Chapter 6: The Truth Behind The Wedding
I read the document three times.
But the words didn’t change.
My name was there.
My signature wasn’t.
Because I had never seen it before.
“Dad…”
My voice sounded unfamiliar.
“Why does this exist?””
My father sat down slowly.
Because for the first time in my life, he looked old.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
“I was waiting.””
“For what?””
“For you to be ready.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Ready?””
I held up the document.
“I just found out my entire identity has been hidden from me.””
Thomas crossed his arms.
“Exactly.””
I looked at him.
“You don’t get to act like you’re helping me.””
His expression changed slightly.
Good.
Because I wanted him to know I wasn’t blindly trusting him.
“You disappeared for twenty years.””
Thomas nodded.
“And your father lied to you for twenty years.””
My father looked at me.
“I didn’t lie about who I was.””
“You hid the truth.””
“Yes.””
He didn’t deny it.
That hurt more.
I walked toward the window.
The city lights blurred through the glass.
A few hours earlier, I was supposed to be celebrating my marriage.
Now I was standing in my father’s company, discovering secret trusts, hidden enemies, and a family war I never knew existed.
My phone rang.
Olivia.
I stared at her name.
Then answered.
“Daniel.””
Her voice was quiet.
“Are you okay?””
“No.””
Silence.
“I’m sorry.””
I closed my eyes.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“I tried.””
“No, Olivia. You tried after you got caught.””
She started crying.
“I was scared.””
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
“Because it’s true.””
I looked at Thomas.
He was listening.
My father was listening.
Everyone had secrets.
Everyone had reasons.
But I was tired of being the last person to know.
“What did my mother know?””
Olivia took a breath.
“Everything.””
“Everything?””
“She knew about your father’s company. She knew about the trust. She knew Thomas was alive.””
I gripped the phone.
“And you?””
“I knew pieces.””
“That’s not enough.””
“I know.””
Her voice cracked.
“Daniel, I never wanted this.””
“But you let it happen.””
“I thought after we married, I could fix it.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
She became silent.
Too silent.
“Olivia.””
“My mother told me the marriage would give us control.””
I felt my stomach tighten.
“Us?””
“I mean my family.””
“Did you agree?””
“No.””
“Did you sign anything?””
Another pause.
That was all the answer I needed.
“What did you sign?””
She whispered.
“A marriage agreement.””
Thomas suddenly looked interested.
“What agreement?”” he asked.
I put the phone on speaker.
Olivia heard him.
Her breathing changed.
“Thomas is there?””
“Yes.””
“Daniel, leave.””
Everyone froze.
“What?””
“Leave the building.””
“Why?””
“Because my mother wasn’t working alone.””
My father stepped closer.
“Who else?””
Olivia’s voice trembled.
“Someone inside Henderson Global.””
Robert immediately entered the room.
“Sir.””
My father turned.
“What?””
Robert looked at me.
“There’s a problem.””
“What kind?””
He handed my father a tablet.
My father read it.
Then his face went pale.
“What happened?”” I asked.
Robert swallowed.
“The board meeting scheduled for tomorrow has been moved.””
“By who?””
He looked at my father.
“By Daniel Henderson.””
I froze.
“What?””
Robert turned the screen toward me.
There was a meeting request.
My name.
My digital authorization.
My approval.
I had never sent it.
Thomas quietly laughed.
“They already started.””
My father looked at me.
“Someone is using your identity.””
I stared at the screen.
Then I noticed something.
The meeting wasn’t about the company.
It was about ownership.
Transfer of control.
Effective immediately.
My heart started racing.
“When is this meeting?””
Robert answered.
“Tomorrow morning.””
My father grabbed the tablet.
“That doesn’t give us enough time.””
Thomas smiled.
“Actually…”
Everyone looked at him.
He picked up the envelope he had brought.
“I think it gives us exactly enough time.””
I stared at him.
“What are you talking about?””
Thomas looked directly at me.
“The person who set this plan in motion made one mistake.””
“What mistake?””
He smiled.
“They assumed Daniel Henderson was just a man who could be controlled.””
May you like
He placed another document on the table.
“And tomorrow, they’re going to learn who they tried to steal from.””
