Chapter 8 - THE MAN BEHIND THE MASK
My father looked older than he had ten minutes earlier.
He sat down.
His hands trembled.
“The man in the hotel was not Evan.”
I felt sick.
“Who was he?”
My father looked at Daniel.
Then at me.
“Someone who worked for me.”
Daniel stepped forward.
“What does that mean?”
My father shook his head.
“I believed Emily was in danger.”
“What kind of danger?”
“The Whitmore family had enemies.”
I laughed bitterly.
“Of course.”
My father continued.
“I placed someone near Emily to protect her.”
“Without telling me?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
My father looked toward the door.
A soldier entered.
He was older than the others.
His face was familiar.
I had seen him at my father's house many times.
His name was Marcus.
My father said:
“Marcus was assigned to protect you.”
I stared at him.
“Was he the man in the hotel?”
Marcus shook his head.
“No.”
My father looked confused.
“Then who?”
Marcus looked at Evan.
Evan smiled.
“Now we get to the truth.”
Marcus said:
“Evan.”
I turned toward my husband.
He didn't deny it.
My father stared at him.
“You followed her?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because your daughter was meeting someone.”
“Who?”
Evan looked at me.
“Daniel.”
Daniel shook his head.
“That night, I never entered the hotel.”
Evan smiled.
“I know.”
“Then what were you doing there?”
Evan's expression changed.
“I was looking for something.”
“What?”
“Evidence.”
My father stood.
“Against whom?”
Evan looked at him.
“Against you.”
The room went silent.
Evan explained that he had discovered the hidden records from the old operation.
He believed my father had stolen money.
He believed his family had been destroyed because of him.
So he began investigating.
He found Daniel.
He found my mother.
He found the inheritance.
And then he found me.
“You married me to get revenge,” I whispered.
“At first.”
“At first?”
Evan looked at me.
“Then I realized you were worth more alive than dead.”
My stomach twisted.
The timer continued.
05:00.
My father looked at the laptop.
“Stop the release.”
Evan smiled.
“Too late.”
The screen began uploading files.
My father reached for the laptop.
Evan suddenly grabbed a weapon from one of the guards.
Everything happened at once.
He fired.
The bullet struck the ceiling.
The soldiers raised their weapons.
Evan grabbed my mother.
“Back away!”
My mother screamed.
My father froze.
Evan pulled her against him.
“Let’s finish this.”
My father lowered his weapon.
Evan looked at me.
“Come here.”
“No.”
“Come here.”
“No.”
He pressed the weapon against my mother.
My mother looked at me.
“Emily, don’t.”
I stared at her.
She was crying.
For the first time, I saw something in her face that wasn't manipulation.
Regret.
Real regret.
Evan whispered:
“Come here.”
I took one step.
Then another.
My father said:
“Emily, stop.”
I continued.
Evan smiled.
“Good girl.”
I was three feet away.
Then I looked at my mother.
She whispered:
“Now.”
I didn't understand.
Then she slammed her head backward into Evan's face.
He stumbled.
My father moved instantly.
The soldiers tackled Evan.
The weapon fell.
The laptop continued uploading.
Evan screamed.
“You think this changes anything?”
My father handcuffed him.
“Yes.”
Evan looked at me.
“No.”
The screen displayed:
UPLOAD COMPLETE.
Everyone froze.
The truth was now public.
The old military operation.
The financial records.
Evan's plan.
The medical abuse.
Everything.
My father sat down.
I looked at him.
“What happens now?”
He looked at me.
“I face what I did.”
My mother began crying.
“And me?”
I looked at her.
“You face what you did too.”
Evan was taken away.
But before he left, he looked at me.
“You still don't know who the father is.”
I ignored him.
Then Daniel came to me.
“I know.”
I stared at him.
“What?”
He reached into his pocket.
He held up a small envelope.
“A DNA test.”
My heart stopped.
“When?”
“Yesterday.”
I stared at the envelope.
Daniel looked at me.
“I needed to know.”
I couldn't open it.
Not yet.
Because for seven months, I had believed the child inside me belonged to someone.
Now I was terrified of the truth.
Then my father placed his hand on my shoulder.
“Whatever the result says, she is your daughter.”
I looked at him.
“She?”
He smiled faintly.
“The ultrasound showed a girl.”
I began crying.
Then Daniel whispered:
“Open it.”
I opened the envelope.
May you like
I read the first line.
And the world stopped.
