Chapter 14: The Secret My Father Hid
Chapter 14: The Secret My Father Hid
I waited until Lily was asleep before confronting my father.
The house was quiet.
Too quiet.
"Dad."
He stood by the window.
"I knew this day would come."
Those words hurt.
Because they meant he had been hiding something.
"Tell me."
He didn't turn around.
"When you were born, Adrian Vale wanted control of the Hart family."
I frowned.
"What does that have to do with me?"
My father finally faced me.
"Everything."
He walked toward the table.
"Your mother and Adrian built their first company together."
I listened.
"They had a vision. But Adrian didn't want a partner."
"He wanted ownership."
My father nodded.
"Exactly."
"What happened?"
"Your mother left him."
I looked down.
"Then why is he back?"
My father's voice became quieter.
"Because he believed she stole something from him."
"What?"
He looked at me.
"You."
The room went silent.
I stared at him.
"Me?"
"When you were born, your mother changed."
I said nothing.
"She realized Adrian didn't love her. He loved what she represented. Power. Wealth. Influence."
My father continued.
"She wanted to protect you from him."
I shook my head.
"But she became the person I needed protection from."
Pain crossed his face.
"I know."
The honesty hurt.
"Then why didn't you stop her?"
My father looked away.
"Because I was afraid."
The admission shocked me.
"You?"
He nodded.
"I thought keeping the family together was better than exposing the truth."
I laughed softly.
"So you all protected the family image."
I looked toward Lily's room.
"While nobody protected the children."
My father closed his eyes.
I didn't apologize.
Because the truth needed to hurt.
A knock interrupted us.
Agent Sloan entered.
"Evelyn."
Her expression was serious.
"We found Adrian."
Everyone froze.
"Where?"
She handed me a document.
"A private island."
I looked at the location.
Then noticed something else.
A name on the property records.
Vanessa Vale.
My eyes narrowed.
"Vanessa owns the island?"
Sloan nodded.
"Which means..."
I finished the sentence.
"She was never just Grant's partner."
The pieces connected.
Vanessa wasn't random.
She was chosen.
Placed.
A weapon.
I grabbed my coat.
My father stood.
"You're going after him."
I looked at him.
"No."
I paused.
"I'm going after the truth."
Because after everything...
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I needed to know one thing.
Why did everyone want me gone?
