Chapter 3 - The Night Everything Changed
The second video began with rain hitting a window.
Michael Carter sat at his desk.
His face looked exhausted.
Older.
Different from the father Emma remembered.
The man in the video looked like someone who had been fighting a war nobody knew about.
Then the door opened.
A younger Daniel walked inside.
Emma stopped breathing.
He looked different.
Shorter hair.
A darker expression.
But it was him.
The man she loved.
The man standing beside her.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Emma whispered.
Daniel closed his eyes.
Because he knew.
The truth was finally coming out.
On the video, Michael looked at Daniel.
“You shouldn’t have come here.”
Daniel answered:
“I couldn’t leave you alone.”
Michael shook his head.
“You don’t understand what you’re involved in.”
“I know exactly what I’m involved in.”
“You’re twenty-four years old, Daniel.”
“I’m old enough to know right from wrong.”
Emma looked at Daniel.
“You were helping my father?”
Daniel didn’t respond.
The video continued.
Michael placed a folder on the desk.
“I found proof.”
Daniel picked it up.
“Proof of what?”
Michael looked toward the door.
Then lowered his voice.
“Someone inside the company has been stealing money.”
Emma frowned.
Company?
Her father owned Carter Industries.
A successful family business.
But why would someone want him gone?
Michael continued.
“And they are willing to destroy anyone who gets in their way.”
Daniel looked worried.
“Who?”
Michael didn’t answer.
Instead, he said:
“If anything happens to me, protect Emma.”
The words broke Emma.
Her father had known something dangerous was coming.
And he had been trying to protect her.
The video shook.
Someone knocked.
Both men froze.
Daniel stood up.
“Who is that?”
Michael whispered:
“Too late.”
The door opened.
A shadow appeared.
Emma leaned closer.
She needed to see.
She needed to know.
But before the person’s face appeared…
The video ended.
FILE TWO COMPLETE.
Emma looked at Daniel.
“Who was that?”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“I don’t know.”
But Emma knew he was lying.
Because he wasn’t looking confused.
He was looking terrified.
Suddenly, the wedding hall doors opened.
A man in a black suit walked inside.
Everyone turned.
Daniel’s face changed.
Because he recognized him.
The stranger looked directly at Emma.
May you like
And said:
“Your father was right. You were never supposed to see that video.”
