Chapter 5: The Deal Hidden In The Family
The call ended before anyone could respond.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
The only sound in the room was Noah’s quiet breathing against Alexander’s shoulder.
I watched Alexander’s face change.
The anger was still there, but now something deeper had replaced it.
Fear.
Not fear for himself.
Fear for his son.
“What did he mean?”” Alexander asked.
Nobody answered.
Catherine looked away.
Victoria remained completely still.
That told me everything.
They knew more than they were saying.
Alexander placed Noah into Mrs. Parker’s arms and walked toward his sister.
“Start talking.””
Catherine sighed.
“You’re acting like I wanted to hurt him.””
“You arranged something that put my son in danger.””
“I arranged nothing.””
“Then why did Daniel say what he said?””
Catherine looked at the floor.
For the first time, the confident woman everyone knew seemed smaller.
“I was trying to prevent a disaster.””
Alexander laughed bitterly.
“By letting a baby fall into a pool?””
Her eyes flashed.
“That wasn’t supposed to happen.””
My hands tightened.
There it was again.
The same sentence.
Not supposed to happen.
I stepped forward.
“What was supposed to happen?””
Everyone looked at me.
Catherine’s expression hardened.
“You should stay out of this.””
I almost laughed.
Stay out?
I was the one who jumped into the water.
I was the one everyone accused.
I was the one whose life was nearly destroyed.
“No,” I said quietly.
“I think I’m already part of this.””
Alexander looked at me.
And this time, he didn’t tell me to leave.
Catherine walked toward the window.
“My brother built this company after our parents died. He thinks he knows what’s best for everyone.””
Alexander frowned.
“This is about the company?””
“It’s about the future.””
“What future?””
Catherine turned around.
“The future you were about to give away.””
Nobody spoke.
I didn’t understand.
But Alexander did.
His face changed.
“What did you do?””
Catherine hesitated.
That hesitation was enough.
Alexander stepped closer.
“What did you do?””
“I found out you were changing the ownership structure.””
His eyes narrowed.
“How?””
“Because Daniel showed me.””
The room became silent.
Alexander looked disgusted.
“You stole confidential information.””
“I protected the family.””
“No. You protected yourself.””
Catherine shook her head.
“You don’t understand. If you transferred control the way you planned, everything your father built would disappear.””
I looked at Alexander.
“Is that why Noah was involved?””
Catherine didn’t answer.
Alexander’s voice became colder.
“Answer her.””
Catherine swallowed.
“Daniel told me there was one final document that needed to be signed tomorrow.””
“What document?””
“A transfer agreement.””
Alexander stared at her.
Then I understood.
The baby.
The timing.
The panic.
“What does Noah have to do with a document?”” I asked.
Catherine looked uncomfortable.
Then she said something that made the room go quiet.
“Because Noah is the reason Alexander changed his mind.””
Alexander froze.
“What?””
Catherine continued.
“After Noah was born, you told everyone you wanted him to inherit everything someday.””
My heart sank.
This wasn’t about money alone.
This was about power.
About who controlled the future.
Catherine stepped closer.
“I knew you would sign everything over eventually.””
Alexander shook his head.
“So you tried to scare me?””
“I tried to stop you.””
“You almost killed my son.””
Her eyes narrowed.
“I never wanted that.””
“But you allowed it.””
The truth hung between them.
Nobody defended her.
Not even Victoria.
The security director suddenly cleared his throat.
“Mr. Whitmore.””
Everyone turned.
“There’s something else from the footage.””
Alexander looked at him.
“What?””
The director opened another file.
“This was recorded before Daniel entered the office.””
The screen showed Catherine and Daniel speaking privately.
The audio was unclear at first.
Then their voices became louder.
Daniel said, “If he finds out, we’re finished.””
Catherine replied, “He won’t.””
Daniel looked nervous.
“And the maid?””
Catherine turned.
“The maid will take the blame.””
My entire body went cold.
Alexander looked at me.
Then back at the screen.
The recording continued.
Daniel asked, “What if she survives?””
Catherine answered without hesitation.
“Then we make sure nobody believes her.””
The video stopped.
Alexander didn’t say anything.
He didn’t need to.
Everyone knew.
The accusation against me had never been an accident.
It had been planned.
But then the security director noticed something else.
His face changed.
“Mr. Whitmore…”
“What?””
“There’s a second recording.””
He opened the file.
The screen showed the pool area.
The time stamp was from earlier.
Before the stroller moved.
And standing beside the pool was someone unexpected.
Someone who had never been mentioned.
Alexander stepped closer.
“Who is that?””
I looked at the screen.
And my heart sank.
May you like
Because the person beside the pool was someone who had helped me that night.
Someone who had claimed to be on my side.
