Chapter 9 - Emily Meets Daniel On Her Terms
The first meeting happened in a therapist’s office.
No mansion.
No cameras.
No lawyers inside the room.
Emily entered wearing sneakers and a navy sweatshirt.
Daniel immediately saw himself in her eyes.
That frightened him.
He did not say it.
Emily sat across from him.
“So you’re Daniel.”
“Yes.”
“You’re my dad.”
“Biologically, yes.”
She studied him.
“Did you know I was alive?”
“No.”
“Mom said your family wanted to take me.”
“My father did. I didn’t know he was doing it.”
Emily looked toward Rachel through the glass partition.
“Everybody says they didn’t know something.”
Daniel almost smiled.
“That seems fair.”
Emily asked whether he hated Rachel.
Daniel answered carefully.
“I’m angry at choices she made. I also know my father manipulated her. Both are true.”
Emily nodded.
Then asked:
“Do I have a sister?”
Daniel’s throat tightened.
“Yes. Sophie. She’s ten months old.”
“Can I see a picture?”
He showed her one.
Emily smiled.
“She’s bald.”
“Mostly.”
For the first time, the room felt less like evidence.
Emily did not call him Dad.
Daniel did not ask her to.
They met again the next week.
Then again.
Grace eventually met Emily too.
Emily had heard about the maid who found Sophie behind the painting.
“You actually saw a hand come out of the wall?”
Grace laughed.
“I nearly dropped an entire tray.”
“You did drop it.”
“That information is classified.”
Emily liked her immediately.
Victoria stayed away at first.
She knew Emily had every reason to distrust her.
Then Emily requested to meet her.
Victoria told the truth about Rachel’s blackmail, the payments, and the wall compartment.
Emily asked:
“Why would you put a baby in there?”
Victoria cried.
“Because I panicked and made a terrible decision.”
No excuse.
Emily appreciated that more than explanation.
The criminal case against Thomas moved forward.
He claimed Arthur owed him money.
Records showed Arthur had indeed promised bonuses.
Nothing entitled Thomas to threaten children.
Daniel refused to turn Arthur’s broken promise into mitigation in his own mind.
Then investigators opened Arthur’s final box.
Inside was a handwritten will.
It named Thomas Vale as trustee of a secret $18 million account.
The account still existed.
May you like
Thomas had spent years threatening the family for money that Arthur had already left under his control.
Something did not fit.
