Chương 6
He slowly released Emma and stood.
"Who is there?"
No one answered.
David walked toward the hallway.
His footsteps echoed across the marble floor.
Victoria's face changed when she saw where he was going.
"David."
He stopped.
"What?"
Her voice trembled.
"You need to be careful."
"Why?"
Because the person hiding in the darkness had been waiting for this moment.
Because the secret David was about to uncover was not only about his father.
It was about someone who was still alive.
Someone who knew Emma had finally found the truth.
David reached the doorway and turned on the light.
The hallway was empty.
But on the floor was a small envelope.
No name.
No address.
Only three words written across the front.
YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN.
David picked it up.
And as he opened it, he realized the person who had been watching them had just revealed that the Carter family's darkest secret was far from over.
Continue with the next segment when ready.
David picked it up.
And as he opened it, he realized the person who had been watching them had just revealed that the Carter family's darkest secret was far from over.
The envelope contained only one sheet of paper.
No documents.
No photographs.
No explanation.
Just a single sentence written in the same sharp handwriting.
If you want to know why Emma was hidden, ask the person who signed her away.
David stared at the words.
His heart began beating faster.
He read the sentence again.
Then again.
The meaning became clearer each time.
Someone was not just trying to scare him.
Someone was directing him toward another truth.
A truth Victoria had not told him.
A truth his father had buried.
He turned around slowly.
Victoria was standing near the staircase.
The moment she saw his expression, she knew.
"What did you find?"
David held up the paper.
"Someone wants me to know who signed Emma away."
Victoria's face changed instantly.
The color disappeared from her cheeks.
David noticed.
"You know what this means."
She looked down.
"Victoria."
Her eyes filled with tears.
"I hoped you would never have to find out this way."
David felt a painful emptiness.
"Find out what?"
Victoria looked toward Emma.
The little girl was still sitting on the sofa, watching them carefully.
Victoria lowered her voice.
"Not here."
David shook his head.
"No more secrets in this house."
Emma looked at him.
David softened his expression.
"Not around her."
Victoria took a deep breath.
Then she walked toward the sofa and sat across from Emma.
"Emma, there is something about your past that you deserve to know."
The little girl became tense.
David sat beside her.
His presence gave her enough courage to stay.
Victoria looked at the floor.
"When you were born, your mother was afraid."
Emma listened quietly.
"She loved you more than anything, but she believed someone was trying to take you away from her."
"Who?"
Victoria hesitated.
"Someone from the Carter family."
David watched her carefully.
"My father?"
Victoria nodded.
Emma looked confused.
"Why would he want to take me?"
David wanted to answer.
But he needed Victoria to finish.
"Because he believed your existence could change everything," Victoria said.
"What does that mean?"
Victoria looked at David.
"It means he was afraid of losing control."
David understood.
His father had spent his entire life protecting the Carter name.
A child who challenged his carefully created image was not something he could accept.
But there was still one question.
"Who signed those papers?"
Victoria closed her eyes.
The answer clearly hurt her.
"It was me."
The words were quiet.
But they changed the entire room.
David stared at her.
Emma looked between them.
"You?"
Victoria nodded.
"I signed temporary guardianship papers."
David stood.
"Why?"
His voice was not angry.
It was wounded.
"Why would you sign anything that could separate me from my daughter?"
Victoria started crying.
"Because your father told me there was no other choice."
David looked away.
He felt betrayed by everyone.
But he also saw the fear in Victoria's face.
A person could make terrible choices when they believed they were protecting someone.
That did not erase the damage.
It only explained how the damage happened.
"What did the papers say?"
Victoria wiped her tears.
"They said Emma would remain under Carter family protection until certain conditions were met."
"What conditions?"
Victoria looked at Emma.
"That she would never be told who you were."
David felt his stomach tighten.
The room seemed smaller.
The walls seemed closer.
Someone had planned to erase him from his own child's life.
"And you agreed?"
Victoria nodded.
"I was wrong."
Her voice broke.
"I know that now."
David looked at Emma.
She was trying to understand something no child should ever have to understand.
"Did you know my dad was my dad?"
David's heart broke when she asked.
Victoria nodded.
"Yes."
Emma looked down.
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
Victoria could not answer.
Because no answer would ever be enough.
David reached for Emma's hand.
She held onto him.
The trust was still fragile.
But it was there.
A quiet sound came from upstairs.
Everyone looked toward the second floor.
The mansion was silent again.
Then they heard it.
A door closing.
David immediately stood.
"Someone is here."
Victoria looked terrified.
"No."
David looked at her.
"What?"
She whispered.
"He shouldn't be able to come here."
David's expression changed.
"Who?"
Victoria did not answer.
She looked toward the dark staircase.
And for the first time that night, David saw genuine fear in her eyes.
Not guilt.
Not regret.
Fear.
"Victoria."
Her voice barely came out.
"Your father's lawyer."
David frowned.
"My father's lawyer died two years ago."
Victoria shook her head slowly.
"Not him."
She looked toward the staircase.
"The man who worked for him."
A shadow moved at the top of the stairs.
Emma immediately grabbed David's arm.
He stepped in front of her.
May you like
The protective instinct took over.
"Stay behind me."
