Chapter 8: The Woman Behind the Curtain
I found Linda at a coffee shop two miles from our house.
She didn’t look surprised when I sat across from her.
That bothered me.
She looked prepared.
Like she had been waiting.
“I wondered when you would come.””
I placed my phone on the table.
Recording.
Again.
Her eyes immediately went to it.
“You really enjoy that thing now, don’t you?””
“No.””
I looked at her.
“I just learned I need proof when dealing with people who rewrite reality.””
Her smile disappeared.
“You think you’re clever.””
“No.””
I opened the folder in front of me.
“I think you’re careless.””
Her expression hardened.
“You’re talking to your husband’s mother.””
“I’m talking to the person who tried to take control of my company.””
She leaned back.
“So Daniel told you.””
“Yes.””
For the first time, something like fear crossed her face.
Only for a second.
Then it vanished.
“He had no choice.””
I stared at her.
“No choice?””
“You don’t understand.””
“Then explain.””
Linda looked around the coffee shop.
Lowering her voice, she said:
“When Daniel was young, I sacrificed everything for him.””
“That doesn’t give you ownership over his entire life.””
“You don’t know what I gave up.””
“And you don’t know what I built.””
Her eyes narrowed.
“You always thought you were better.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“I just stopped pretending you were right.””
She tapped her fingers against the table.
“You think money makes you untouchable.””
“No.””
I leaned forward.
“But honesty makes you dangerous to people who lie.””
Linda looked at me for a long moment.
Then she smiled.
A small, cold smile.
“You really think you won.””
I didn’t answer.
Because I knew better than to believe a person like her would surrender.
“What do you want?””
She looked surprised.
“Excuse me?””
“You didn’t come this far just because you wanted my dress destroyed.””
Her face changed.
There it was.
The truth.
Finally.
“I wanted Daniel back.””
I almost laughed.
“Back?””
“Yes.””
“He lives with me.””
“That’s the problem.””
I stared at her.
Linda continued.
“You changed him.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“I gave him space to become himself.””
“You took him away from his family.””
“I married him.””
“You made him choose.””
I looked at her.
“No.””
I spoke quietly.
“You did that.””
She looked away.
For a moment, I saw something different.
Not anger.
Pain.
Then it disappeared.
“My son will always choose me.””
I reached for my folder.
“That’s where you’re wrong.””
She smiled.
“Because he already chose me for years.””
The words hit harder than I expected.
Because they were true.
Daniel had chosen silence.
Again and again.
But silence wasn’t loyalty.
It was avoidance.
I stood.
“You have until tomorrow morning to stop every attempt involving my company.””
Linda laughed.
“And if I don’t?””
I looked at her.
“Then the recording from my kitchen goes to every person who was there.””
Her smile faded.
“You wouldn’t.””
“I would.””
“You’d destroy this family.””
I picked up my phone.
“No.””
I looked at her.
“I’m stopping someone from destroying mine.””
I walked away.
But before I reached the door, Linda said something that made me stop.
“Emma.””
I turned.
She was no longer smiling.
“Ask Daniel why Victor Hale never came after me.””
I frowned.
“What?””
She looked directly at me.
“Ask him why the debt disappeared.””
My stomach tightened.
“What are you talking about?””
Linda whispered:
“Because your husband didn’t pay Victor.””
The coffee shop suddenly felt too quiet.
“Then who did?””
Linda looked at me.
May you like
And answered:
“You did.””
