Chapter 2: The Girl Daniel Lost
Fourteen years earlier, Daniel Cross had everything.
Money.
Power.
A company recognized around the world.
But there was one thing he couldn’t buy.
Time.
He remembered the last conversation with his daughter, Lily.
They had argued in his office.
“You care more about your company than your family,” Lily had said.
Daniel had been exhausted, buried under business problems and legal battles.
“That isn’t fair.””
“No?”” Lily replied, tears in her eyes.
“When was the last time you asked how I was?””
Daniel opened his mouth.
But no answer came.
That night, Lily left.
And she disappeared.
Police searched.
Private investigators searched.
Daniel used every resource he had.
Nothing.
No messages.
No clues.
No goodbye.
Only an empty room and a photograph of a young woman who never came home.
For years, Daniel blamed himself.
Then, standing inside Westbridge Academy’s pool room, he saw her again.
Not in person.
In a picture.
A picture carried by a frightened scholarship student.
“Noah,” Daniel said carefully, kneeling beside him.
“Your mother’s name is Lily?””
The boy nodded.
“Yes.””
Daniel’s heart pounded.
“Where is she now?””
Noah looked down.
“She’s sick.””
The room went silent.
Daniel stared.
“Sick?””
Noah nodded.
“She told me not to worry. She said we would be okay.””
The words hit Daniel harder than any accusation.
Because they sounded exactly like Lily.
Always protecting others.
Always pretending she was stronger than she was.
The school principal stepped forward.
“Mr. Cross, perhaps we should handle this privately.””
Daniel didn’t move.
“No.””
His eyes stayed on Noah.
“This happened here. In front of everyone.””
The principal looked uncomfortable.
“But the ceremony guests are arriving.””
Daniel finally turned.
“The ceremony can wait.””
His voice carried through the entire room.
“The truth cannot.””
Ethan’s father, who had arrived moments earlier with other wealthy donors, rushed forward.
“Daniel, I’m sure there’s been some misunderstanding.””
Daniel looked at him.
“Your son pushed a child into a pool.””
“He says it was a prank.””
Daniel looked at Noah’s soaked clothes.
“A prank is funny when everyone walks away laughing.””
He pointed toward Noah.
“This child could have drowned.””
Nobody answered.
Ethan looked terrified now.
“Sir, I didn’t know he couldn’t swim.””
Daniel’s expression hardened.
“That doesn’t make it better.””
The lifeguard helped Noah stand.
Daniel noticed the boy was still holding something.
The old photograph.
Noah carefully wiped water from it.
“Sorry,” he whispered.
“I tried to keep it safe.””
Daniel looked at him.
“You don’t need to apologize.””
Noah hesitated.
“My mom said this picture was important.””
Daniel’s throat tightened.
“What else did your mother tell you?””
Noah looked uncertain.
“She said my grandfather was a good man.””
Daniel froze.
Grandfather.
The word echoed.
“You know who your grandfather is?””
Noah shook his head.
“No. She never told me.””
Daniel looked around the room.
Too many people.
Too many questions.
He turned to his assistant.
“Cancel my schedule.””
The assistant blinked.
“Sir?””
“All of it.””
“But you have the donor meeting—”
“I said cancel it.””
Nobody argued.
Because Daniel Cross had built an empire by making decisions quickly.
And right now, every instinct told him the boy in front of him was connected to the biggest unanswered question of his life.
An hour later, Noah sat inside Daniel’s private office at the academy.
A doctor checked him.
A staff member brought him dry clothes.
But Noah looked uncomfortable surrounded by luxury.
Daniel noticed.
“You’re not used to this.””
Noah shook his head.
“No.””
Daniel sat across from him.
“Tell me about your mother.””
Noah looked at the floor.
“She’s kind.””
A small smile appeared.
“She makes the best pancakes.””
Daniel almost smiled too.
Almost.
“What else?””
“She works a lot.””
“Where?””
Noah hesitated.
“She doesn’t tell me everything.””
Daniel noticed the hesitation.
“Why?””
Noah looked at the photograph.
“Because she says some people are dangerous when they know the truth.””
The room became still.
Daniel leaned forward.
“What truth?””
Noah opened his mouth.
But before he could answer, Daniel’s assistant suddenly rushed inside.
Her face was pale.
“Mr. Cross…”
Daniel stood.
“What happened?””
She held a folder in her hands.
“We searched the academy records.””
Daniel looked at the folder.
“And?””
The assistant swallowed.
“The scholarship application for Noah Miller…”
She slowly placed it on the desk.
“It was signed by someone using a false name.””
Daniel opened the folder.
Inside was one signature.
One name.
And beneath it was a note that made his blood run cold.
May you like
Because whoever enrolled Noah at Westbridge Academy had written:
*“Keep him away from Daniel Cross.””*
