Chapter 10: The Secret My Father Protected
I had spent three years believing Daniel’s family was the only thing standing between me and peace.
I was wrong.
Because as I stood in my father’s living room, staring at the man who had always been my protector, I realized there was another wall between us.
A secret.
“Dad.””
My voice was barely above a whisper.
“What is Marcus talking about?””
Jonathan Carter didn’t answer immediately.
That scared me more than anything.
My father was never speechless.
Not in business meetings.
Not during arguments.
Not even when my mother died.
But now…
He looked like a man who had been caught hiding something from the one person he promised never to hurt.
Daniel stood silently across the room.
Even he looked confused.
“You knew something?”” Daniel asked.
My father ignored him.
His eyes stayed on me.
“Emma, there are things I wanted to tell you.””
“Then why didn’t you?””
He looked down.
“Because I thought I was protecting you.””
I felt my chest tighten.
That sentence.
Everyone used it.
Daniel.
Eleanor.
Now my father.
Everyone claimed they were protecting me while making choices behind my back.
“People keep saying that,” I said quietly.
My father looked hurt.
“I know.””
“Do you?””
A long silence followed.
“I spent years thinking I had to be kept away from the truth because I was too fragile.””
“That’s not what I think.””
“Then what do you think?””
I looked at him.
“I think everyone decided they knew what was best for me.””
My father closed his eyes.
Because he knew I was right.
Finally, he walked toward the table and opened another folder.
Not the one about Daniel.
A different one.
“This is about your mother.””
My heart stopped.
My mother’s name was something we rarely spoke about.
Not because we forgot her.
Because we missed her too much.
“What does she have to do with this?””
My father sat down.
“Before she died, she discovered something about the Whitmore family.””
Daniel looked shocked.
“Your wife’s mother?””
“Yes.””
My father nodded.
“Your mother found evidence that Eleanor had been manipulating company accounts for years.””
I stared.
“But that was before I met Daniel.””
“Yes.””
“Then why hide it?””
My father looked at the folder.
“Because your mother wanted to expose them.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“But?””
My father hesitated.
“But she died before she could.””
The room became quiet.
I felt the pieces shifting.
My father continued.
“I spent years trying to finish what she started.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“And Marcus knew?””
“Yes.””
“Then why did you let me believe he betrayed us?””
My father looked at Daniel.
“Because you were not ready to hear the truth.””
Daniel looked angry.
“You don’t get to decide that.””
My father’s expression hardened.
“And you don’t get to pretend you were a victim when you helped bury the truth.””
Daniel went silent.
The words hit him.
Because they were true.
My phone buzzed.
Another message.
Marcus.
*Meet me alone. Come before midnight.*
Below it was a location.
An abandoned warehouse outside the city.
My father saw it.
“No.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
“You are not going.””
“Dad—”
“No.””
His voice was firm.
“I lost your mother because she believed she could handle dangerous people alone.””
My expression softened.
“Dad.””
“No.””
He shook his head.
“I cannot lose you too.””
For a moment, I saw not the powerful businessman.
Not the man everyone feared.
Just my father.
A scared father.
But I also knew something.
If Marcus had evidence…
If the truth was hidden somewhere…
I needed to know.
“I’m going.””
My father stared.
“Emma.””
“I spent years letting people decide what I could handle.””
I looked at him.
“Not anymore.””
Daniel suddenly spoke.
“I’ll go with you.””
Everyone turned.
I laughed softly.
“You?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
His face fell.
“Because I need to fix what I did.””
I studied him.
The man who broke my trust.
The man who still might have pieces of the truth.
“I don’t trust you.””
“I know.””
“But you know where Marcus might be.””
Daniel nodded.
My father looked between us.
Finally, he said:
“You have one hour.””
I frowned.
“One hour?””
“After that, my security team follows.””
I knew arguing wouldn’t work.
I nodded.
As Daniel and I walked toward the car, my phone buzzed again.
A final message.
Not from Marcus.
From an unknown number.
*Don’t trust Marcus Vale.*
I stopped.
Daniel noticed.
“What is it?””
I showed him.
His face immediately changed.
Because beneath the message was a photo.
A photo of Marcus.
May you like
Standing beside someone I never expected to see.
My father.
