Chapter 12: The Man Who Wanted My Life
I showed Dad the photograph.
His reaction was immediate.
He didn't look surprised.
He looked guilty.
That hurt more.
"How long?""
His eyes moved to mine.
"What?""
"How long did you know Michael was watching me?""
Dad looked away.
And I felt something inside me crack.
"Arthur.""
He closed his eyes.
"Not watching you.""
"Then what?""
He sat down.
"I knew he was looking for something.""
"Me?""
"No.""
His voice broke.
"The truth.""
I stared.
"What truth?""
Dad rubbed his face.
"Your mother discovered Michael had been manipulating company records for years.""
Richard, who had arrived an hour earlier, nodded.
"Michael wasn't just stealing money.""
He placed a folder on the table.
"He was building a legal case.""
"For what?""
Richard looked at me.
"To prove he had rights over you.""
I felt sick.
"My own father wanted custody?""
Dad nodded.
"Not custody.""
He looked at the papers.
"Control.""
The word made my skin crawl.
"He believed because he was your biological father, he deserved everything.""
My mother had spent years protecting me from a man who saw me as an asset.
Not a daughter.
Not a person.
A possession.
Then Vanessa walked in.
She looked nervous.
"I found something.""
Nobody spoke.
She placed a small flash drive on the table.
"Where did you get that?""
"Mom's office.""
Dad stood.
"You went into her office?""
Vanessa looked at him.
"Yes.""
Then she looked at me.
"Because I wanted to know how much she lied.""
We connected the drive to Dad's computer.
There were dozens of files.
Financial records.
Emails.
Photos.
And one folder.
Michael Hayes.
My heart raced.
Inside were documents.
Messages.
Plans.
Then we found one file titled:
*Final Agreement.*
Richard opened it.
The first page made everyone silent.
It was a contract.
Between Michael Hayes and Diane.
I read the first line.
*In exchange for assistance securing Emily Carter's inheritance...*
I stopped.
Diane had worked with him.
My stepmother wasn't just protecting stolen money.
She was helping the man who wanted to take me.
Dad kept scrolling.
Then he froze.
"What?""
He turned the screen toward me.
At the bottom was Diane's signature.
And beside it...
A payment record.
A large payment.
From Michael.
Vanessa covered her mouth.
"No.""
Dad looked at her.
"Vanessa...""
She shook her head.
"I knew she was lying.""
Her eyes filled with tears.
"But I didn't know she was doing this.""
I almost felt sorry for her.
Almost.
Then another file opened.
A video.
Recorded secretly.
Diane's voice filled the room.
"If Emily finds out the truth, everything collapses.""
Michael's voice answered.
"Then make sure she doesn't find out.""
My hands went cold.
Diane laughed.
"She is still the same little girl who cries when someone raises their voice.""
Michael replied:
"Don't underestimate her.""
The screen continued.
"You have one job.""
"What?""
"Keep her away from the trust.""
"And if she finds it?""
A pause.
Then Michael said:
"Then we take care of the problem.""
The video ended.
Nobody spoke.
Then the front door opened.
Everyone turned.
Diane stood there.
She looked at the computer screen.
At the evidence.
At Vanessa.
Then at me.
She knew.
Everything was over.
"You weren't supposed to find that.""
My father stepped forward.
"How could you?""
Diane's face changed.
The fear disappeared.
The mask disappeared.
For the first time, I saw who she really was.
"I did what I had to do.""
I stared.
"You tried to ruin my life.""
She looked at me.
"No.""
Her voice was cold.
"I tried to keep you alive.""
Nobody moved.
"What?""
Diane looked toward the window.
"Because Michael wasn't the only person involved.""
A chill went through me.
"What are you talking about?""
She looked directly at me.
"Your mother was not killed because she found out about Michael.""
She paused.
"She was killed because she found out who Michael was working for.""
The room went silent.
Dad whispered:
"Diane...""
But she continued.
"There is someone above Michael.""
Someone even more powerful.
Someone who had been controlling everything from the beginning.
My phone suddenly buzzed.
A new message.
One sentence.
*Stop searching for answers, Emily. Your mother died because she kept digging.*
I looked at the message.
Then at Diane.
Because she wasn't looking at the phone.
She was looking at me.
Like she already knew who sent it.
And that was when I realized...
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The person who destroyed my graduation dress wasn't the villain of my story.
She was only protecting the real one.
