Chapter 8: The Enemy Inside The Family
Alexander’s words stayed in the air.
The person who sent the messages knew.
Someone was watching.
Someone knew Daniel had returned.
Victoria immediately walked toward the windows.
She checked the security cameras.
The confident woman who once controlled every room now looked frightened.
“Lock the gates.””
The guards immediately moved.
I stared at her.
“Who are you afraid of?””
She didn’t answer.
“Mother.””
The word came out naturally.
A word I had spent years saying without receiving the love behind it.
She turned around.
For a moment, I saw something different.
Regret.
“Samantha…”
“Tell me the truth.””
She looked down.
“I was wrong.””
The confession shocked me.
Victoria Collins admitting she was wrong felt impossible.
But she continued.
“I thought if I pushed you away, nobody would see your importance.””
I frowned.
“You mean the inheritance?””
“Yes.””
My chest tightened.
“I thought if people believed you were just another forgotten daughter, they would leave you alone.””
“And you thought hurting me was the solution?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I thought it was.””
The honesty hurt.
But it was better than another lie.
Daniel stepped closer.
“You should have trusted her.””
Victoria looked at him.
“I was afraid.””
“I know.””
“No, you don’t.””
Her voice cracked.
“I lost you once. I couldn’t lose Samantha too.””
The room became quiet.
For the first time, I saw my mother as a person.
Not just the woman who ignored me.
Not just the woman who chose my sisters.
A person who had made terrible choices because she was scared.
But fear didn’t erase pain.
I still carried those years.
A sound suddenly came from outside.
A loud crash.
Everyone turned.
The guards rushed toward the entrance.
Alexander immediately moved in front of me.
“What happened?””
A guard entered.
“Someone broke through the security gate.””
Victoria’s face went pale.
“Who?””
The guard hesitated.
Then handed her a phone.
“There was a message.””
Victoria took it.
She read it.
Then dropped the phone.
“What does it say?”” Daniel asked.
She didn’t respond.
I picked up the phone.
The message was simple.
*You should have buried the past, Daniel.*
Below it was another line.
*Now your daughter will pay for your mistake.*
My stomach dropped.
Alexander immediately looked at the guards.
“No one leaves this house.””
I looked at him.
“You think they’re here?””
He nodded.
“Yes.””
The mansion suddenly felt smaller.
Every hallway.
Every shadow.
Every locked door.
Someone could be watching.
Then Daniel grabbed my arm gently.
“Samantha.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
“There is something you need to understand.””
“What?””
“The person who did this…”
He paused.
“He isn’t just after your inheritance.””
A cold feeling spread through me.
“What does he want?””
Daniel looked toward Victoria.
“He wants revenge.””
“For what?””
Daniel looked at me.
“For the fact that you survived.””
The words terrified me.
Before I could ask more, a scream came from upstairs.
Everyone froze.
Olivia.
We ran.
The hallway was chaos.
Charlotte stood outside their room, crying.
“Something happened!””
Alexander pushed open the door.
Inside, Olivia was standing near the window.
Her face was pale.
“What happened?”” Victoria demanded.
Olivia pointed at the bed.
On top of the blanket was an old photograph.
Everyone became silent.
It showed three people.
Daniel.
Victoria.
And a young girl.
Me.
But there was something written across the photograph.
A message.
*The first daughter was never the mistake.*
I looked at Victoria.
She looked horrified.
Because she knew what it meant.
“What does that mean?”” Charlotte whispered.
Nobody answered.
Then Daniel slowly said:
“There’s something else you don’t know.””
I turned toward him.
“What?””
He looked at Olivia and Charlotte.
Then at me.
“Your sisters were never the reason Samantha was pushed away.””
The room went silent.
“Then why?””
Daniel looked at the photograph.
“Because Samantha was the only child who knew the truth.””
I froze.
“I was a baby.””
Daniel shook his head.
“No.””
He stepped closer.
“You were three years old.””
My breath stopped.
May you like
“I don’t remember.””
“That’s because someone made sure you wouldn’t.””
