Chương 4
He carefully opened the envelope.
Inside was a single folded letter and a small photograph.
Daniel picked up the photograph first.
The moment he saw it, his entire body became still.
It showed his father standing beside a young woman he had never seen before.
The woman was holding a baby.
And around the baby's blanket was the same vintage necklace.
The same necklace now resting beside the newborn in Emma's arms.
Daniel's face lost all emotion.
"No."
The word came out as a whisper.
Emma watched him.
"Daniel..."
He looked at the photograph again.
The baby in the picture was impossible to identify because of the distance and age of the image.
But the necklace made the connection undeniable.
"My father knew," Daniel said quietly.
Emma nodded.
"He did."
Daniel held the photograph tighter.
"How?"
Emma took a slow breath.
"Because your father was trying to correct a mistake he made before he met your mother."
Daniel looked at her.
"What mistake?"
Emma hesitated.
"He had a daughter."
Daniel looked back at the photograph.
"A daughter."
The word felt strange.
His entire life, he had believed he was an only child.
He had inherited everything.
The company.
The family name.
The responsibility.
But now he was discovering that everything had been built on a missing piece.
"Who was she?" he asked.
Emma's eyes moved toward the baby.
"Her name was Lily."
Daniel waited.
But Emma's silence told him there was more.
"What happened to her?"
Emma lowered her voice.
"She disappeared."
Daniel frowned.
"Disappeared?"
"Your uncle made sure no one looked for her."
The anger returned instantly.
Daniel stood up.
"Why would he do that?"
"Because Lily was the rightful person your father wanted to include in the family."
Daniel stared at her.
"Include?"
Emma nodded.
"Your father planned to change his will."
The room became colder.
Daniel understood immediately.
"If Lily was recognized, she would have a claim to the company."
"Yes."
"And my uncle would lose control."
"Yes."
Daniel walked toward the window again.
The city below continued moving as if his world had not just fallen apart.
He had spent his entire life believing his success came from his own choices.
Now he wondered how much of his path had been controlled by someone else.
"What does this have to do with the baby?" he asked.
Emma looked down.
"Because Lily was the baby's grandmother."
Daniel turned around.
His expression changed.
"The baby's grandmother?"
Emma nodded.
"The necklace belonged to Lily."
Daniel looked at the newborn.
The connection finally began to make sense.
"This baby..."
Emma's eyes filled with tears.
"Is Lily's granddaughter."
Daniel slowly approached.
"So the baby is part of my family."
"Yes."
He looked at Emma.
"And you knew."
"I found out after Lily contacted me."
Daniel froze.
"Lily is alive?"
Emma looked down.
"No."
The answer came quietly.
"She died shortly after giving birth."
Daniel closed his eyes.
For a moment, he could not speak.
Another tragedy.
Another secret.
Another person his family had lost because someone wanted power more than honesty.
"Then who is the baby's mother?"
Emma looked at him.
Her silence made his heart begin racing.
"Emma."
She swallowed.
"The baby's mother was my closest friend."
Daniel waited.
"Her name was Sophia."
The name meant nothing to him.
But the sadness in Emma's voice told him it meant everything to her.
"Sophia discovered the truth about your uncle."
Daniel listened carefully.
"She found records proving he had hidden Lily from your father for decades."
"What happened to her?"
Emma looked away.
"She was afraid."
"Afraid of my uncle?"
"Yes."
Daniel's expression hardened.
"Did he hurt her?"
Emma did not answer immediately.
That hesitation was enough.
Daniel's anger grew.
"He did."
Emma's voice trembled.
"He didn't have to touch her to ruin her life."
She looked at the baby.
"He destroyed her reputation."
"He convinced people she was unstable."
"He made everyone believe she was lying."
Daniel felt sick.
The same pattern.
The same method.
Anyone who threatened his uncle was erased.
"How did the baby end up with you?"
Emma looked at the child.
"Because Sophia trusted me."
A tear slipped down her cheek.
"Before she died, she asked me to protect her daughter."
Daniel's expression softened.
"Why didn't you tell me the baby existed?"
Emma looked at him with pain.
"Because your uncle knew I had her."
Daniel understood.
"He was watching you."
Emma nodded.
"He told me that if I ever contacted you, he would make sure the baby disappeared."
Daniel looked at the child.
The anger inside him became something stronger.
Determination.
For the first time that night, he was no longer just trying to understand the past.
He was thinking about protecting the future.
"Where is my uncle now?"
Emma looked at him.
"Daniel."
"Where is he?"
Her expression showed fear.
"He's still running the company."
Daniel laughed quietly, but there was no humor in it.
"The man who destroyed my family is sitting in my office pretending to protect it."
Emma stepped closer.
"You need to be careful."
Daniel looked at her.
"I spent five years believing you betrayed me."
His voice softened.
"But you were protecting a child who had no one."
Emma looked down.
"I wanted to tell you."
"I wanted to come back."
"Every day."
Daniel looked at her.
"Then why didn't you?"
Emma's eyes filled with regret.
"Because the last time I saw you, your uncle showed me a video."
Daniel frowned.
"What video?"
"He showed me you saying you never wanted to see me again."
Daniel froze.
"What?"
"He edited your words."
Daniel's face changed.
"He manipulated both of us."
Emma nodded.
"He wanted us separated."
Daniel looked at the envelope in his hand.
Everything was finally connecting.
The lies.
The disappearance.
The hidden child.
The necklace.
The warning from his mother.
His uncle had spent years controlling every person around him.
But one thing had changed.
May you like
Daniel knew the truth now.
He opened the folded letter from his father.
