Chapter 8: The Real Reason He Chose Me
The photograph shook slightly in my hand.
Not because it was unclear.
Because it was impossible.
I stared at the two people standing together.
My father.
And Derek’s father.
Two men I had always believed existed in completely different worlds.
My father, who built his company from nothing.
Derek’s father, who I had only heard mentioned a few times before his death.
I looked at Rebecca.
“What is this?””
She took a slow breath.
“Something your father discovered before he died.””
Derek had gone completely silent.
That scared me more than his anger.
Because Derek was always talking when he wanted control.
Silence meant he was thinking.
Planning.
Looking for the next move.
“You knew about this?”” I asked him.
His eyes moved to the photograph.
Then back to me.
“I knew your families had business history.””
“Business history?””
I held up the picture.
“You forgot to mention our fathers knew each other?””
“It wasn’t important.””
I almost smiled.
Not because it was funny.
Because I finally understood his definition of important.
Things that helped him mattered.
Things that protected me did not.
Lauren stepped closer.
“What did your father find?””
Rebecca opened the folder.
“Years ago, before either of you met, Chloe’s father and Derek’s father were partners.””
I looked down at the picture again.
“Partners in what?””
“A company.””
Rebecca placed another document on the table.
“An investment firm.””
Ethan leaned closer.
“Wait.””
He looked at Derek.
“Your father was involved in the same company?””
Derek said nothing.
Lauren’s face changed.
She knew something.
“What?””
She looked at me.
“My father mentioned that company.””
Everyone turned toward her.
“When?””
“Before I disappeared.””
The room became quiet.
I felt a cold wave move through me.
“What did he say?””
Lauren looked uncomfortable.
“He said Derek was obsessed with restoring something his family lost.””
I looked at Derek.
“What did your family lose?””
His expression hardened.
“Nothing.””
Nobody believed him.
Not even Brenda.
Rebecca answered.
“Control.””
The word landed heavily.
“Your father’s company collapsed after a financial dispute,” she explained.
I looked at Derek.
“And my father was involved?””
“Yes.””
My mind raced.
I remembered my father.
He never talked about business failures.
Not because he was ashamed.
Because he believed some battles didn’t need an audience.
Rebecca continued.
“Your father believed Derek’s family blamed him for the collapse.””
“And they did,” Lauren said quietly.
Derek looked at her.
“Don’t.””
She ignored him.
“Derek told me his father spent years saying Chloe’s family destroyed theirs.””
My chest tightened.
“So this started before me.””
Rebecca nodded.
“Yes.””
I looked at Derek.
“You didn’t meet me by chance.””
Silence.
That was the answer.
I waited.
Hoping.
Maybe somehow he would deny it.
Maybe he would finally say something that proved there was still a piece of the man I loved inside him.
Instead, he said:
“I didn’t know at first.””
The words hit harder than a confession.
Because it wasn’t denial.
It was an admission.
“When did you know?””
He looked away.
I stepped closer.
“When?””
“After our third date.””
My heart sank.
Third date.
Three dates after he looked into my eyes and told me he felt like he had known me forever.
“You researched me.””
“No.””
“You found out who my father was.””
His silence confirmed it.
“And you stayed.””
“I was already falling for you.””
I stared at him.
“You expect me to believe that?””
“It’s true.””
“Then why hide it?””
No answer.
Because there was no good one.
Lauren spoke softly.
“Because the truth would have changed everything.””
I looked at Derek.
“And he knew that.””
Derek’s jaw tightened.
“Yes.””
The honesty was almost worse.
I turned away.
For a moment, I couldn’t hear anyone.
All I could hear was my own thoughts.
Every memory.
Every conversation.
Every moment that now had a second meaning.
The first time Derek asked about my childhood.
The first time he asked if I trusted people easily.
The first time he asked if I planned to keep working after marriage.
I thought he was curious.
He was collecting information.
Rebecca handed me another document.
“Your father discovered this shortly before his death.””
I looked down.
It was an email.
From Derek.
To someone named Marcus Collins.
His father.
Except the date was after Marcus had supposedly passed away.
My eyes widened.
“He was dead.””
Rebecca nodded.
“Which is why your father found it concerning.””
I read the message.
**I found her. The daughter. She doesn’t know about the agreement.
She doesn’t know about the company history. She trusts me.**
My hands became cold.
The next line was worse.
*Once we are married, everything will finally come back to us.*
I stopped reading.
I didn’t need more.
The room was silent.
Even Brenda looked uncomfortable now.
Because there was no performance strong enough to cover that.
Derek stepped toward me.
“Chloe.””
I looked up.
“Don’t.””
His face tightened.
“I can explain.””
“No.””
“You don’t understand.””
“You’re right.””
I held up the email.
“I don’t understand how someone can look at another person and see a solution instead of a human being.””
His expression changed.
Pain.
Real or fake, I couldn’t tell anymore.
“I did love you.””
I believed he believed that.
And somehow, that made it more tragic.
Because some people are capable of loving someone while still choosing to hurt them.
“I think you loved having me.””
He went still.
“Having my trust.””
I stepped closer.
“Having access to my life.””
“Chloe.””
“Having a reason to take back what your family lost.””
His silence answered.
The front door remained open.
The entire house felt exposed.
Like the secrets inside had finally escaped.
Then Derek did something unexpected.
He apologized.
Not dramatically.
Not loudly.
Quietly.
“I’m sorry.””
Everyone looked at him.
Even Brenda.
Because she had probably never heard him say those words without adding an excuse afterward.
“I’m sorry you found out this way.””
My stomach turned.
Not sorry he did it.
Sorry he got caught.
I looked at him.
“That’s your apology?””
He swallowed.
“I made mistakes.””
I shook my head.
“You really don’t know any other words.””
His face hardened.
The apology disappeared.
Just like that.
The mask slipped.
Again.
Rebecca noticed.
“Chloe, we should leave.””
Derek immediately looked at her.
“She’s not going anywhere.””
I turned.
There it was.
The control.
The belief that he still had authority.
“I am.””
His eyes narrowed.
“You’re my wife.””
“And you’re still married to someone else.””
The sentence silenced him.
Lauren looked down.
Pain crossed her face.
Because those words were hers too.
Rebecca gathered the documents.
Ethan moved toward the door.
I picked up my suitcase.
The same suitcase I packed upstairs when I thought I was simply escaping a cruel husband.
Now it felt different.
It wasn’t an escape.
It was evidence.
Derek watched me.
“Where will you go?””
I looked at him.
The question sounded almost genuine.
Almost human.
“Somewhere you can’t reach me.””
A strange smile appeared on his face.
Not kindness.
Confidence.
“You think distance protects you?””
I paused.
“What does that mean?””
He looked toward the upstairs hallway.
Then back at me.
“You still don’t know everything.””
A chill went through me.
“What else?””
He didn’t answer.
Instead, he walked toward the staircase.
“Derek,” Rebecca warned.
He ignored her.
He reached the top step.
Then stopped.
“You think your father protected you.””
He looked down at me.
“You think you found the truth.””
His smile returned.
But this time it wasn’t charming.
It was terrifying.
“You have no idea what your father actually did.””
Nobody moved.
Because there was something in his voice.
Not a threat.
A revelation.
Derek walked to the locked office door upstairs.
The same room I had never been allowed to enter.
He placed his hand on the handle.
“I spent months trying to get inside that room.””
My heart started pounding.
“What room?””
He looked at me.
“Your father’s private office.””
I stared.
“My father never had an office here.””
Derek smiled.
“Yes, he did.””
The lock clicked.
And the door opened.
Everyone froze.
Because the room behind it wasn’t empty.
It was filled with boxes.
Files.
Photographs.
And one large folder sitting on the desk.
With my name written across the front.
Derek picked it up.
Then he said the words that made my blood run cold.
“Your father wasn’t protecting you from me.””
He opened the folder.
“He was protecting you from what he knew about your own family.””
And inside was a document dated ten years earlier.
Signed by my father.
May you like
And Derek’s father.
Together.
