Chapter 6: The Deal Hidden In My Father’s Office
I spent the next hour trying to decide what hurt more.
The possibility that Marcus was lying again.
Or the possibility that he wasn’t.
Trust was a strange thing.
Once it broke, even the truth sounded like another manipulation.
I looked at my father.
“Tell me.””
He didn’t answer.
That was the moment I knew.
“Dad.””
His shoulders dropped.
“There’s something you need to understand.””
“No.””
My voice became firm.
“I’m done understanding things after everyone hides them from me.””
Jordan quietly stepped back.
Giving us space.
My father sat down.
“Three months ago, I discovered someone inside the company was moving money.””
“Who?””
“David Collins.””
The name meant something.
David had been my father’s business partner for fifteen years.
The man who attended every family celebration.
The man who called me “his second daughter.””
My stomach turned.
“Another person I trusted.””
My father nodded.
“He wasn’t stealing small amounts. He was trying to create a financial crisis.””
“Why?””
“Because he wanted to buy the company when it dropped in value.””
I looked at the floor.
“So Marcus was part of a bigger plan.””
“Yes.””
“And you knew?””
“I was investigating.””
“You were hiding.””
My father closed his eyes.
“Yes.””
The honesty surprised me.
I sat across from him.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because you were happy.””
I stared at him.
“That’s your excuse?””
“No.””
His voice cracked.
“It’s my failure.””
The room became quiet.
Then Jordan received another notification.
He checked his phone.
“Claire.””
Something in his voice made me stand.
“What?””
He turned the screen toward me.
An email.
The sender was unknown.
The subject line read:
“Your father’s final mistake.””
I opened it.
Inside was a scanned document.
A contract.
My name was on it.
My father’s signature was on it.
And another signature.
Marcus Reid.
I looked at my father.
“What is this?””
His face turned pale.
“I don’t know.””
But he did.
I could see it.
“You’ve seen this before.””
My father stood quickly.
“Claire, listen to me.””
“No.””
I held up the paper.
“Explain.””
He looked terrified.
Not guilty.
Terrified.
“That document was supposed to be destroyed.””
My heart raced.
“What document?””
He looked at Marcus.
Then back at me.
“The agreement that proves someone planned your marriage before Marcus ever met you.””
I felt the air disappear from the room.
Jordan took the paper from my hand.
“There’s a date.””
He looked closer.
His expression changed.
“What?””
I stepped toward him.
“What is it?””
Jordan looked at me.
“The agreement was signed…”
He paused.
“Two weeks before you met Marcus.””
My blood ran cold.
Because two weeks before I met Marcus…
I remembered exactly where I was.
At a family dinner.
A dinner where someone introduced me to a man they said was “perfect.””
And the person who introduced us was standing right beside me.
My father whispered one name.
“David.””
Then my phone rang.
The caller ID appeared.
It wasn’t Marcus.
It wasn’t Jordan.
It wasn’t my father.
It was David Collins.
I answered.
May you like
And the first thing he said was:
“Claire, before you judge me, you need to know your father was never the person you thought he was.””
