Chapter 11 - THE TRUTH RACHEL HID

I found Rachel before the police did.

Not because I wanted revenge.

Because I needed answers.

She was staying at an old apartment across town.

When she opened the door and saw me…

She didn’t look angry.

She looked tired.

“You shouldn’t be here.”

I stared at her.

“You knew my father was alive.”

Rachel looked away.

“Yes.”

“How long?”

“Almost a year.”

My jaw tightened.

“A year?”

She nodded.

“He contacted me.”

“Why?”

She looked at me.

“Because of you.”

I laughed.

“That’s impossible.”

“No.”

Her eyes filled with something I had never seen before.

Fear.

“Your father hates that you became someone better than him.”

I didn’t speak.

Rachel continued.

“He watched you.”

My skin crawled.

“What?”

“He knew where you worked. He knew about Sophie. He knew about your marriage.”

I stepped closer.

“And you helped him?”

Rachel closed her eyes.

“I thought I could control him.”

I shook my head.

“You thought you could control a man who destroyed his own family?”

She didn’t answer.

Because she knew I was right.

“Why hurt Sophie?”

Her face changed.

For the first time…

She looked ashamed.

“I didn’t mean for it to go that far.”

My anger exploded.

“You dragged my daughter across the floor!”

“I know!”

Her voice broke.

“I know what I did.”

Silence.

Then she whispered:

“Your father told me you would take Sophie away from me.”

I stared at her.

“He manipulated you.”

“Yes.”

“Then why continue?”

Rachel looked down.

“Because I was scared.”

The answer almost made me angrier.

“You were scared?”

“Yes.”

She wiped her eyes.

“Michael threatened me.”

My anger paused.

“What did he threaten?”

She looked at me.

“He said if I didn’t follow his plan, he would make sure I lost everything.”

I stared at her.

“His plan was to destroy me.”

She nodded.

“And take Sophie.”

My blood ran cold.

“Why Sophie?”

Rachel looked toward the window.

“Because your father believes children belong to bloodlines.”

I felt sick.

“He thinks Sophie belongs to him.”

Rachel nodded.

“He wants to rebuild the Carter family.”

I stepped back.

“This is insane.”

“Yes.”

Her voice was barely a whisper.

“It is.”

Then she looked directly at me.

“Daniel, you need to understand something.”

“What?”

“Michael isn’t trying to win custody.”

I waited.

“He’s trying to erase you.”

I left Rachel’s apartment with one thought.

Find my father.

Before he found Sophie.

But when I arrived home…

The front door was open.

My heart stopped.

“Sophie!”

I ran inside.

The house was silent.

Too silent.

“Sophie!”

Then I saw something on the floor.

Her stuffed rabbit.

Torn.

Next to it was a note.

Three words.

“COME ALONE, SON.”

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