Chapter 5 - I Let Him Think I Was Surrendering
The next morning, Daniel prepared the documents.
He placed them across the dining table.
“Sign here.”
I looked at the pages.
“This transfers everything?”
“Yes.”
“And the house?”
“Mine.”
“The investment accounts?”
“Ours.”
I nodded.
“You've won.”
Daniel smiled.
“I told you.”
I picked up the pen.
Then stopped.
“Before I sign, can I ask you something?”
“What?”
“Did you ever love me?”
He laughed.
The sound broke something inside me.
“No.”
I looked at him.
“Not even once?”
“You were useful.”
The words came easily.
“You were young.”
“You trusted me.”
“You had money.”
He leaned closer.
“And you were easy to control.”
I kept my face blank.
“Why did you hurt me?”
“Because fear works.”
He shrugged.
“People who are afraid don't ask questions.”
“Did you push me down the basement stairs?”
“Yes.”
I swallowed.
“Did you break my wrist?”
“You fell.”
“But did you do it?”
He smiled.
“Yes.”
The recording device captured everything.
I continued.
“Did you ever threaten my mother?”
Daniel's smile disappeared.
“Don't bring her into this.”
“Why?”
“Because she knew too much.”
I looked at him.
“What happened to her?”
He stood.
“Sign the papers.”
“Tell me.”
He grabbed my wrist.
“You don't get to ask questions.”
I stared into his eyes.
“You're scared.”
His hand tightened.
“Of what?”
“That someone knows.”
He slapped me.
The room went silent.
I looked at him.
Then smiled.
“You just made a mistake.”
Daniel froze.
“What?”
“You admitted everything.”
His expression changed.
He grabbed the papers.
“Where is the recorder?”
I didn't answer.
He searched my clothes.
Nothing.
Because the recorder wasn't on me.
It was inside the kitchen clock.
Mara had installed it the night before.
Daniel threw a chair across the room.
“You think you can destroy me?”
I stepped backward.
“No.”
“I know I can.”
He moved toward me.
Then the front door opened.
Detective Ruiz entered.
“Daniel Mercer.”
He froze.
Two officers followed.
“Step away from her.”
Daniel stared at me.
“You set me up.”
I looked at him.
“No.”
I shook my head.
“You set yourself up.”
He tried to run.
The officers stopped him.
For the first time, the perfect man from the charity dinners disappeared.
The man who remained was angry.
Terrified.
And exposed.
As they handcuffed him, Daniel looked at me.
“You'll regret this.”
I stared back.
“No.”
“I regret waiting five years.”
He was taken away.
I thought it was over.
It wasn't.
That afternoon, Mara came to my house.
“We arrested Daniel.”
“I know.”
“But we also found something.”
She placed a folder on the table.
“Daniel's sister is missing.”
My heart dropped.
“Victoria?”
“She left town last night.”
“Why?”
Mara opened the folder.
“She transferred three million dollars into an offshore account.”
I stared.
“Is she involved?”
“We don't know.”
Then Mara showed me a photograph.
Victoria was standing beside Marcus Vale.
The same man who had helped Daniel.
But the date on the photograph was five years earlier.
Three months before my wedding.
I whispered:
“She knew.”
Mara nodded.
“And there's more.”
She showed me another photograph.
Victoria was meeting my mother.
The meeting happened two days before my mother died.
I stared at the image.
“Why was my mother meeting Daniel's sister?”
Mara didn't know.
But the answer arrived that night.
Victoria called me.
Her voice was shaking.
“Claire.”
“Where are you?”
“I don't have much time.”
“What happened?”
“I need to tell you the truth.”
“What truth?”
A pause.
Then:
“Daniel wasn't the one who started this.”
My blood ran cold.
“Who was?”
May you like
Victoria whispered:
“Your father.”
