Chapter 3 - The Secret Daniel Thought Was Buried
The next morning, Nora woke in her childhood bedroom.
Lucy slept beside her.
For the first time in years, Nora felt safe enough to sleep without locking the bedroom door.
She woke to sunlight entering through white curtains.
Lucy was still asleep.
Her cheek was swollen.
Nora stared at her daughter for several minutes.
Then she quietly cried.
Not because she was weak.
Because she finally allowed herself to feel everything she had been too afraid to feel.
At eight thirty, Charles knocked.
“Come in.”
He entered carrying coffee.
“I brought you breakfast.”
Nora smiled faintly.
“Thank you.”
Charles sat at the edge of the bed.
“How is she?”
“Her tooth is damaged. Her lip needs stitches. The doctor says she'll recover.”
Charles nodded.
“Good.”
Nora looked at him.
“You said you knew.”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
Charles sighed.
“Two years.”
Nora stared.
“Two years?”
“I knew about the financial accounts first.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because every time I asked if you were happy, you said yes.”
Nora lowered her eyes.
“I didn't want to disappoint you.”
Charles looked devastated.
“That was never your job.”
She wiped her eyes.
“What happened to Daniel's company?”
Charles hesitated.
“He'll survive.”
“That isn't what I asked.”
“He won't control it anymore.”
Nora looked at him.
“Dad.”
Charles sighed.
“Daniel has been moving company money into accounts controlled by Celeste's family.”
Nora froze.
“How much?”
“Approximately twelve million dollars.”
Her stomach turned.
“What?”
“There's more.”
Charles opened a folder.
Nora read the documents.
Property transfers.
Offshore accounts.
Private contracts.
Payments to lawyers.
Then she saw something that made her hands tremble.
A life insurance policy.
Her name was listed as the beneficiary.
The policy had been increased six months earlier.
“Why?”
Charles's face became grim.
“That's what we're investigating.”
Nora stared at him.
“Dad, are you saying Daniel wanted me dead?”
“We don't know.”
“Then why was this changed?”
“Because someone changed it.”
A knock interrupted them.
A lawyer entered.
“Mr. Whitmore.”
Charles nodded.
“Any updates?”
“Yes.”
The lawyer placed another file on the table.
“We found evidence Daniel was planning to file for divorce next month.”
Nora stared.
“Without telling me?”
“He intended to accuse you of financial misconduct.”
Charles's expression hardened.
Nora laughed bitterly.
“He stole twelve million dollars and planned to accuse me?”
“That's not all,” the lawyer said.
He opened another document.
“Celeste was involved.”
Nora's heart sank.
“How?”
“She helped him prepare false evidence.”
Silence.
Nora looked toward Lucy.
“She wanted my life.”
Charles nodded.
“She wanted your husband.”
Nora shook her head.
“No.”
Her voice became strangely calm.
“She wanted everything.”
That afternoon, Daniel called.
Nora almost didn't answer.
But she did.
“What do you want?”
His voice was cold.
“Come home.”
“No.”
“You can't stay with your father forever.”
“I don't plan to.”
“You're my wife.”
Nora laughed quietly.
“Not for much longer.”
Daniel's breathing changed.
“Your father is manipulating you.”
“No.”
She looked at Lucy.
“You did that yourself.”
“You're making a mistake.”
“No, Daniel.”
She closed her eyes.
“For six years, I made excuses for you.”
A pause.
“I'm done.”
Daniel's voice became threatening.
“You'll regret this.”
Nora hung up.
Then she blocked his number.
For the first time, she felt free.
But freedom came with a price.
That evening, Charles received another call.
His security chief sounded worried.
“Sir, we've discovered something.”
“What?”
“Someone has been monitoring the house.”
Charles's expression changed.
“How long?”
“Approximately three months.”
Nora heard him.
“Dad?”
Charles looked at her.
“They've been watching us.”
“Who?”
“We don't know yet.”
Then the security chief added:
“But we found a hidden camera.”
Nora felt cold.
“Where?”
“In Lucy's room.”
Charles stood.
The room became silent.
He looked toward his granddaughter.
Someone hadn't just wanted to hurt Nora.
Someone had been watching Lucy.
May you like
And suddenly the birthday party looked less like an accident...
And more like a warning.
