Chapter 6: My Father's Warning
I read the note three times.
Then a fourth.
Because sometimes the truth is so painful your mind refuses to accept it.
My father had known.
Before I married Daniel.
Before I moved into that house.
Before I spent years defending a man who never defended me.
Richard stood quietly beside me.
"How did my father know?""
He looked toward the dining room.
"Because he met Daniel.""
I froze.
"What?""
Richard sighed.
"Your father came to me before the wedding.""
My heart raced.
"Why didn't anyone tell me?""
"Because your father wanted to talk to you himself.""
I stared at him.
"But he died before he could.""
Richard nodded.
That sentence opened a wound I thought had healed.
My father had always been careful.
He wasn't the kind of man who judged people quickly.
So if he had written that warning...
He must have seen something.
"What did he know?""
Richard looked uncomfortable.
"He knew Daniel was hiding financial problems.""
I closed my eyes.
Of course.
Of course there had been signs.
I just ignored them.
Because I loved him.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
Richard looked down.
"Because Daniel begged me.""
I laughed quietly.
"Everyone protected Daniel.""
Richard didn't argue.
And that hurt.
I returned to the dining room.
Daniel was still standing there.
He looked different.
Smaller.
Like someone who had finally realized he wasn't in control.
"Your father knew," I said.
Daniel froze.
"What?""
I held up the note.
"My father knew.""
His face changed.
"Emily...""
"What did you tell him?""
Nothing.
That was the answer.
"You lied to him too.""
Daniel sat down.
"I didn't want him to hate me.""
I stared.
"Then why did you give him a reason to?""
He rubbed his face.
"I was scared.""
I nodded.
"Everyone keeps saying that.""
I looked around the room.
"You were scared.""
Margaret was scared.
Everyone was scared.
But somehow, I was the one who suffered.
Richard sat across from Daniel.
"You need to tell her the rest.""
Daniel looked at him.
"Dad.""
"The truth.""
A long silence.
Then Daniel whispered:
"I wasn't going to marry you because of money.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"What?""
He looked at me.
"I loved you.""
Past tense.
The way he said it made me feel sick.
"But?""
He looked away.
"But when I realized how stable your life was...""
I waited.
"I thought maybe we could build something.""
I stared.
"You mean you thought I could save you.""
He didn't deny it.
The room blurred for a moment.
I remembered our first date.
The way he held my hand.
The way he told me I was the person who made him want to be better.
Maybe some of it had been real.
That was the worst part.
Real feelings could exist alongside selfish choices.
"I did love you," he said.
I looked at him.
"Maybe.""
My voice was quiet.
"But you loved what I could do for you more.""
He looked like he wanted to argue.
He couldn't.
Margaret suddenly spoke.
"You need to be careful, Emily.""
I turned.
She looked serious.
"There are things you don't know.""
I almost smiled.
"More secrets?""
She hesitated.
That hesitation made my skin crawl.
"What now?""
She looked at Daniel.
Then away.
"Daniel wasn't the only one involved.""
Richard immediately stood.
"Margaret.""
"What?""
She looked angry.
"She deserves to know.""
I felt a chill.
"Know what?""
Nobody answered.
Then Margaret said:
"The money didn't disappear because of Daniel's business.""
My heart sank.
"What does that mean?""
She looked at me.
"It means someone else took it.""
I stared.
"Who?""
Margaret's eyes moved toward Richard.
My breath caught.
Richard looked shocked.
"Don't.""
She smiled sadly.
"You're the one who wanted honesty.""
The room went silent.
I looked at Richard.
"Is that true?""
He didn't answer immediately.
And that scared me more than anything.
Because Richard had been the only person I trusted tonight.
Finally, he spoke.
"Emily...""
I waited.
His voice was heavy.
"There is something I never told you.""
Daniel looked confused.
"What are you doing?""
Richard ignored him.
"When your father investigated Daniel before your wedding...""
I froze.
"My father investigated him?""
Richard nodded.
"He discovered something.""
"What?""
Richard looked at the floor.
"Daniel wasn't the first person in his family to take money from someone.""
My heart started pounding.
"What does that mean?""
Richard reached into the envelope.
He pulled out another photograph.
A photograph I had never seen before.
He placed it on the table.
I picked it up.
And immediately recognized the person standing beside Daniel.
My blood went cold.
Because I knew her.
The woman in the picture was me.
No.
Not me.
May you like
My mother.
And standing beside her was Margaret.
