Chương 5
Victor’s expression changed.
Because he did know something about losing people.
But Daniel was not finished.
“You had information about her father.”
Victor lowered his eyes.
“I did not know where you were.”
Daniel froze.
“What does that mean?”
Victor walked toward the window.
“Amelia never told me everything.”
Daniel stared at him.
“She trusted you enough to protect her daughter.”
“Yes.”
“But not enough to tell you where I was.”
Victor nodded slowly.
“That was because she was protecting you too.”
Daniel looked confused.
“Protecting me from what?”
Victor turned around.
“From the people who wanted Lily gone.”
The room became silent again.
Daniel looked at the sleeping child.
“She knew they would come after me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Victor took a breath.
“Because Lily’s existence proved that a lie had been hidden for years.”
Daniel looked down at the documents.
“What lie?”
Victor did not answer.
Instead, he reached into the folder and pulled out another envelope.
“This was written by Amelia.”
Daniel hesitated before taking it.
His name was written on the front.
Not printed.
Handwritten.
The same handwriting that had left instructions for Victor.
Daniel opened it carefully.
The paper inside was old.
The first line made his chest tighten.
Daniel,
If you are reading this, then Lily found you.
He stopped.
His eyes moved across the words.
I wanted to tell you the truth myself, but I ran out of time.
You deserve to know that I never left because I stopped loving you.
I left because I discovered something dangerous.
Something that put our daughter’s life at risk.
Daniel stopped reading.
Our daughter.
The phrase felt unreal.
He continued.
When Lily was born, I thought keeping her away from you would protect her.
I was wrong.
The people who wanted to silence me eventually found us.
I had to disappear.
I had to make them believe Lily was gone.
Daniel’s breathing became heavier.
The hospital room blurred.
He remembered Amelia.
Not clearly.
Like a dream from another lifetime.
A woman with bright eyes.
A woman who believed in impossible things.
A woman who once told him that everyone deserved a second chance.
They had only known each other for a short time.
But in those months, Daniel had felt something he had never felt before.
Hope.
Then one morning, she disappeared.
No explanation.
No goodbye.
Just gone.
Daniel spent years believing she chose to leave.
He believed he was not important enough to stay for.
But now he knew the truth.
She had left because she was trying to protect him.
And their daughter.
The letter continued.
Daniel, I know you may be angry.
You have every right to be.
But please do not let that anger become the only thing you remember about me.
Remember that I loved you.
Remember that I loved Lily more than anything in this world.
And if you ever find her, tell her that her mother never stopped fighting for her.
Daniel lowered the letter.
His eyes were wet.
He quickly looked away.
He did not want Victor to see.
But Victor did.
And for once, he said nothing.
The silence was not uncomfortable.
It was respectful.
After several moments, Daniel walked back to Lily’s bedside.
He sat down slowly.
The little girl moved slightly in her sleep.
Her hand reached out.
Without opening her eyes, she found his fingers.
Daniel looked at their hands together.
A strange feeling filled his chest.
Fear.
Love.
Responsibility.
All at once.
“I missed everything,” he whispered.
Victor stood nearby.
Daniel looked at him.
“I missed her first steps.”
Victor remained quiet.
“I missed her first words.”
His voice broke slightly.
“I missed every birthday.”
Victor looked down.
“Amelia believed one day you would have those moments.”
Daniel shook his head.
“That’s not fair.”
“No.”
Victor agreed.
“It isn’t.”
Daniel looked at Lily.
“But she is here now.”
Victor nodded.
“Yes.”
Daniel looked at him.
“Then I need to know who is coming for her.”
Victor’s expression changed.
The warmth disappeared.
The businessman disappeared.
The feared man returned.
“Someone inside my organization betrayed me.”
Daniel listened carefully.
“Someone gave Amelia’s location away.”
“Who?”
“We do not know yet.”
Daniel looked at the folder.
“And the truth she found?”
Victor’s jaw tightened.
“That is why they are afraid.”
Daniel waited.
“Amelia discovered evidence connecting several influential people to crimes they believed were buried forever.”
Daniel frowned.
“Crimes connected to you?”
Victor nodded.
“Some were.”
The honesty surprised Daniel.
Victor continued.
“I have done terrible things.”
Daniel studied him.
“Then why help her?”
Victor looked at Lily.
“Because Amelia was the first person who looked at me and saw something other than a monster.”
Daniel did not respond.
Victor’s voice became quieter.
“She believed people could change.”
Daniel glanced at the sleeping child.
“And she believed you could.”
“Yes.”
The answer came softly.
A nurse entered the room.
“She is stable.”
Daniel immediately looked over.
“Can I stay?”
The nurse smiled gently.
“She seems to want you here.”
Daniel nodded.
After the nurse left, he remained beside Lily.
For hours, he watched her sleep.
He noticed every small movement.
Every breath.
Every time she tightened her grip slightly.
He realized something painful.
He had spent years thinking he had nothing.
No family.
No purpose.
No reason to keep fighting.
But he had been wrong.
He had a daughter who had been searching for him.
A daughter who had survived because she believed someone would come.
Near sunrise, Lily slowly opened her eyes.
For a moment, fear appeared.
Then she saw Daniel.
The fear disappeared.
“Are you still here?”
Daniel smiled gently.
“Yes.”
She looked around the hospital room.
“Where is my mommy?”
Daniel’s smile faded.
He did not know how to answer.
Not with a lie.
Not with false hope.
So he chose the truth carefully.
“Your mommy loved you very much.”
Lily looked at him.
“Is she coming back?”
Daniel felt his heart break.
He looked toward Victor.
May you like
Victor lowered his eyes.
Daniel returned his attention to Lily.
