Chapter 7: The Deal Hidden in the Shadows
The words echoed through the room.
“Your father’s company.””
I looked at Aunt Lily.
Then at Dad.
Then back at the document in his hands.
I felt like I was watching a conversation happening in a language I didn’t understand.
“What does my graduation have to do with Dad’s company?””
Nobody answered immediately.
That scared me.
Because silence was becoming the answer.
Dad slowly placed the document on the table.
“Lily.””
His voice was low.
“Tell me you didn’t do this.””
She smiled.
“You still don’t understand.””
“I asked you a question.””
“And I’m telling you the truth.””
She walked closer.
“You spent years protecting Emma from the world.””
Her eyes moved toward me.
“You made sure she never had to worry about money. Never had to worry about enemies. Never had to worry about what people wanted from her.””
She paused.
“But you forgot one thing.””
Dad stared at her.
“What?””
“You forgot she would eventually inherit everything.””
My stomach tightened.
Lily continued.
“When Emma turned eighteen, the trust changed.””
Dad’s face hardened.
“Stop.””
“No.””
Lily tapped the document.
“Because she deserves to know.””
I looked at Dad.
“What changes when I turn eighteen?””
He looked away.
That hurt more than anything.
Because I realized there were still things he hadn’t told me.
Lily noticed.
“You see?””
She smiled.
“He always does that.””
“Does what?”” I asked.
“Decides what you can handle.””
Dad stepped forward.
“Because I’m her father.””
“And I’m her aunt.””
“You’re someone who came back when you realized there was something to gain.””
The smile disappeared from Lily’s face.
For the first time, I saw anger.
Real anger.
“You think you’re better than me?””
“No.””
Dad shook his head.
“I think I know you.””
The room became quiet.
Lily looked at the document again.
“Fine.””
She turned toward me.
“Emma, your grandfather created a clause.””
I frowned.
“What clause?””
“One that protected your inheritance.””
“That sounds like a good thing.””
“It would have been.””
Her eyes moved toward Dad.
“If your father remained the sole person controlling the company.””
I looked at Dad.
“What does that mean?””
“It means,” Lily said, “that if anything happened to him, the company would be transferred into a protected structure until you were ready.””
I nodded slowly.
“That still sounds normal.””
“It is.””
She smiled.
“Until your father changed it.””
Dad’s face became serious.
“I changed nothing.””
Lily laughed.
“You changed everything.””
She pulled out another paper.
“This is your father’s signature.””
Dad looked at it.
His expression changed.
“I never signed this.””
Everyone froze.
Vanessa looked confused.
“What are you saying?””
Dad took the paper.
“I never signed this agreement.””
Lily smiled.
“That’s interesting.””
She leaned back.
“Because the paperwork says otherwise.””
My heart started beating faster.
“You’re saying someone forged his signature?””
Dad didn’t answer.
Because I already knew.
He didn’t want to say it.
But someone had.
Brianna suddenly spoke.
“Wait.””
Everyone looked at her.
She looked uncomfortable.
“What?””
She swallowed.
“You said this was about the company.””
Lily nodded.
“Yes.””
“Then why did you tell me to destroy Emma’s dress?””
The question changed everything.
I turned toward Brianna.
She immediately looked guilty.
Dad looked at Lily.
“Answer her.””
Lily remained calm.
“Because I needed Emma distracted.””
“Distracted from what?””
Lily smiled.
“The ceremony.””
My stomach dropped.
Again.
The same word.
The announcement.
The thing they had planned.
Dad’s eyes narrowed.
“What were you going to do?””
Lily didn’t answer.
Dad stepped closer.
“What were you going to do?””
She sighed.
“You really want to know?””
“Yes.””
She looked at me.
“I was going to reveal the truth.””
“What truth?””
“That Emma’s father was never supposed to control the company forever.””
I looked at Dad.
“And?””
“And that he hid important information from everyone.””
Vanessa’s face changed.
“You mean…”
“Yes.””
Lily looked at her.
“I was going to make sure everyone knew Thomas wasn’t the perfect father everyone believed he was.””
Dad’s expression turned cold.
“So that was your plan.””
“Part of it.””
“There’s more?””
Lily smiled.
“Of course.””
Nobody spoke.
I felt sick.
Because suddenly I understood.
The dress wasn’t the attack.
It was the distraction.
They wanted me emotional.
They wanted me humiliated.
They wanted me away from the stage.
Away from everyone.
Because while everyone was watching me fall apart…
They would make their move.
“What exactly were you going to announce?”” I asked.
Lily looked at me.
“Your father’s company was supposed to be handed over.””
“To who?””
She didn’t answer.
Dad did.
“To Lily.””
My breath caught.
“You?””
Lily shrugged.
“Temporarily.””
Dad laughed once.
But there was no humor.
“Don’t lie.””
She looked offended.
“I’m not.””
“You wanted full control.””
“And you stopped me.””
The room went silent.
I looked at Dad.
“You knew?””
He nodded.
“I suspected.””
“When?””
“A few months ago.””
My chest tightened.
“A few months ago?””
Dad looked guilty.
“I was trying to handle it.””
“Without telling me?””
“Yes.””
I looked away.
That hurt.
Not because he wanted to protect me.
Because everyone kept making decisions about my life without me.
Lily noticed.
“See?””
She pointed at Dad.
“He never changes.””
Dad looked at her.
“Don’t pretend you care about Emma.””
“Oh, I care.””
Lily looked at me.
“That’s why I’m telling her the truth.””
I almost laughed.
“The truth?””
“Yes.””
“You destroyed my graduation.””
“No.””
She shook her head.
“Brianna did that.””
Brianna looked at her.
“You said you were helping me.””
“I was.””
“No.””
Brianna’s voice cracked.
“You said everyone would finally see Emma wasn’t perfect.””
Lily smiled slightly.
“Everyone would.””
Brianna looked confused.
“Then why did you need the dress?””
Lily looked at her.
And that was when I saw it.
Brianna finally understood.
She had been used.
“You never cared about me.””
The room went silent.
Lily didn’t deny it.
That was the worst part.
“I needed someone who could get close to Emma.””
Brianna’s face changed.
“You used me.””
Lily shrugged.
“You made yourself useful.””
A tear appeared in Brianna’s eyes.
Small.
Almost invisible.
But real.
For the first time, I didn’t see my stepsister.
I saw someone who had finally realized she wasn’t part of the plan.
Dad looked at Brianna.
“Now you understand.””
She looked at him.
“Understand what?””
“That people who encourage you to hurt someone else are not protecting you.””
Brianna looked down.
Nobody spoke.
Then Dad’s phone rang.
He answered immediately.
“Hello?””
His expression changed.
“What?””
He turned away.
“Are you sure?””
My heart started racing.
“What happened?””
Dad ended the call.
He looked at all of us.
“The board meeting.””
Lily smiled.
“What about it?””
Dad stared at her.
“It started ten minutes ago.””
Vanessa looked confused.
“But today is graduation.””
“Yes.””
Dad’s eyes moved toward Lily.
“That’s why she chose today.””
I felt cold.
“What happened at the meeting?””
Dad didn’t answer immediately.
Then he said:
“Someone presented documents claiming I transferred control of the company.””
My voice shook.
“To who?””
Dad looked at Lily.
And the answer was obvious.
But hearing it still felt impossible.
“To her.””
Lily smiled.
The same smile she had when she watched my dress fall apart.
“The difference between you and me, Thomas…”
She picked up her folder.
“Is that you spent years protecting your daughter.””
She walked toward the door.
“While I spent years preparing.””
Dad stepped forward.
“Where are you going?””
She stopped.
Looked back.
And said:
“To collect what should have been mine.””
Then she opened the door.
But before she left, she added one final sentence.
“And Emma…”
I looked at her.
She smiled.
“Your graduation ceremony starts in less than an hour.””
My blood ran cold.
“Why does that matter?””
Her smile widened.
“Because the person announcing the company transfer…”
May you like
She paused.
“Is standing on that same stage.””
