Chapter 9 - THE CONFESSION
Daniel's blood ran cold.
Elena stared at Vanessa.
Marcus turned sharply.
“Enough.”
Vanessa ignored him.
“For months, everything worked.”
She stepped toward Daniel.
“You believed she abandoned you.”
“She believed you hated her.”
“You came back grieving.”
“I was there.”
Daniel's face twisted with disgust.
“You built our entire relationship on a lie.”
Vanessa shrugged.
“You would have married me.”
“No.”
“I would have.”
Daniel's answer was immediate.
Vanessa's composure cracked.
“You loved me.”
“I loved the person you pretended to be.”
Vanessa slapped the flash drive from his hand.
It landed on the floor.
“You chose a servant over me.”
Daniel looked at Elena.
“No.”
Then he looked back at Vanessa.
“I chose the truth.”
Marcus moved toward the drive.
Daniel deliberately stepped aside.
Marcus picked it up.
“Finally.”
Daniel smiled slightly.
Marcus noticed.
“What?”
“That drive is empty.”
Marcus froze.
Vanessa's eyes widened.
Daniel touched the small transmitter beneath his collar.
“And you just confessed while the police were listening.”
Chaos erupted.
Rachel's voice thundered from outside.
“Police!”
Marcus ran.
The ballroom doors burst open.
Officers flooded the room.
Vanessa screamed.
One of the men behind Elena fled toward the kitchen.
The other surrendered.
Daniel rushed to Elena.
Then she suddenly doubled over.
“Daniel…”
He caught her.
“What?”
Her face tightened.
“Something's wrong.”
Daniel looked down.
Water spread across the floor beneath her chair.
Elena stared at him.
“The baby.”
Daniel's face went white.
“It's too early.”
Another contraction hit.
Elena grabbed his hand.
“Daniel…”
He lifted her into his arms.
Behind them, Vanessa was being restrained.
She stared at Elena with pure hatred.
May you like
Daniel carried Elena toward the door.
And for the first time, Vanessa understood that she had truly lost.
