Chapter 6: The Secret My Father Buried
The sound of the lock clicking behind me was louder than any scream.
I turned toward the door.
Michael stood there calmly, his hand resting on the old brass lock.
“Where is Lily?””
My voice came out low.
Controlled.
But inside, everything was breaking.
Michael didn’t answer immediately.
He walked toward the kitchen table and poured himself another cup of coffee.
That small action terrified me more than anger would have.
A man who could calmly drink coffee after threatening his own niece wasn’t someone who had lost control.
He was someone who believed he was untouchable.
“Michael,” I said again.
“Where is my daughter?””
He looked at me.
“You always did have one weakness.””
I clenched my fists.
“Don’t.””
“Family.””
His smile disappeared.
“You think family means protecting people no matter what they do.””
I stepped forward.
“And you think family means destroying everyone who gets in your way.””
For the first time, his expression changed.
A flash of anger crossed his face.
“You have no idea what I sacrificed.””
I laughed bitterly.
“You sacrificed my wife. You sacrificed your niece. You almost destroyed my life.””
Michael slammed his cup onto the table.
“Your life?””
The glass cracked.
“Your life was handed to you!””
The silence afterward was heavy.
I stared at him.
“Explain.””
Michael walked to the window.
Outside, rain poured over the empty driveway.
“Your father built everything around one lie.””
I said nothing.
Because somehow, deep down, I already knew.
“He didn’t choose you because you were better,” Michael continued.
“He chose you because you were easier to control.””
My stomach tightened.
“My father loved me.””
Michael smiled sadly.
“That’s what he wanted you to believe.””
He opened another drawer and pulled out an old leather notebook.
I recognized it instantly.
My father’s handwriting covered the cover.
“Where did you get that?””
Michael placed it on the table.
“From his office.””
“You stole it?””
“No.””
He looked at me.
“He gave it to me.””
I froze.
“My father was dead when you found this.””
Michael nodded.
“He was.””
The room seemed to tilt.
“What are you saying?””
Michael opened the notebook.
“There are things people don’t tell you when they think you’re the golden child.””
He turned the pages.
My father’s notes.
Numbers.
Names.
Deals.
And then I saw something that made my heart stop.
My mother’s name.
“What is this?””
Michael watched me carefully.
“The reason Emily disappeared.””
I looked up.
“What does my mother have to do with this?””
Michael leaned closer.
“Everything.””
Before I could ask another question, my phone rang.
Emily.
I answered immediately.
“Emily?””
Her voice was shaking.
“Daniel, listen to me carefully.””
I moved away from Michael.
“Where’s Lily?””
“She’s safe.””
I closed my eyes in relief.
“But not for long.””
My heart dropped.
“What happened?””
Emily whispered:
“I found the original contract.””
“What contract?””
“The one your father hid.””
I looked at Michael.
He was watching me.
“He didn’t leave the company to you,” Emily continued.
“He left it to both brothers.””
My eyes narrowed.
“Then why did Michael get nothing?””
Emily went silent.
Then she said:
“Because your father discovered Michael was stealing from him.””
The room went quiet.
I looked at my brother.
His face had gone pale.
“You’re lying,” Michael said.
I didn’t know if he was talking to me or himself.
Emily continued.
“Daniel, Michael has spent years trying to erase that evidence.””
I looked at the notebook.
At the hidden accounts.
At the secrets my family had buried.
Then Michael suddenly moved.
Fast.
He grabbed the phone from my hand.
“Enough.””
“Michael!””
He threw the phone onto the table.
The screen cracked.
Then he looked at me.
“You were never supposed to know.””
I stared at him.
“Where is Lily?””
His jaw tightened.
And for the first time, I saw fear.
Not guilt.
Fear.
“She found something.””
“What?””
May you like
Michael looked toward the basement door.
“She found the last thing your father hid.””
