Chapter 11 - The Man Behind The Cover-Up
I didn’t tell anyone where I was going.
Not Callan.
Not Victoria.
Not Melissa.
Not even Emma.
Because I didn’t know who I could trust anymore.
The only person I trusted completely was myself.
The meeting place was an old coffee shop outside the city.
Quiet.
Almost empty.
Exactly the kind of place someone would choose if they had secrets.
I sat near the window.
Waiting.
Five minutes passed.
Ten.
Then the door opened.
An older man walked inside.
Gray hair.
Dark coat.
Tired eyes.
The moment I saw him…
I knew.
He had been carrying guilt for years.
He sat across from me.
“Anastasia.”
I stared at him.
“Who are you?”
“My name is Daniel Mercer.”
The name sounded familiar.
Then I remembered.
The attorney.
The man from the photograph.
My hands tightened.
“You knew my father.”
“Yes.”
“You were there the night he died.”
His eyes lowered.
“Yes.”
The anger inside me exploded.
“Then tell me what happened.”
He looked around.
Then whispered,
“Your father was going to expose the Harrington family.”
“I know.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“You don’t.”
“He wasn’t just exposing stolen money.”
“What else?”
Daniel looked at me.
“He discovered they were using fake companies to hide illegal transactions.”
My heart raced.
“And you helped them?”
His face showed pain.
“I was young.”
“That’s what everyone says.”
“I was afraid.”
“So you let my father die?”
His eyes filled with regret.
“No.”
“I tried to save him.”
I stared at him.
“What happened?”
Daniel took a deep breath.
“Your father recorded everything.”
“A recording?”
“Yes.”
“A recording that could destroy the Harringtons.”
“Where is it?”
He looked at me.
“That is why they tried to control your marriage.”
I froze.
“What?”
“They knew your father had a daughter.”
“They knew you inherited something.”
I felt sick.
“My father left something for me?”
Daniel nodded.
“A hidden drive.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then why are they afraid?”
“Because only you can find it.”
I sat back.
My entire life suddenly felt like a puzzle.
My marriage.
The Harrington family.
The attacks.
The lies.
Everything connected to something my father left behind.
Then Daniel reached into his coat.
He placed a small envelope on the table.
“This belonged to your father.”
My hands trembled as I opened it.
Inside was an old photograph.
My father holding me as a child.
And behind the picture was a handwritten message.
“Trust nobody with the Harrington name.”
My heart stopped.
Because my husband’s last name was Harrington.
Daniel looked at me.
“There is one more thing.”
“What?”
“Your father didn’t trust the police.”
“Why?”
“Because someone inside the department was protecting the Harringtons.”
I stared at him.
“How many people were involved?”
Daniel looked away.
“More than you can imagine.”
Suddenly, his expression changed.
He looked toward the window.
“What?”
“We need to leave.”
“Why?”
He stood quickly.
“Because someone followed me.”
I turned around.
A black SUV was parked outside.
The engine was running.
Then the passenger door opened.
A man stepped out.
Daniel’s face became pale.
“It’s him.”
“Who?”
“The man who ordered your father’s death.”
My heart stopped.
The man walked toward the coffee shop.
Daniel grabbed my arm.
“Run.”
But before we could move…
The door opened.
May you like
And the man walked inside.
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