Chapter 10: The Man From Daniel’s Past
Daniel stared at the photograph for almost a full minute.
Nobody spoke.
The man who had walked into our home stood quietly near the door, watching Daniel’s reaction.
I looked between them.
The stranger.
The photograph.
Daniel’s pale face.
“Daniel,” I whispered.
“Who is that?””
He didn’t answer.
His eyes remained fixed on the picture.
Finally, the man spoke.
“My name is Victor Hale.””
Daniel slowly looked up.
“I know who you are.””
Victor nodded.
“That’s why I’m here.””
Patricia immediately stepped forward.
“This is unnecessary.””
Victor turned toward her.
“No. This is exactly what you were afraid of.””
Her expression hardened.
“Leave.””
Daniel looked at his mother.
“You know him.””
Patricia didn’t respond.
That was enough.
“You know him,” Daniel repeated.
She sighed.
“Daniel, don’t listen to him.””
Victor placed another folder on the table.
“Your mother hired me three months ago.””
My stomach tightened.
Daniel looked shocked.
“For what?””
Victor opened the folder.
“To investigate your wife.””
Patricia crossed her arms.
“That was because I was concerned.””
Victor shook his head.
“No.””
The room became silent.
“You were not concerned about Emma.””
Patricia glared at him.
“Watch yourself.””
Victor continued.
“You wanted information about their marriage, their finances, and their property.””
Daniel picked up the papers.
His hands were shaking.
“Why?””
Patricia looked at him.
“Because I was protecting you.””
“No.””
His voice was quiet.
“But why?””
She had no answer.
Victor stepped closer.
“Because Patricia believed Emma was going to take everything from you.””
I looked at Patricia.
“Everything?””
Victor nodded.
“She thought your wife would convince you to sell the house, move away, and stop depending on your mother.””
Daniel closed the folder.
“That’s insane.””
Patricia’s face changed.
“You don’t understand.””
“No.””
Daniel looked at her.
“I finally do.””
That sentence hurt her.
I could see it.
For years, Daniel had been the son who always defended her.
The son who always explained her behavior.
Now he was looking at her like a stranger.
Victor pulled out another document.
“There’s more.””
Daniel looked tired.
“What now?””
Victor hesitated.
“This is the part I didn’t want to believe.””
He placed the document down.
“I found records showing Patricia contacted people from your past.””
Daniel frowned.
“My past?””
Victor nodded.
“People who knew you before your marriage.””
My heart started racing.
“Why?””
Victor looked at Daniel.
“To create a story.””
Daniel stared.
“What story?””
Victor looked at Patricia.
“The story that Emma was never good enough for you.””
Patricia looked away.
I felt anger rise inside me.
All those months.
All those insults.
All those little comments.
They weren’t random.
They were planned.
Daniel turned toward his mother.
“Did you hate her from the beginning?””
Patricia’s eyes filled with tears.
“No.””
She stepped closer.
“I hated losing you.””
Daniel froze.
The honesty shocked all of us.
“You weren’t losing me.””
“Yes, I was.””
Her voice became emotional.
“Before Emma, you called me every day. You needed me.””
Daniel shook his head.
“I was your son.””
“And then she came.””
I looked at her.
“You blamed me for your relationship with your son changing.””
Patricia looked at me.
“You changed everything.””
“No.””
My voice was steady.
“You refused to accept that your son grew up.””
Nobody spoke.
Then Victor’s phone rang.
He checked it.
His expression changed.
“What?””
He listened.
Then looked at Daniel.
“We have a problem.””
Daniel frowned.
“What?””
Victor lowered the phone.
“Someone accessed my office tonight.””
Rachel stood.
“What?””
Victor looked at her.
“The files I kept as evidence are gone.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
Patricia slowly smiled.
And that scared me.
Because she looked relieved.
Not worried.
Daniel noticed too.
“Mom.””
Patricia looked at him.
“You still think you know everything.””
Then she walked toward the door.
Daniel stopped her.
“Where are you going?””
She turned around.
“To prove one thing.””
“What?””
Her smile returned.
“That your wife is not the only one with secrets.””
She left.
And as the door closed behind her, Daniel looked at me.
May you like
For the first time…
I wondered what secret he was afraid I would discover.
