Chapter 6: The Betrayal Inside My Family
I stared at the photograph until the image blurred.
My mind refused to accept what my eyes were seeing.
Carter.
Standing beside a woman.
Smiling.
Confident.
Planning.
And next to him…
My cousin, Melissa.
My father watched my reaction carefully.
“You know her.””
I couldn’t speak.
Melissa.
My mother’s niece.
The cousin who held my hand when my mother died.
The person who cried with me.
The person who stood beside me when I married Carter.
“No,” I whispered.
My father’s expression was painful.
“I wish I was wrong.””
I looked closer at the photograph.
The date was printed in the corner.
Two months before Carter proposed.
Two months before he told me I was the woman who changed his life.
My stomach turned.
“Where did you get this?””
“My investigator found it.””
“Why was he investigating Carter?””
My father was silent.
Then he said:
“Because Melissa came to me six months after your wedding.””
I froze.
“She did what?””
“She told me she was worried about Carter.””
I stared.
“She warned you?””
“Yes.””
The room spun.
“Then why didn’t you tell me?””
My father looked down.
“Because she told me things I couldn’t prove.””
My hands trembled.
“What things?””
“That Carter was hiding money. That he had relationships before you. That he was dangerous.””
I looked at the photograph again.
“She knew.””
“Yes.””
My voice cracked.
“She knew the whole time.””
My father nodded slowly.
“I believe she did.””
A thousand memories rushed back.
Melissa asking questions about Carter.
Melissa always wanting to know about our finances.
Melissa telling me I was lucky to have such an ambitious husband.
I had thought she was being supportive.
She was collecting information.
My phone buzzed.
A message.
From Melissa.
I stared at the screen.
*We need to talk. Alone. Before your father tells you things he doesn’t understand.*
My father saw my expression.
“Who is it?””
I turned the phone around.
His face hardened.
“Don’t answer.””
“I need to know why.””
“You know why.””
“No,” I said.
My voice shook.
“I need to hear her say it.””
My father looked at me.
For a long moment, he didn’t speak.
Then he nodded.
“Okay.””
I called.
She answered immediately.
“Isabelle?””
Her voice was soft.
Too soft.
“I saw the picture.””
Silence.
A long silence.
Then:
“Your father showed you?””
“Yes.””
Melissa exhaled.
“I was hoping I could explain before you found out this way.””
My grip tightened around the phone.
“Explain what?””
She hesitated.
Then said:
“I didn’t know Carter would hurt you.””
My blood went cold.
“You knew Carter?””
“Yes.””
“How?””
Another pause.
“We met through work.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“Try again.””
My father looked at me.
Listening.
Melissa sighed.
“Carter contacted me first.””
“Why?””
“He wanted information.””
“About me?””
“Yes.””
The word landed like a punch.
“Why?””
Melissa didn’t answer.
That was answer enough.
“Because of my father?””
Silence.
My eyes filled.
“Melissa.””
Her voice became defensive.
“I didn’t think it would go this far.””
“What did you think would happen?””
“I thought he would marry you, convince your father to invest in his firm, and then everything would work out.””
I couldn’t breathe.
“You helped him.””
“I was trying to help myself too.””
There it was.
The truth.
Not guilt.
Not regret.
Self-interest.
My father took the phone from my hand.
“You manipulated my daughter.””
Melissa immediately changed tone.
“Uncle, please listen.””
“No.””
His voice was calm.
That scared me.
“You used my daughter’s trust.””
“I made a mistake.””
“No.””
My father looked at me.
Then back at the phone.
“You made choices.””
Melissa went quiet.
Then she said something that made my blood freeze.
“You don’t know the worst part.””
My father’s expression changed.
“What?””
Melissa whispered:
“Carter never cared about your money.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
She continued.
“He needed your father’s name.””
The room went silent.
My father stood completely still.
“What are you talking about?””
Melissa answered:
“Carter is in trouble.””
I felt a chill.
“What kind of trouble?””
“He’s being investigated.””
“For what?””
Melissa hesitated.
Then:
“Fraud.””
My father looked at me.
Melissa continued.
“He needed to marry into a respected family before anyone found out.””
My heartbeat raced.
“Why?””
Her voice dropped.
“Because if people believed he was connected to your family, they would trust him.””
I thought about Carter’s uncle.
His reputation.
His career.
The confidence he carried everywhere.
It had all been built on a lie.
My father slowly sat down.
“Isabelle.””
I looked at him.
And I knew from his expression that he understood something before I did.
Carter hadn’t married me because he wanted my father’s money.
He married me because he wanted my father’s protection.
His name.
His credibility.
His shield.
My phone buzzed again.
This time, it was not Melissa.
It was a message from Carter.
One sentence.
*Ask your father what happened the last time someone tried to destroy me.*
Then another message appeared.
A photo attachment.
I opened it.
And my hands started shaking.
Because the picture showed my father.
Standing outside a courthouse.
Years ago.
With Carter’s name written on the case file behind him.
May you like
And underneath the photo was one line:
*“Your father knows exactly who I am.””*
