Chapter 7: The Monster Behind the Mask
The message from my father stayed on my screen for three minutes.
I didn’t blink.
I didn’t breathe normally.
I just stared at those words.
You should have stayed quiet.
Now I’m going to make sure nobody believes either of you.
For years, Richard Vale had controlled every room he entered.
He controlled conversations.
He controlled people’s opinions.
He controlled the story.
But now, for the first time, I saw something different.
Fear.
My father was afraid.
And terrified people made mistakes.
Detective Voss immediately took my phone.
“He sent this directly?””
I nodded.
“Yes.””
“Did he say anything else?””
“No.””
Bridget stood beside Emma, watching her carefully.
The strange thing was that Emma wasn’t crying anymore.
She looked exhausted.
Like she had finally stopped running.
“What happens now?”” I asked.
Detective Voss looked at me.
“Now we protect you and preserve every piece of evidence.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
Everyone looked at me.
“No?””
I looked at the message.
“He wants to control the story. That’s what he has always done.””
Detective Voss understood immediately.
“He’s going to attack your credibility.””
“Yes.””
“He’ll say Emma is unstable.””
“Yes.””
“He’ll say you manipulated her.””
“Yes.””
I looked at my sister.
“And he’ll make everyone believe we’re both lying.””
Emma lowered her eyes.
Because she knew.
She had helped him build the weapon he was now using against her.
A few hours later, the first news reports appeared.
Not online.
On television.
A local reporter stood outside the hospital.
The headline beneath her face made my stomach twist.
*WEALTHY BUSINESSMAN CLAIMS DAUGHTER EXPERIENCED VIOLENT MENTAL BREAKDOWN*
I watched silently.
My father wasn’t even waiting.
He was already telling the world his version.
The reporter continued.
“Richard Vale released a statement today expressing concern for his daughter Tessa, claiming recent events were the result of a serious psychological crisis.””
My hands tightened.
Concern.
That word almost made me laugh.
The same man who left me freezing outside was now pretending to be worried.
Then the reporter said something worse.
“Sources close to the family say Tessa Vale has a history of emotional instability.””
I turned off the television.
Emma looked sick.
“He’s doing exactly what he said.””
I looked at her.
“You knew he would.””
She nodded.
“He always does.””
The room became quiet.
“Tell me everything.””
Emma looked at me.
“What?””
“Everything you know.””
She hesitated.
Then she sat down.
“My father has been planning this for a long time.””
“How long?””
“Years.””
The answer hurt more than I expected.
Emma continued.
“He knew you were different.””
I frowned.
“Different?””
“You questioned things.””
She looked at the floor.
“You asked why. You noticed when things didn’t add up.””
A bitter smile crossed my face.
“So he hated me for thinking.””
“No.””
Emma shook her head.
“He hated you because you couldn’t be controlled.””
That sentence stayed with me.
Because deep down, I knew it was true.
My father didn’t want a daughter.
He wanted loyalty.
Silence.
Obedience.
Emma took a breath.
“There was a second set of records.””
“What records?””
“The real ones.””
I stared at her.
“The files you found were copies.””
My heartbeat increased.
“Copies?””
“Yes.””
“Where are the originals?””
Emma looked at me.
“Dad has them.””
My stomach sank.
“Where?””
She hesitated.
“In a private storage facility.””
Detective Voss immediately stepped forward.
“Do you know the location?””
“Yes.””
Everyone looked at her.
“But there’s a problem.””
“What?””
Emma swallowed.
“The facility requires two authorized signatures.””
“Whose?””
“My father’s.””
She looked at me.
“And yours.””
The room went silent.
I felt something cold move through me.
“My signature?””
Emma nodded.
“He created the account under both our names.””
“Why?””
“Because he needed someone else responsible if the company was investigated.””
I stared at her.
My father had built a trap around everyone.
Including his own daughters.
Bridget stood.
“We need access to those records.””
“We need a warrant,” Detective Voss said.
Emma shook her head.
“Too late.””
Everyone looked at her.
“What do you mean?””
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small key.
“I took this before I left.””
Detective Voss stared.
“You stole the access key?””
Emma nodded.
“I knew if I didn’t, he would destroy everything.””
For the first time, I saw something in her eyes.
Not fear.
Not guilt.
Determination.
But before anyone could speak, Detective Voss’s phone rang.
He answered.
Then his face changed.
“What happened?””
A pause.
Then:
“Send me the address.””
He ended the call.
“What?””
He looked at us.
“Your father filed an emergency motion.””
My stomach tightened.
“For what?””
Detective Voss looked at me.
“To have you placed under psychiatric supervision immediately.””
The room went silent.
“He can do that?””
“He’s trying.””
Bridget grabbed her bag.
“We need to move now.””
“Where?””
“To court.””
I looked at the television screen still showing my father’s face.
The world saw a grieving father.
A respected businessman.
A victim.
Nobody saw the man underneath.
But soon they would.
May you like
Because for the first time…
I wasn’t fighting alone.
