Chapter 13: The Person I Trusted The Most
The letter slipped from my fingers.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
The sentence remained in my mind like a scream.
*The person who betrayed me was someone Samantha trusts completely.*
Someone I trusted.
I looked around the room.
At Victoria.
At Daniel.
At Alexander.
At Olivia and Charlotte.
Everyone had secrets.
Everyone had lied.
But one person had always been different.
One person had always been kind.
One person had always protected me.
My eyes slowly moved toward Maria.
She stood near the doorway.
Her face was pale.
Too pale.
And suddenly, I noticed something I had ignored for years.
Maria always knew too much.
She knew where my father’s documents were.
She knew about the hidden box.
She knew the truth about my childhood.
“How did you know?””
My voice cut through the silence.
Maria froze.
“What?””
I stepped closer.
“How did you know I would find the papers?””
Nobody understood.
But I did.
The pieces were connecting.
Maria looked terrified.
“Samantha…”
“You told me the truth.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I wanted to help you.””
“But you knew everything.””
Silence.
Daniel looked at Maria.
“Who are you?””
Maria lowered her head.
And that small movement answered everything.
Victoria whispered:
“No…”
Maria looked at her.
“I’m sorry.””
My stomach dropped.
“What does that mean?””
Maria closed her eyes.
“My real name isn’t Maria.””
The room went cold.
She slowly removed the simple necklace she always wore.
Hidden beneath it was a small metal symbol.
Daniel recognized it immediately.
His face changed.
“That symbol…”
Richard laughed quietly.
“Finally.””
Everyone turned toward him.
Richard smiled.
“You found her.””
I looked at Maria.
“Who are you?””
She looked at me with tears in her eyes.
“My name is Elena.””
The name meant nothing to me.
Until Daniel whispered:
“Elena Voss.””
The room became silent.
Victoria looked shocked.
“I thought you were gone.””
Elena looked at her.
“You thought everyone who knew the truth was gone.””
I felt my heart racing.
“Explain.””
Elena looked at the letter in my hand.
“Your father trusted me.””
Daniel nodded slowly.
“She was my father’s assistant.””
Richard’s expression darkened.
“She was a traitor.””
Elena looked at him.
“No.””
Her voice became stronger.
“You were.””
I stared between them.
“What happened?””
Elena took a deep breath.
“Twenty years ago, Daniel discovered Richard was stealing from the company. But Richard wasn’t working alone.””
My heart tightened.
“Who was helping him?””
Nobody answered.
Elena looked at Victoria.
Then at me.
“Someone inside the family.””
Richard smiled.
“You’re wasting time.””
Alexander stepped forward.
“Who?””
Elena looked at him.
“Your father knew.””
Alexander frowned.
“My father?””
“Yes.””
She nodded.
“Robert Hayes discovered the same thing Daniel did.””
The room went silent.
“My father knew?””
“Yes.””
Elena continued.
“He tried to help Daniel expose them.””
Alexander looked devastated.
“Then why didn’t he tell me?””
“Because he never got the chance.””
A horrible silence followed.
Richard laughed.
“You people love pretending you’re heroes.””
Daniel looked at him.
“You’re the only villain here.””
Richard shook his head.
“No.””
He looked at me.
“The villain is the person who made Samantha believe she was unwanted.””
Victoria’s expression changed.
“Stop.””
Richard smiled.
“You know I’m right.””
The words hurt because they touched the deepest wound.
But I refused to let him use my pain.
“Enough.””
Everyone looked at me.
I looked at Richard.
“You destroyed my family.””
His smile faded.
“But you don’t get to decide who I become.””
For the first time, Richard looked uncertain.
Alexander quietly smiled.
Not because this was a happy moment.
Because he saw something change.
I wasn’t the girl hiding in the kitchen anymore.
Elena stepped forward.
“There is one more thing.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
She reached into her pocket.
A small flash drive appeared.
“Your father left this with me.””
Daniel stared.
“What is it?””
“The complete evidence.””
Richard’s face changed.
“No.””
Elena continued.
“Every transaction. Every message. Every recording.””
Alexander immediately understood.
“This can destroy him.””
Richard moved forward.
The guards reacted.
But before anyone could stop him, the mansion lights suddenly flickered.
Again.
A distraction.
A loud crash came from downstairs.
Everyone turned.
When we looked back…
Richard was gone.
The window behind him was open.
Rain poured inside.
Daniel rushed toward it.
“He escaped.””
Alexander looked at the flash drive.
Then at me.
“Samantha.””
I looked at him.
“He won’t stop.””
I knew.
Because Richard had spent twenty years hiding.
And now that his secrets were exposed…
he had nothing left to lose.
Elena looked at me.
“There’s one more file.””
“What file?””
Her expression became serious.
“The one your father wanted you to see last.””
My heart sank.
“What does it say?””
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Elena whispered:
“Why your mother really chose Olivia and Charlotte.””
