Chapter 6 - The Billionaire's Family Betrays Him
Gideon called an emergency board meeting.
Every major shareholder attended.
Marcus arrived last.
Celeste sat near the window.
She looked calm.
Too calm.
Gideon stood at the head of the table.
"This meeting concerns ownership."
Marcus smiled.
"We all know who owns the company."
Gideon placed the original trust documents on the table.
"Do we?"
The room became silent.
He explained everything.
Evelyn's hidden daughter.
The trust.
The shares.
The fraud.
The missing records.
The Darlows.
The surveillance.
Marcus listened without interruption.
When Gideon finished, Marcus applauded slowly.
"Beautiful."
Gideon stared.
"What?"
"You finally understand."
"What did you do?"
Marcus leaned forward.
"Everything your family asked me to do."
Celeste whispered.
"Marcus, stop."
"No."
He turned toward Gideon.
"Your father was terrified of Evelyn. She discovered the accounts. She had evidence. She was going to destroy him."
Gideon's voice was cold.
"So you killed her."
"I arranged the accident."
The room erupted.
Celeste covered her mouth.
Gideon's fists tightened.
"And Daniel?"
"We staged his death."
"To protect the scheme."
"To control the shares."
Marcus smiled.
"You were never supposed to find Lumi."
Gideon leaned across the table.
"You left a seven-year-old child to freeze in a park."
Marcus shrugged.
"She was a problem."
Gideon nearly struck him.
Instead, he stepped back.
"You just confessed."
Marcus's smile disappeared.
"To a room full of people who will never testify."
A door slammed open.
Police entered.
Daniel stepped inside with investigators.
Marcus's face collapsed.
"You recorded this."
Gideon held up a device.
"Everything."
The police arrested Marcus.
Celeste remained seated.
Gideon looked at her.
"And you?"
She stared at the table.
"I was afraid."
"That isn't enough."
"I know."
"Why didn't you help them?"
"I did."
"You stole Lumi's money."
"At first, I protected it."
"Then what?"
"I told myself I would put it back."
"You didn't."
"No."
She looked up.
"I became greedy."
Gideon said nothing.
Celeste's eyes filled.
"I watched your father destroy Evelyn because I was too afraid to stop him."
"You're right."
"I thought hiding Lumi would keep her alive."
"You let her starve."
"I know."
Gideon turned away.
Security escorted Celeste out.
That evening, the story broke.
Headlines appeared everywhere.
Billionaire Heiress Found After Six Years.
Vale Family Charity Under Investigation.
Missing Child Linked To Billion-Dollar Trust.
People gathered outside the estate.
Cameras waited at the gates.
Lumi watched from upstairs.
"Why are they here?"
Gideon closed the curtains.
"Because people like stories."
"Am I a story?"
"No."
"What am I?"
He looked at her.
"You're Lumi."
She nodded.
"I like that."
Daniel came into the room.
Lumi turned.
He was nervous.
"Can I tell you something?"
She looked at him.
"Yes."
"My name is Daniel."
She went still.
"Mama's Daniel?"
He nodded.
Her lower lip trembled.
"Are you my daddy?"
Daniel's eyes filled with tears.
"Yes."
She stared at him for several seconds.
Then she ran.
He caught her.
She buried her face in his chest.
For several moments, no one spoke.
Gideon stepped into the hallway.
He gave them privacy.
Then he heard Lumi ask:
"Why didn't you come?"
Daniel cried.
"I tried."
"I waited."
"I know."
"I thought you forgot."
"Never."
Gideon closed his eyes.
That night, Daniel told him something else.
"Evelyn left a final recording."
Gideon turned.
"Where?"
"With me."
They played it in the study.
Evelyn looked directly into the camera.
"Gideon, if you're watching this, then Lumi has found you."
She smiled through tears.
"I knew she would."
Gideon's chest tightened.
"She's going to need you."
Evelyn continued.
"Don't let her grow up believing she was abandoned."
She paused.
"And don't let the Vale name become her prison."
The screen went black.
Lumi stood in the doorway.
"Was that Mama?"
Gideon nodded.
"Yes."
"Can I see her again?"
He swallowed.
"Any time you want."
Lumi came closer.
"Can we keep the video?"
"Of course."
"Can we keep Daddy too?"
Daniel laughed through tears.
"Definitely."
Lumi smiled.
May you like
For the first time, the word family did not frighten her.
It sounded like a promise.
