Chapter 12: The Choice That Broke the Family
I didn’t remember leaving the coffee shop.
I only remembered running.
Running through the cold Chicago streets.
Running while every piece of my life collapsed around me.
Andrew Vale wasn’t helping us.
He was never helping us.
He was collecting evidence.
And he had taken my father.
When I returned to Bellavita, the restaurant was chaos.
Police were outside.
Customers were gone.
The elegant dining room looked completely different.
Broken glasses.
Open files.
Fear everywhere.
Daniel rushed toward me.
“Where were you?””
I ignored the question.
“Where is my father?””
His face tightened.
“We don’t know.””
My heart dropped.
“What happened?””
Daniel looked toward the office.
“Andrew waited until everyone was distracted.””
I looked at Victoria.
She was sitting calmly.
Too calmly.
“You knew.””
She looked at me.
“I know many things.””
I stepped closer.
“You knew Andrew was working against us.””
Victoria smiled slightly.
“You finally understand.””
Daniel looked disgusted.
“Mom.””
She ignored him.
“Emily, you keep thinking everyone is your enemy.””
“Because everyone keeps lying to me.””
She looked at me.
“That’s because the truth is complicated.””
“No.””
My voice became louder.
“The truth is simple.””
I pointed at her.
“You destroyed my family.””
For the first time, she looked hurt.
Only for a second.
Then it disappeared.
“You think your father was innocent?””
“Yes.””
She laughed.
“You’re just like him.””
Daniel stepped between us.
“Enough.””
Victoria looked at her son.
“You have no idea what you’re protecting.””
Daniel stared.
“I’m protecting the person you hurt.””
She looked away.
Then Richard walked in.
His face was pale.
“Daniel.””
Everyone turned.
“What?””
Richard held a piece of paper.
“I found this in Andrew’s office.””
Daniel took it.
He read silently.
Then his expression changed.
“What?””
He handed it to me.
I looked down.
It was a contract.
A business agreement.
Between Andrew Vale…
And Victoria Whitmore.
Signed seventeen years ago.
My hands shook.
“He worked with her.””
Daniel nodded.
“Yes.””
Victoria said nothing.
The silence was confirmation.
Then another line caught my attention.
A payment amount.
A date.
The same night my father disappeared.
I looked at Victoria.
“You paid him.””
She didn’t deny it.
“He was supposed to fix a problem.””
My voice cracked.
“By destroying my father?””
She looked at me.
“No.””
A pause.
“By removing an obstacle.””
The words made the room freeze.
Daniel stared at her.
“Mom…”
Victoria looked at him.
“I did what I had to do.””
“No.””
His voice broke.
“You ruined people’s lives.””
She looked at him coldly.
“Because I was building yours.””
Daniel stepped back.
Like he didn’t recognize her.
Then Richard’s phone rang.
He answered.
A few seconds later, his face changed.
“What?””
Everyone looked at him.
He slowly lowered the phone.
“The police found Andrew’s car.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“Where?””
Richard looked at me.
“Near the river.””
My stomach dropped.
“And Andrew?””
Richard shook his head.
“No.””
A terrible silence followed.
Then he said:
“They found Michael Carter’s jacket inside.””
My world stopped.
“No.””
I grabbed the table.
“No.””
My father couldn’t disappear again.
Not after I just found him.
Daniel caught my arm.
“Emily.””
I pulled away.
“No.””
Then my phone buzzed.
A message.
Unknown number.
One photo.
I opened it.
My breath disappeared.
It was my father.
Alive.
Sitting in a dark room.
May you like
And beneath the photo was one sentence.
*YOU WANT YOUR FATHER BACK? BRING THE OWNERSHIP PAPERS.*
