because he knew I was right.
“You let me believe I was crazy.””
He lowered his eyes.
“You let your mother humiliate me.””
“I know.””
“You let Vanessa wear my necklace.””
Daniel swallowed.
“That was part of the plan.””
I stared at him.
“What?””
“She wanted Richard to believe we were distracted.””
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
“So you sacrificed me.””
“No.””
“Yes.””
My voice cracked.
“You stood there while everyone watched you hurt me.””
Daniel looked broken.
“I made the worst decision of my life.””
I wanted to hate him.
But the truth was more complicated.
Because the man who betrayed me was also the man who might have been protecting me.
And I hated that.
Then the office door opened.
We both turned.
Vanessa stood there.
But she wasn’t smiling.
She wasn’t confident.
She looked terrified.
“Daniel,” she said.
He stood.
“What happened?””
She looked at me.
Then back at him.
“Richard knows.””
The room went silent.
Daniel’s face changed.
“How?””
Vanessa stepped inside.
“He found the backup files.””
My stomach dropped.
“What backup files?””
Vanessa looked at me.
“The ones proving everything.””
I felt a chill.
“Everything about what?””
Vanessa hesitated.
Then she said the words that changed everything.
“Your father’s death.””
I stopped breathing.
“My father died in an accident.””
Vanessa looked at Daniel.
Then at me.
“No.””
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
“Your father was investigating Richard the night before he died.””
The room felt like it was spinning.
Daniel walked toward me.
“Emily, listen—”
But I stepped back.
Because suddenly the divorce.
The affair.
The company.
The necklace.
Everything felt smaller.
There was something much darker underneath.
Vanessa reached into her bag.
She pulled out a small envelope.
“I found this hidden in Richard’s office.””
She handed it to me.
My name was written on the front.
And underneath it were four words.
May you like
Words that made my hands shake.
“Your father’s final warning.””
