Chapter 8 - THE TRUTH INSIDE THE WALLS
The next hour felt like a nightmare.
Doctors fought to stabilize Noah.
Michael stood outside the glass, unable to move.
For years, people had feared him.
They feared his decisions.
His power.
His ability to destroy anyone who crossed him.
But none of that mattered.
Not here.
Not now.
Inside that room was the only thing he couldn’t replace.
His son.
Emily stood beside him.
Quiet.
Michael finally spoke.
“Start talking.”
She looked at him.
“Mr. Carter…”
“No.”
His voice was exhausted.
“No more secrets.”
Emily lowered her eyes.
“You deserve the truth.”
“Yes.”
She took a breath.
“Before I worked here, I worked for Daniel.”
Michael turned.
“What?”
“I was his assistant.”
The hallway went silent.
Frank looked shocked.
Michael stared.
“You worked for my brother?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did you come here?”
Emily hesitated.
“Because I was trying to find out what happened.”
“To what?”
“To Daniel.”
Michael laughed bitterly.
“You knew he was alive.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“I thought he was dead.”
“Then explain.”
Emily looked toward Noah’s room.
“Daniel disappeared after the company scandal.”
Michael said nothing.
“He left behind evidence.”
“What evidence?”
“A file.”
Michael’s eyes narrowed.
“What file?”
Emily whispered:
“A file proving someone inside Carter Industries framed him.”
The words hit harder than she expected.
Michael remembered that night.
The accusations.
The missing money.
The betrayal.
He had believed Daniel was guilty.
Because the evidence said so.
But what if…
Michael shook his head.
“No.”
Emily looked at him.
“What?”
“Daniel was guilty.”
“Are you sure?”
Michael didn’t answer.
Because for the first time in ten years…
he wasn’t.
Then Frank’s phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed.
“What?”
Michael turned.
“What happened?”
Frank slowly lowered the phone.
“The police searched the mansion.”
“And?”
“They found something.”
“What?”
Frank looked at Michael.
“Your father’s old office.”
Michael froze.
“My father died fifteen years ago.”
“Yes.”
Frank swallowed.
“But someone has been using it.”
A cold feeling moved through Michael.
“Who?”
Frank looked at Daniel.
The answer was clear.
Daniel stepped forward.
“Not me.”
Everyone turned.
Daniel looked serious for the first time.
“The person who framed me.”
Michael stared.
“Who?”
Daniel’s voice became quiet.
“The person who has been controlling everything from the beginning.”
A pause.
May you like
“Your mother.”
Nobody moved.
