Chapter 9 - THE PERSON BEHIND THE PLAN
I couldn’t stop thinking about Daniel.
Every conversation.
Every handshake.
Every time he smiled at me.
It all felt different now.
Because sometimes the people closest to you are the ones who know exactly where to hurt you.
I went home that night.
But I didn’t tell Tove what I knew.
Not yet.
I needed proof.
Real proof.
Something she couldn’t explain away.
When I entered the house, I heard voices.
From the living room.
Tove.
And Daniel.
I stopped behind the hallway wall.
Listening.
“You said he wouldn’t find out.”
Daniel sounded nervous.
“He wasn’t supposed to.”
Tove answered.
“Well, he did.”
My heart started racing.
“You’re losing control.”
A pause.
Then Tove said:
“No.”
Her voice was cold.
“He’s becoming emotional.”
I felt my fists tighten.
“He’s angry.”
“That’s exactly what we need.”
Daniel lowered his voice.
“You’re sure this will work?”
“Yes.”
“What about the recording?”
“What recording?”
“The one from the house.”
My breath stopped.
They knew.
They knew about the camera.
Then Tove laughed.
“Relax.”
“He thinks he found something important.”
“But?”
“But he doesn’t know the whole story.”
I stepped closer.
Trying to hear more.
Then I heard something that made my blood turn cold.
“Mireya will tell them whatever we need her to tell them.”
I couldn’t listen anymore.
I walked into the room.
Both of them froze.
Tove’s face went pale.
“Cullen.”
Daniel stood up.
“You misunderstood.”
I looked at him.
“No.”
My voice was calm.
“I finally understand.”
Tove stepped forward.
“You were spying on me?”
I laughed.
A bitter laugh.
“You’re worried about that?”
I pointed toward Daniel.
“What was he doing here?”
Neither answered.
That silence told me everything.
Then Mireya appeared at the top of the stairs.
“Daddy?”
I immediately turned.
“Sweetheart, go back upstairs.”
But she was looking at Tove.
Her little face was full of fear.
Then she whispered:
“I heard them talking.”
Everyone froze.
Tove looked at her.
“Mireya…”
My daughter grabbed the railing.
“They said…”
Her voice shook.
“They said they were going to make Daddy lose me.”
The room went silent.
And then Daniel did something I never expected.
He smiled.
Not at me.
At Mireya.
And he said:
“Looks like we need to change the plan.”
That was the moment I realized…
My daughter wasn’t just being hurt.
She was being used.
May you like
And whoever was behind this…
Was not finished yet.
