Chapter 8: The Person Who Wanted the Truth Buried
When I arrived home, the front door was open.
Not broken.
Open.
That frightened me more.
A broken door meant force.
An open door meant someone had access.
Someone who knew.
Daniel stood in the living room.
His face was pale.
The house looked untouched.
No drawers pulled out.
No furniture damaged.
No chaos.
Only one thing was missing.
The letter.
The letter proving Daniel knew Mia wasn’t his daughter.
The letter proving there were still secrets.
“Who knew about it?”” I asked.
Daniel looked at me.
“I don’t know.””
“That’s not true.””
He looked away.
I stepped closer.
“Who knew?””
He swallowed.
“Only you, me, and Sophie.””
I stared.
“Then one of you took it.””
His expression changed.
“Emma.””
“No.””
I pointed at him.
“You don’t get to ask me for trust.””
He looked hurt.
Good.
I wanted him to understand what it felt like.
Sophie arrived twenty minutes later.
She looked terrified.
“I didn’t take it.””
I believed her.
And that scared me.
Because it meant someone else was involved.
My lawyer called.
Then another message arrived.
Unknown number.
*Stop looking. Some truths destroy more than lies.*
I showed Daniel.
His face changed.
Not surprise.
Recognition.
“Who is it?””
He didn’t answer.
“Daniel.””
“It’s my father.””
I froze.
“Robert?””
He nodded.
“Why would your father do this?””
Daniel looked away.
“Because he’s been protecting me my whole life.””
I felt sick.
A family built around secrets.
I drove to Robert’s house again.
This time, I didn’t knock.
He was sitting in the living room.
Waiting.
“You took the letter.””
He didn’t deny it.
“Yes.””
My anger went cold.
“Why?””
“Because it would destroy Daniel.””
I stared.
“No.””
I stepped closer.
“You were afraid it would expose him.””
Robert looked tired.
“Emma, you don’t understand.””
“I understand perfectly.””
“You think Daniel is the only person who made mistakes?””
That stopped me.
“What does that mean?””
Robert looked at the floor.
“Daniel wasn’t the only one hiding something.””
The room went quiet.
“What else?””
He sighed.
“I knew Marcus.””
I frowned.
“You knew Mia’s biological father?””
“Yes.””
“How?””
Robert looked at me.
“Because Marcus was my son.””
The world stopped.
I couldn’t speak.
“What?””
“My wife had a child before Daniel.””
I stared.
“Your son?””
Robert nodded.
“Marcus was my oldest.””
My mind struggled.
“Then why did nobody tell Daniel?””
“Because Marcus disappeared from our lives.””
“That doesn’t explain anything.””
Robert’s face changed.
“Marcus didn’t die by accident.””
I felt cold.
“What?””
“He was investigating something.””
“What?””
Robert looked at me.
“Daniel.””
I stepped back.
“No.””
“I’m telling you the truth.””
“Your son was investigating Daniel?””
“Yes.””
The room became smaller.
“What did he find?””
Robert whispered:
“That Daniel had been manipulating people for years.””
I thought about Rachel.
Sophie.
Me.
A pattern.
Not random.
A system.
Robert continued.
“Marcus found out Daniel was creating fake stories about his relationships.””
My stomach turned.
“He studied women.””
“What?””
“He learned what they wanted to hear.””
I remembered every promise.
Every perfect moment.
Every apology.
“He wasn’t looking for love.””
Robert’s voice cracked.
“He was looking for someone who would never question him.””
I left without another word.
That night, I searched through Daniel’s old laptop.
Not because I wanted to invade his privacy.
Because my privacy had been invaded for years.
I found folders.
Notes.
Documents.
And then I found something called:
*Emma Timeline.*
My hands went numb.
I opened it.
It wasn’t romantic.
It wasn’t memories.
It was research.
My habits.
My fears.
My weaknesses.
Things I liked.
Things I hated.
My reactions.
My personality.
Like I was a project.
Like I was something he studied.
Then I saw the first line.
*Target: Emma Carter.*
I stopped breathing.
Target.
Not wife.
Not partner.
Target.
The next line was dated one month before we met.
*She trusts easily. Family issues make her want stability. Low conflict tolerance.*
I closed the laptop.
I felt sick.
Daniel had not accidentally hurt me.
He had chosen me.
Just like Rachel said.
Because he thought I would be easy to fool.
Then my phone rang.
Rachel.
I answered.
Her voice was urgent.
“Emma, where are you?””
“At home.””
“You need to leave.””
“Why?””
“Because I found something.””
“What?””
A pause.
Then:
“Daniel wasn’t planning to divorce you.””
I frowned.
“Then what was he planning?””
May you like
Rachel whispered:
“He was planning to make you disappear from his life completely.””
