Chapter 17: The Person Nobody Suspected
The stranger stood in the doorway.
Nobody moved.
My father immediately stepped in front of me.
“Who are you?””
The person slowly removed the cap.
My heart stopped.
Because I knew him.
Not well.
But enough.
Enough to understand why nobody suspected him.
It was Daniel Brooks.
My mother’s former assistant.
The man who had worked beside her for years.
The man who helped manage the early days of her label.
The man who had comforted me at my mother’s funeral.
“Daniel?””
His expression was tired.
Not angry.
Not guilty.
Just exhausted.
“Maya.””
I stared at him.
“What are you doing here?””
He looked at the phone in his hand.
“I’m trying to stop Victor.””
I almost laughed.
“By framing Adrian?””
His face changed.
“I didn’t frame him.””
“Your ring was on the security footage.””
He looked down at his hand.
Then sighed.
“I knew you would find that.””
My father stepped forward.
“You accessed Elena’s files.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Daniel looked around the room.
Then at the piano.
“Because I was trying to protect what she left behind.””
I shook my head.
“Everyone says that.””
His eyes met mine.
“Because it’s true.””
“No.””
My voice became cold.
“People use that excuse when they betray you.””
Daniel looked hurt.
“You have every right to hate me.””
“That doesn’t answer my question.””
He nodded.
“I accessed the files.””
The confession was immediate.
No excuses.
No lies.
“I knew Victor was searching for them.””
“Then why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because your mother told me not to.””
I froze.
Again.
Another person using my mother’s name.
“What did she tell you?””
Daniel walked closer.
“She knew Victor would come after anyone connected to the evidence.””
“Why hide it from me?””
“Because she knew you would fight.””
I stared.
“And?””
“She didn’t want you to become a target.””
I looked around.
At the secrets.
The lies.
The damage.
“Too late.””
Daniel looked down.
“I know.””
He handed me Adrian’s phone.
“I found this in the archive room.””
I took it.
The screen was unlocked.
There was one unfinished recording.
From Adrian.
I pressed play.
His voice filled the room.
“Maya, if you’re hearing this, I’m probably being blamed.””
My chest tightened.
“Listen carefully. Victor isn’t the only person involved.””
I looked at Daniel.
The room went silent.
Adrian continued.
“The person helping him is someone who has access to every part of Elena’s legacy.””
A pause.
Then:
“Someone who was there before me.””
Daniel’s face changed.
The recording continued.
“I don’t know their identity yet.””
My hands tightened around the phone.
“But Elena knew.””
The audio ended.
I looked at Daniel.
“You knew Adrian suspected you.””
“Yes.””
“And you still came here?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Daniel took a breath.
“Because Adrian was wrong.””
Everyone stared.
Daniel looked at me.
“The person Victor is working with isn’t me.””
A chill moved through me.
“Then who?””
Daniel looked toward my father.
Then toward Olivia.
Then finally at me.
“The person who betrayed your mother…”
He paused.
“…was someone inside your family.””
My father stepped back.
“What?””
Daniel looked at him.
“Robert, you know that.””
My father’s face went pale.
“No.””
Daniel’s voice softened.
“You found out too late.””
My heart pounded.
“Found out what?””
Daniel looked at me.
“The night your mother died, she wasn’t meeting Victor.””
Silence.
“She was meeting the person she thought she could trust.””
I whispered:
“Who?””
Daniel looked toward the hallway.
Toward the room where my mother kept her secrets.
May you like
Then he said:
“Your mother was meeting Olivia’s mother.””
