Chapter 9 - The Father She Lost
Emma couldn’t move.
Her entire body felt frozen.
Her father was standing in front of her.
Alive.
After eight years.
The man she had buried in her heart was suddenly standing in the same room.
Older.
Different.
But still him.
“Dad…”
The word barely escaped her lips.
Michael took one step forward.
Emma immediately ran to him.
She didn’t think.
She didn’t question.
She just hugged him.
And for a few seconds…
Nothing else mattered.
Not the secrets.
Not the lies.
Not the wedding.
Not Daniel.
Just her father.
Michael held her tightly.
“I’m sorry.”
Emma cried against his shoulder.
“Why?”
The question came out with pain.
“Why did you leave me?”
Michael closed his eyes.
“Because staying would have killed you.”
She pulled away.
“What does that mean?”
Before he could answer, Daniel stepped forward.
“Michael.”
Her father looked at him.
“Daniel.”
There was no anger between them.
Only exhaustion.
“You kept your promise.”
Daniel nodded.
“I tried.”
Emma looked between them.
“What promise?”
Michael looked at her.
“The promise to protect you.”
Emma shook her head.
“No.”
She backed away.
“I need the truth.”
Michael nodded.
“You deserve it.”
He looked at Sarah.
And the pain in his eyes was obvious.
“You lied to her.”
Sarah started crying.
“I was trying to save her.”
Michael shook his head.
“No.”
His voice became harder.
“You were trying to save yourself.”
Emma looked at her mother.
“Mom?”
Sarah looked broken.
“Emma, please.”
But Michael continued.
“Your mother knew about the company.”
“I knew,” Sarah admitted.
“But I didn’t know everything.”
Michael laughed sadly.
“That’s what you tell yourself.”
Emma felt trapped between two people she loved.
One who disappeared.
One who stayed.
And both had secrets.
Michael took a small envelope from his jacket.
“I kept this for eight years.”
He handed it to Emma.
“My final proof.”
She opened it.
Inside was a document.
A contract.
A signature.
Her eyes widened.
Because the name on the bottom belonged to…
Sarah Carter.
Her mother.
“What is this?”
Michael looked at her.
“The agreement that started everything.”
Emma read the first line.
TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP.
Her hands shook.
“My mother tried to take the company?”
Sarah’s face turned pale.
“No.”
Michael interrupted.
“She was forced.”
Emma looked confused.
“By who?”
Nobody answered.
Then the lights suddenly went out.
The room went dark.
A sound came from the hallway.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Calm.
Someone was approaching.
Daniel immediately pulled Emma behind him.
“Stay back.”
The door opened.
A familiar voice spoke.
“You finally found the truth.”
Emma froze.
Because she knew that voice.
Max.
He stepped into the darkness.
Holding a gun.
But he wasn’t pointing it at Emma.
He was pointing it at Michael.
And he said:
“I’m sorry, old friend.”
Michael looked at him.
“Max…”
Max’s eyes filled with sadness.
May you like
“After tonight, nobody will ever know what really happened.”
He pulled the trigger.
