Chapter 6: The Truth Hidden In The Walls
Daniel stared at Victoria’s message.
*And you need to know the truth before Ethan gets to Noah.*
His first reaction was anger.
Not fear.
Not confusion.
Anger.
Because every time he thought he understood what was happening, another secret appeared.
Another person claimed they were protecting him.
Another person decided he wasn’t allowed to know the truth.
He looked at the letter in his hand.
Then at his father.
Then back at the phone.
For years, Daniel believed secrets were hidden because people were afraid of hurting others.
But now he wondered if secrets were hidden because the truth was dangerous.
“What does she mean?”” Robert asked.
Daniel looked up.
“Victoria says Ethan wants to get to Noah.””
His father’s expression changed immediately.
“What?””
“She says she knows who sent me this letter.””
Robert stood slowly.
“Daniel, you need to listen to me.””
“I’ve been listening to everyone my whole life.””
His voice was quiet.
“And somehow I’m always the last person to know what’s happening.””
Robert looked hurt.
“That’s not fair.””
“Maybe.””
Daniel folded the letter carefully.
“But I’m done being protected from the truth.””
He walked toward the door.
“Where are you going?””
“To find out why everyone thinks my son is in danger.””
When Daniel arrived home, Victoria was waiting in the living room.
She looked different.
Not confident.
Not cold.
Worried.
That alone made Daniel suspicious.
Because Victoria Carter rarely showed fear.
“You came.””
Daniel put his keys on the table.
“Explain.””
She looked at him.
“Ethan knows about Noah.””
“Everyone knows about Noah.””
“No.””
Victoria stepped closer.
“He knows about Noah’s connection to the company.””
Daniel frowned.
“What connection?””
Victoria hesitated.
That hesitation was becoming something Daniel hated.
Every pause meant another hidden truth.
“What connection?””
She looked toward the stairs.
“Not here.””
Daniel’s expression hardened.
“No more secrets.””
Victoria swallowed.
“Your father never told you.””
“Told me what?””
She lowered her voice.
“Your company wasn’t supposed to go to you.””
The room became silent.
Daniel stared at her.
“What?””
“The original plan was different.””
“Victoria.””
“Your grandfather created a trust.””
Daniel felt a strange chill.
“My grandfather died before I was born.””
“Yes.””
“Why would you know this?””
Victoria looked away.
“Because Ethan found the documents.””
Daniel stepped closer.
“What documents?””
“The ones that proved the company was supposed to be shared between both brothers.””
Daniel shook his head.
“That’s impossible.””
“Is it?””
She reached into her purse.
Then pulled out a folder.
Daniel stared at it.
“What is that?””
“The reason Ethan disappeared.””
He didn’t move.
Victoria placed it on the table.
“Open it.””
Daniel hesitated.
Then he opened the folder.
Inside were old legal documents.
The paper was yellowed.
The signatures were faded.
But one thing was clear.
His grandfather’s name.
Daniel read the first page.
Then the second.
His face slowly changed.
The documents showed a family trust.
A plan.
A structure that divided ownership between Daniel and Ethan.
Equal shares.
Equal control.
Daniel looked up.
“My father knew.””
Victoria nodded.
“Yes.””
“No.””
He shook his head.
“That doesn’t make sense.””
“Your father changed the agreement.””
Daniel looked back at the papers.
“How?””
“I don’t know all the details.””
“But Ethan does.””
“Yes.””
Daniel’s chest tightened.
Suddenly, everything sounded different.
Ethan’s anger.
His accusations.
His belief that Daniel had taken something from him.
Maybe Ethan had been wrong about Daniel.
But maybe he had been right about something else.
“My father stole from him?””
Victoria didn’t answer.
And Daniel hated that she didn’t.
“Say it.””
She looked at him.
“Your father made a decision that benefited you.””
Daniel stepped back.
The sentence hurt.
Because even if he never asked for it…
Even if he never knew…
He had benefited.
A sound came from the staircase.
Both turned.
Noah stood there.
Again.
Listening.
Daniel’s heart sank.
“How long have you been there?””
Noah looked down.
“Long enough.””
“Son…”
“Did Grandpa lie?””
Daniel didn’t answer.
Noah’s eyes filled.
“I thought Grandpa was nice.””
“He is.””
“But nice people don’t hide things.””
Daniel walked toward him.
“Noah.””
The boy stepped back.
“Everyone keeps saying they’re protecting me.””
His voice shook.
“But everyone is just hiding things.””
Daniel stopped.
Because Noah wasn’t talking about business anymore.
He was talking about everything.
His mother.
His stepmother.
His family.
The broken trust.
“I’m sorry,” Daniel said.
Noah looked at him.
“I don’t want sorry.””
The honesty surprised him.
“What do you want?””
Noah wiped his eyes.
“I want people to tell me the truth.””
Daniel nodded slowly.
“You’re right.””
Noah looked at the folder.
“Is this why everyone is fighting?””
Daniel looked at Victoria.
Then back at his son.
“Yes.””
Noah was quiet.
“Because of money?””
Daniel opened his mouth.
Then stopped.
Because the answer wasn’t simple.
“No.””
“Then what?””
Daniel looked at the broken medal sitting on the table.
“It’s because people forgot what matters.””
Noah looked confused.
Daniel continued.
“Sometimes people fight so much about being right that they forget who gets hurt.””
Noah looked toward Victoria.
She lowered her eyes.
For the first time, she looked ashamed.
But Daniel noticed something.
She wasn’t denying anything.
That evening, Daniel went through the documents again.
He sat in his office, reading every page.
Every signature.
Every date.
Then he noticed something.
A missing page.
The agreement was incomplete.
The final page was gone.
The page containing the official transfer details.
Daniel searched the folder.
Nothing.
He checked the desk.
Nothing.
Then he remembered.
The security camera footage.
His office had cameras.
If Ethan had been inside, there would be proof.
He opened the security system.
The footage from last week appeared.
He fast-forwarded.
A figure entered.
Daniel leaned closer.
It was Ethan.
His brother walked into the office.
He wasn’t searching randomly.
He knew exactly where to look.
Ethan opened the drawer.
Removed a file.
Then stopped.
For a moment, he looked directly at the camera.
As if he knew Daniel would watch this someday.
Then Ethan spoke.
The audio was faint.
Daniel turned up the volume.
“If you’re seeing this, Daniel…”
His brother’s voice filled the room.
“I know you think I hate you.””
Daniel froze.
Ethan continued.
“But I don’t.””
A pause.
“I hate what they made us become.””
Daniel’s eyes narrowed.
“They?””
Then Ethan said the sentence that made Daniel stop breathing.
“The person who destroyed our family wasn’t Dad.””
The video glitched.
The screen went black.
Daniel tried restarting it.
Nothing.
A second later, his phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered immediately.
“Ethan?””
Silence.
Then a voice.
Not Ethan.
A woman.
“Daniel.””
He froze.
Because he knew that voice.
It was someone he never expected.
“Who is this?””
The woman breathed quietly.
“You need to stop looking for Ethan.””
Daniel stood.
“Why?””
“Because he isn’t the danger.””
The call went silent for a moment.
Then she whispered:
“The person you trust most is the one who has been lying to you.””
Daniel looked through the glass wall of his office.
Into the hallway.
Where Victoria stood.
Watching him.
His blood ran cold.
Because the woman on the phone had one final thing to say.
“Daniel… Victoria didn’t marry you because she loved you.””
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A pause.
“She married you because of what your father left behind.””
