Chapter 6 - My Sister Hid in the House Where Our Father Died—And Finally Admitted the One Thing I Never Expected Her to SayThe house was empty.
The Christmas lights were still on.
Chloe sat in my father's office.
The room looked untouched.
She held one of his old pens.
When I entered, she smiled.
“You came.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“You asked me to.”
She laughed.
“You always were obedient.”
“No.”
I closed the door.
“I was loyal.”
She looked at me.
“What's the difference?”
“Loyalty doesn't survive betrayal forever.”
She stood.
“I never wanted to hurt you.”
I laughed.
“You tried to kill me.”
“I wanted to become you.”
Silence.
She stared at me.
“I thought if I had your scripts, your company, your brothers, our father's approval, I would finally feel like I belonged.”
“You were our sister.”
“You never knew what it was like to be the secret.”
“You weren't a secret.”
“I was.”
She started crying.
“Your mother loved you.”
“Our father chose you too.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“He looked at me and saw his mistake.”
“That isn't true.”
“Yes.”
“You stole the scripts.”
“Because he refused to read mine.”
“He would have.”
“No.”
She wiped her face.
“I asked.”
“You were twelve.”
“I asked again.”
“You were sixteen.”
“He said talent couldn't be manufactured.”
I stared.
She laughed bitterly.
“You know what I heard?”
“That I was never enough.”
I stepped closer.
“Chloe.”
She looked at me.
“I didn't kill Dad.”
I froze.
“What?”
“He was already sick.”
“You knew he was poisoned.”
“Yes.”
“Who did it?”
She hesitated.
“Victor.”
I went still.
“Why?”
“To protect the company.”
The truth came out slowly.
Victor had discovered that my father intended to transfer control to me.
He had forged evidence.
He had manipulated the board.
And when my father threatened to expose him, Victor arranged his death.
Chloe had witnessed it.
She had been sixteen.
She was terrified.
Victor promised to protect her if she stayed silent.
He used that fear for years.
She became his weapon.
“I stole your scripts because he told me you were selfish.”
I looked at her.
“And you believed him.”
“I wanted to.”
“Why?”
“Because loving you meant admitting I hated what you had.”
I closed my eyes.
For years, I had wanted an explanation.
Now I had one.
It didn't excuse anything.
But it explained the monster.
“What about Mom?”
“She knew.”
My breath stopped.
“She knew Dad had another daughter?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't she tell me?”
“Because she wanted to protect you.”
The family had spent decades protecting one another with lies.
And those lies had destroyed us.
Chloe looked at me.
“Are you going to kill me?”
“No.”
She laughed.
“Why?”
“Because I don't need to.”
I showed her the warrant.
“You destroyed yourself.”
She stared.
Then sirens appeared outside.
Police entered.
Chloe didn't run.
She simply sat down.
As they arrested her, she looked at me.
“Did you ever love me?”
I answered honestly.
“Yes.”
She began crying.
“I loved you too.”
“But not enough to stop.”
“No.”
She lowered her head.
“That is the thing I will regret forever.”
The trial lasted nearly a year.
Chloe was convicted of fraud, conspiracy, and attempted murder.
Victor received a lengthy sentence for financial crimes and his involvement in our father's death.
The Hale Meridian empire was dismantled.
The intellectual property returned to me.
And I had a decision to make.
Sell everything.
Or rebuild.
I chose to rebuild.
Not the company my father had left.
A new one.
One where writers owned their stories.
Artists had contracts that protected them.
No family favoritism.
No secret ownership.
No stolen work.
I named it Mercer-Hale Studios.
Leo joined as a partner.
He left acting for a while.
He wanted to learn production.
We began with one film.
A story about forgiveness.
It became a success.
Not a blockbuster.
Something better.
Honest.
Then I met Adrian at the premiere.
He looked proud.
“You did it.”
I smiled.
“We did.”
He shook his head.
“You did.”
I looked at him.
“Why did you save me?”
He hesitated.
“Because your father asked me to.”
My breath caught.
“What?”
He smiled.
“Before he died, he knew Victor was dangerous.”
“He hired you?”
“Yes.”
“To protect me?”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“Six years.”
I laughed.
“You've been watching me too?”
“Protecting.”
“Everyone says that.”
“I know.”
I kissed him.
It was the first time in years I let myself feel safe.
But the story wasn't over.
May you like
Because my father had left another letter.
And this one was addressed to both me and Chloe.
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