Chapter 7 - The Man I Called My Brother
The next morning…
I did something I never thought I would do.
I investigated my own family.
I hired a private investigator.
I checked Daniel’s financial records.
His phone history.
His business connections.
And within twenty-four hours…
I discovered something impossible.
Daniel had been moving money from my company.
Small amounts.
Carefully hidden.
Amounts that looked meaningless.
But together…
They were millions.
I sat in my office staring at the documents.
My hands were shaking.
Not because of the money.
Because of the betrayal.
Daniel didn’t just betray my business.
He entered my home.
He smiled at my children.
He hugged my family.
While secretly planning to destroy me.
That evening…
Daniel came to my house.
Like nothing happened.
He walked through the front door holding gifts.
“For Lily and Ethan.”
I stared at the boxes.
My voice was cold.
“Take them away.”
Daniel froze.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
He looked at Vanessa.
Then back at me.
“What happened?”
I stepped closer.
“I know everything.”
His face changed.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
Fear.
Then he smiled.
“You’re making a mistake.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“I made a mistake years ago.”
“I trusted you.”
Daniel’s expression hardened.
“You think Vanessa is the villain?”
“She is.”
“But she’s not the only one.”
He leaned closer.
“You don’t know what your wife has been hiding.”
I stared at him.
“What are you talking about?”
Daniel smiled.
“You really believe those children are the only secret?”
My heart stopped.
“What secret?”
He walked toward the door.
“You’ll find out.”
Then he turned around.
“But when you do…”
“You’ll realize your perfect family was never real.”
The door closed.
And for the first time…
May you like
I wondered.
Was there something even worse Vanessa had hidden?
