Chapter 6 - The Truth About Andrew Rowan
Daniel found his father's second letter hidden inside the back cover of an old book.
It began with an apology.
Not to Daniel.
To Clara.
Andrew admitted he had helped Margaret.
He had been afraid.
But after witnessing what Richard had done to Michael Bell, he changed.
He tried to help Clara escape.
He arranged the false adoption.
He paid Andrew Bell to raise Emma.
He funded Clara's relocation.
But there was one thing he had never confessed.
He had told Vivian to stay away from Emma because he believed someone inside the Rowan family was feeding information to the people hunting Clara.
He had suspected Vivian's secretary.
But he had been wrong.
The leak came from someone else.
Daniel read the name.
Nathan.
He stared at the page.
“Nathan was a child.”
Reed shook his head.
“Nathan was nineteen.”
Daniel looked at Emma.
“Why would he?”
Nathan appeared at the doorway.
“Because I was scared.”
Daniel turned.
Nathan's face had lost its polished confidence.
“I was twenty when my father threatened to kill my younger sister if I didn't cooperate.”
Daniel frowned.
“You had a sister?”
“She died.”
Nathan's voice cracked.
“Your family doesn't remember her.”
Vivian covered her mouth.
“Nathan…”
“She knew too much.”
Emma whispered, “What was her name?”
“Laura.”
Nathan sat.
“Richard used her as leverage. He made me follow Clara. Report where she went. Who she met.”
Daniel stared.
“You gave him information.”
“Yes.”
Nathan looked at Emma.
“I never hurt her.”
“But you watched her.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Richard told me he would stop.”
“And did he?”
Nathan shook his head.
“No.”
He pulled a flash drive from his pocket.
“I kept copies.”
Marianne took it.
Inside were surveillance reports.
Bank transfers.
Audio recordings.
Photographs.
And one recording from thirty years ago.
Andrew's voice.
If they find Clara, she dies.
Margaret's voice answered.
Then we make sure nobody knows where the child is.
Vivian's voice came next.
And what about Daniel?
Margaret laughed.
He's just a boy.
Daniel closed his eyes.
His mother had known.
His father had lied.
His uncle had threatened.
His cousin had obeyed.
And Emma had spent thirty years believing she had been abandoned.
The villain was no longer one person.
It was fear.
A whole family had let fear make decisions for them.
Nathan stood.
“There is one more thing.”
He opened another file.
Clara had left a message.
Not for Emma.
For Daniel.
His father's final message.
If you find her, tell Emma I am sorry.
Daniel swallowed.
“He knew he was dying.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't he tell me?”
“Because he believed your life was safer without the truth.”
Daniel looked at his mother.
“And you agreed.”
Vivian nodded.
“I did.”
Emma rose.
“I need to find her.”
Daniel took her hand.
They flew to Oregon the next morning.
The house was small.
White siding.
Blue door.
A wind chime on the porch.
Emma stood at the gate for nearly a minute.
Then she knocked.
An elderly woman opened the door.
Her hair had gone completely silver.
Her hands were thin.
Her eyes were the same color as Emma's.
Emma stopped breathing.
The woman stared at her.
Then whispered,
“My baby.”
Emma broke.
She crossed the threshold and fell into her mother's arms.
Daniel stood outside.
He had never seen a reunion so painful.
Or so beautiful.
Clara cried into Emma's hair.
“I watched you.”
Emma sobbed.
“I know.”
“I wanted to come.”
“I know.”
“I was afraid.”
“I know.”
Daniel stepped inside only when Emma called his name.
Clara looked at him.
“Daniel.”
He nodded.
“You knew my father.”
“I loved your father.”
The words surprised him.
Clara smiled sadly.
“He spent his whole life believing he failed you.”
Daniel looked away.
“He did.”
Clara touched his arm.
“He was wrong.”
That night, Clara told them the last secret.
Margaret had not been the mastermind.
Richard had not been.
The person financing everything had been Andrew's father.
Daniel's grandfather.
He had built the original company and used it to hide illegal money.
Every generation inherited the secret.
Every generation inherited the fear.
But Clara had kept evidence.
Enough to expose everything.
She opened a drawer.
Inside was an original ledger.
The missing one.
Daniel stared.
“This is what everyone has been looking for.”
May you like
Clara nodded.
“And now it belongs to you.”
