Chương 6
Rebecca slowly spoke the name.
And when Clara heard it, she realized the person responsible for so much pain had been closer than anyone ever imagined.
What should the next segment focus on: the hidden person’s identity or Clara confronting Daniel first?
The name Rebecca spoke was one Clara had heard countless times throughout her childhood.
But she had never imagined that name could belong to the person standing at the center of everything.
"Victor," Rebecca said.
The single word changed the atmosphere inside the mansion.
Clara felt the color drain from her face.
Her father's closest friend.
Her family's trusted advisor.
The man who had attended every important celebration.
The man who had stood beside her father at business meetings and family dinners.
Victor Hale.
"No," Clara whispered.
Rebecca watched her carefully.
"Yes."
Daniel looked toward the floor.
He had known this moment would come.
Clara turned toward him.
"You knew about him too."
Daniel did not deny it.
"I knew his name."
Her expression hardened.
"But not what he did."
Daniel looked at Rebecca.
"Not everything."
Clara let out a quiet breath of disbelief.
The number of hidden truths seemed endless.
Every time she thought she reached the end, another door opened.
"Tell me," she said.
Her voice was calm now.
That frightened everyone more than her anger.
"Tell me what Victor did."
Rebecca moved toward the table and placed another document beside the others.
"Your father and Victor built the company together."
Clara nodded slowly.
"I know."
"What you do not know is that they stopped trusting each other years before your father disappeared."
Clara looked at the papers.
"Why?"
Rebecca hesitated.
"Because Victor discovered your father's secrets before anyone else did."
Daniel finally spoke.
"And he used them."
Clara looked at him.
"Used them how?"
Daniel's jaw tightened.
"To control him."
The words created a heavy silence.
Rebecca continued.
"Victor knew about Lily."
Clara looked toward Lily.
The young woman lowered her eyes.
"He knew about Rebecca."
Rebecca nodded.
"He knew about every mistake your father had made."
Clara folded her arms.
"And he threatened to expose him."
"Yes."
"Why?"
Rebecca looked at the rain-covered windows.
"Power."
The answer was simple.
Too simple.
Clara waited for more.
Rebecca continued.
"Victor believed your father owed him everything because without him, the company would never have succeeded."
Daniel shook his head.
"He wanted ownership."
"And your father refused."
Daniel nodded.
"That was when everything changed."
Clara walked slowly across the hallway.
Her thoughts moved faster than she could control.
She remembered Victor visiting their home.
She remembered him bringing gifts during holidays.
She remembered her father trusting him completely.
"He was family to us."
Rebecca's expression softened.
"That was why the betrayal hurt the most."
Eleanor quietly sat down.
The years of carrying secrets had finally exhausted her.
"I should have seen it."
Clara looked at her.
"Seen what?"
"That Victor was not helping your father."
Eleanor looked at the floor.
"He was collecting information."
Daniel looked toward the older woman.
"You warned me."
Eleanor nodded.
"I told you he was dangerous."
Clara looked between them.
"So everyone knew something except me."
Nobody answered.
Because again, nobody could.
Clara picked up one of the documents.
It was a copy of a legal agreement.
Her eyes moved across the page.
Then she stopped.
"This is dated two weeks before my father disappeared."
Rebecca nodded.
"Yes."
"What is it?"
Daniel looked serious.
"It is the agreement that caused the final fight between them."
Clara read more carefully.
The document showed that her father had attempted to remove Victor from the company.
But there was something else.
A handwritten note at the bottom.
She recognized the handwriting immediately.
Her father's.
She read the sentence silently.
If anything happens to me, protect Clara and find the truth.
Her hands began to shake.
"Why did he write this?"
Daniel stepped closer.
"Because he believed something would happen."
Clara looked up.
"You mean he knew he was in danger?"
Rebecca nodded.
"He was afraid."
The room became silent.
Clara stared at the sentence again.
For years, she believed her father simply walked away.
She believed he chose to leave.
Now she wondered if he had been forced into silence.
"What happened after he wrote this?"
Rebecca looked at Daniel.
Daniel took a deep breath.
"The night your father disappeared, Victor came to the house."
Clara froze.
"He came here?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Daniel looked at the mansion around them.
"To convince your father to change his mind."
Clara's eyes widened.
"And then?"
Daniel remained quiet.
Rebecca answered.
"They argued."
"How badly?"
Rebecca looked down.
"Badly enough that your father realized he could no longer trust him."
Clara looked toward the front doors.
"Did Victor hurt him?"
Nobody answered immediately.
That hesitation terrified her.
Daniel finally spoke.
"We never found proof."
"That is not an answer."
Daniel closed his eyes.
"I know."
Clara looked at Rebecca.
"What do you know?"
Rebecca held her gaze.
"I know your father left that night believing someone close to him had betrayed him."
The words were painful.
"But I also know he was trying to protect someone."
"Who?"
Rebecca looked at Lily.
Then at Clara.
"Both of you."
Clara did not understand.
"Why would protecting Lily have anything to do with me?"
Rebecca reached for another document.
"Because Victor was not only threatening your father."
She handed it to Clara.
"He was threatening everyone connected to him."
Clara read the document.
Her face changed.
It was a list.
Names.
Dates.
Information collected about people close to her father.
Her own name was there.
Lily's name was there.
Rebecca's name was there.
Even Daniel's.
"He was watching all of us."
Rebecca nodded.
"Yes."
Clara looked at Daniel.
"Why did you never tell me?"
Daniel looked broken.
"Because I was afraid."
She shook her head.
"Everyone was afraid."
Her voice became softer.
"Everyone except me."
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Daniel looked at her.
"You were the one person your father wanted to keep away from this."
