Chapter 8 - THE TRUTH DANIEL NEVER TOLD ME
I didn’t sleep that night.
How could I?
My entire life had become a question mark.
The man I married betrayed me.
The woman I trusted betrayed me.
And now I was learning that my father had been fighting a battle I never knew existed.
Michael found Daniel the next morning.
Not at his office.
Not at his home.
At an empty parking garage.
I watched from inside the car.
I didn’t know why I agreed to come.
Maybe because part of me still wanted answers.
Maybe because I needed to know if the man I loved was ever real.
Daniel stood under the dim lights.
He looked exhausted.
Older.
For the first time, he didn’t look powerful.
He looked broken.
Michael walked toward him.
“Talk.”
Daniel looked at me through the windshield.
“Emma.”
I didn’t move.
“Start talking.”
He lowered his head.
“I never wanted this.”
I laughed.
“You never wanted what?”
He looked at my cast.
And shame crossed his face.
“I never wanted to hurt you.”
“Then why did you?”
Silence.
Because he had no answer.
Finally, he spoke.
“Vanessa approached me two years ago.”
Michael crossed his arms.
“Why?”
“She knew about your father.”
I felt sick.
“She told me James Carter had hidden money.”
Daniel continued.
“She said if I helped her get close to Emma, we could both benefit.”
I stared at him.
“You married me for money.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“At first…”
He stopped.
That was enough.
At first.
The words hurt.
“Keep going.”
Daniel looked away.
“At first, yes.”
My eyes burned.
“But then I loved you.”
I shook my head.
“Don’t.”
“Emma, I mean it.”
“No.”
I stepped out of the car.
“You don’t get to say that after everything.”
He looked at me.
“I was trapped.”
I stared at him.
“Everyone says that after they make a choice.”
Daniel wiped his face.
“She threatened me.”
“With what?”
He looked at Michael.
Michael already knew.
“With my past.”
Daniel explained.
Years earlier, before meeting me, he had made mistakes.
Bad business decisions.
Illegal deals.
Things he thought were buried.
Vanessa found proof.
“She controlled me.”
Michael asked:
“Where is she now?”
Daniel looked terrified.
“I don’t know.”
“Try again.”
“I swear.”
Michael stepped closer.
“You helped her destroy Emma’s life.”
Daniel looked at me.
“I know.”
For a moment, I saw regret.
Real regret.
But regret doesn’t erase damage.
I touched my stomach.
“My child could have been hurt.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
That broke him.
Because even he understood.
There was no apology big enough.
Then his phone rang.
Everyone froze.
Daniel looked at the screen.
His face turned pale.
“Who is it?”
He didn’t answer.
Michael took the phone.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Hello?”
A woman’s voice came through.
Calm.
Cold.
“Michael Russo.”
The entire world seemed to stop.
Because we all recognized that voice.
Vanessa.
“You’re getting too close.”
Michael’s eyes narrowed.
“Where are you?”
She laughed softly.
“You still think this is about money.”
A pause.
“It never was.”
Michael looked at me.
Vanessa continued:
“This is about finishing what James Carter started.”
Then the call ended.
Michael stared at the phone.
And for the first time…
May you like
He looked worried.
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