Chapter 8: The Betrayal Inside The Room
Adrian slowly lowered the phone.
Nobody moved.
Daniel was the first to speak.
“Who was that?””
Adrian looked at him.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he slipped the phone into his pocket.
“Wrong number.””
Daniel stared at him.
Clara immediately understood.
She said nothing.
Adrian looked around the hidden room differently now.
The letters.
The documents.
The photographs.
Everything had appeared to point toward Victoria and Richard.
Maybe it did.
But Elena had been alive long enough to call him.
And her first warning had not been about either of them.
It had been about Daniel.
Adrian looked toward Mia.
“Clara, take the children upstairs.””
Daniel frowned.
“Why?””
Adrian turned toward him.
“I need to speak with you privately.””
Clara lifted Lily.
Mia hesitated.
“Daddy, are you coming?””
Adrian knelt.
“Yes.””
“Promise?””
He swallowed.
“I promise.””
She wrapped her small arms around his neck.
The hug lasted only seconds.
But Adrian closed his eyes.
Five years stolen.
He wouldn’t lose another day.
Clara led the children upstairs.
When the door closed, Adrian faced Daniel.
“Tell me about the voting authority.””
Daniel relaxed slightly.
“It gave temporary control to a holding company.””
“Which company?””
“Vale Holdings.””
Richard.
Exactly where Daniel wanted Adrian looking.
“And who prepared the document?””
Daniel paused.
“Your legal team.””
“Which lawyer?””
Another pause.
Adrian stepped closer.
“Which lawyer, Daniel?””
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“I supervised the filing.””
There it was.
Adrian nodded slowly.
“So you knew.””
“I knew the legal structure.””
“You watched me sign away control.””
“I was following your father’s instructions.””
“My father was dead.””
Daniel’s expression changed.
“Some instructions survive the person who gives them.””
Adrian looked at the old man.
“Did my father instruct you to lie to me too?””
Daniel didn’t answer.
Adrian pulled out his phone.
“I just received a call.””
Daniel’s face changed instantly.
Small.
Almost invisible.
But Adrian saw it.
“From whom?”” Daniel asked.
“Elena.””
The color disappeared from Daniel’s face.
That was all Adrian needed.
“You knew she was alive.””
Daniel stepped backward.
“Adrian—”
“You knew.””
“I can explain.””
Adrian laughed bitterly.
“Of course you can.””
He pointed at the documents.
“Everyone has an explanation.””
Daniel lowered his voice.
“Elena is in danger.””
“From you?””
“No.””
“Then why did she warn me about you?””
Daniel froze.
Adrian watched him carefully.
Finally, Daniel sat down.
He suddenly looked older.
“Because I betrayed her.””
The confession hung between them.
Adrian said nothing.
Daniel rubbed his hands together.
“Years ago, your father discovered Richard was moving money through shell companies. But Richard wasn’t acting alone.””
“Victoria?””
“No.””
Adrian frowned.
Daniel looked toward the door.
“Victoria became involved later.””
“Then who?””
“Your uncle Charles.””
Adrian remembered the name.
Charles Whitmore.
His father’s younger brother.
Dead for nearly a decade.
“He wanted control of the company,” Daniel continued.
“Richard handled the financial side. Charles provided access.””
“And you?””
Daniel looked ashamed.
“I helped hide transactions.””
Adrian stared at him.
“You stole from my father.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because Charles knew something about me that would have destroyed my family.””
Adrian shook his head.
“I don’t care about your excuses.””
“You should.””
Daniel looked up.
“Because the same leverage was used against Victoria.””
Adrian stopped.
“What leverage?””
Daniel hesitated.
Then footsteps sounded upstairs.
Clara shouted.
“Adrian!””
He ran.
By the time he reached the foyer, the front door stood open.
Clara was holding Lily.
Mia was gone.
Adrian’s heart stopped.
“Where is she?””
“I turned around for two seconds.””
Clara was shaking.
“She was right beside me.””
Adrian rushed outside.
“Mia!””
Nothing.
Then he saw a small pink ribbon lying near the driveway.
He picked it up.
Mia had been wearing it in her hair.
A car engine sounded beyond the trees.
Adrian ran toward the road, but the vehicle was already disappearing through the estate gates.
Clara came behind him.
“Oh God.””
Adrian turned toward Daniel.
“Who knew we were here?””
Daniel looked terrified.
“Victoria.””
Adrian grabbed his phone.
Before he could dial, a message appeared.
One photograph.
Mia sat in the back seat of a car.
She looked frightened but unharmed.
Underneath was a sentence.
BRING THE ORIGINAL TRUST DOCUMENTS TO THE OLD WHITMORE HOTEL. COME ALONE.
Clara covered her mouth.
Adrian stared at the photograph.
Then another message arrived.
This time, there was no picture.
Only five words.
ASK DANIEL WHO MIA REALLY IS.
Adrian slowly looked up.
Daniel’s face had gone gray.
“What does that mean?””
Daniel said nothing.
Adrian walked toward him.
“Who is Mia?””
Daniel’s eyes filled with something Adrian had not expected.
Grief.
Finally, he whispered:
“Elena lied about one thing.””
Adrian felt his chest tighten.
Daniel looked toward the road where Mia had disappeared.
Then he said:
“Mia is connected to you, Adrian.””
May you like
A pause.
“But not in the way you think.””
