Chapter 4: The Man My Family Feared
My father’s name had not been spoken in my life for almost five years.
Not because he was gone.
Not because he was dead.
Because he was a subject everyone avoided.
My mother avoided him.
I avoided him.
Even Daniel, who knew almost nothing about my family, had noticed the way my voice changed whenever someone mentioned him.
Richard Vale was the kind of man who entered a room and made people straighten their backs.
He never needed to raise his voice.
He had built his entire life around control.
Control over businesses.
Control over people.
Control over his image.
And according to Marcus, he had tried to control my future too.
I stared at Marcus.
“You’re saying my father knew about you?””
Marcus didn’t answer immediately.
That bothered me.
Because Marcus had always been careful with his words.
Even when we were together, he would rather stay silent than say something he couldn’t prove.
“Yes,” he finally said.
My fingers tightened around the letter.
“How?””
Marcus walked toward the window of the conference room.
The city stretched below us.
Thousands of people moving through their ordinary lives.
Not knowing mine had just cracked open.
“Your father invested in companies across the country,” Marcus said.
“Four years ago, Carter Dynamics was still growing. We weren’t public. We weren’t famous.””
I looked at him.
“But my father knew?””
Marcus nodded.
“He knew before most people did.””
“Why?””
Marcus looked back at me.
“Because he wanted to buy us.””
I frowned.
“Buy you?””
“Yes.””
“That doesn’t make sense.””
“It does if you understand your father.””
The words irritated me.
Because they sounded too familiar.
Everyone always talked about my father like he was a storm.
Something powerful.
Something dangerous.
But he was still my father.
The man who taught me how to ride a bike.
The man who carried me home when I fell asleep during fireworks.
The man who smiled proudly when I graduated.
I didn’t want Marcus to turn him into a villain.
“You don’t know him.””
Marcus looked at me quietly.
“I knew him better than you think.””
The sentence made my stomach tighten.
“What does that mean?””
Marcus didn’t respond.
And that silence told me there was more.
I stepped closer.
“Marcus.””
He looked at me.
“Your father didn’t like that I wouldn’t sell.””
“Why?””
“Because he was used to people accepting his offers.””
“And you didn’t?””
“No.””
A strange feeling moved through me.
I remembered Marcus.
The same stubborn man who refused to replace his old car.
The same man who argued with restaurant owners when they charged him incorrectly.
The same man who would rather struggle than compromise something he believed in.
“So what happened?””
Marcus looked down.
“Your father found out we were together.””
The room felt colder.
“And?””
“He asked me to leave you.””
I laughed once.
Not because it was funny.
Because it was unbelievable.
“My father told you to break up with me?””
“Yes.””
“And you listened?””
Marcus’ jaw tightened.
“No.””
The answer surprised me.
“Then why did I lose you?””
He looked away.
“Because your father found another way.””
My phone suddenly vibrated.
I looked down.
A message.
Unknown number.
My blood ran cold.
*Stop digging into things you don’t understand.*
I showed Marcus.
His expression changed instantly.
“Delete it.””
“What?””
“Delete it.””
“Why?””
“Because whoever sent that wants you scared.””
I stared at the message.
“And you think I should just ignore it?””
“No.””
Marcus took a breath.
“I think you need to understand what you’re dealing with.””
For the first time, I saw something I had never seen before.
Fear.
Not for himself.
For me.
“Tell me everything.””
Marcus was quiet for a long moment.
Then he nodded.
“Four years ago, your father didn’t just threaten me.””
He looked at the letter.
“He threatened Carter Dynamics.””
“How?””
“He had connections.””
“That’s vague.””
“It was enough.””
Marcus walked back toward the table.
“He told me if I didn’t disappear from your life, he would make sure my company never survived.””
I stared.
“But you built the company.””
“Yes.””
“So why would you care?””
Marcus looked at me.
“Because I knew what it meant to you.””
I blinked.
“What?””
“You wanted security.””
I looked away.
“You wanted a certain kind of life,” he continued.
“You wanted to know the person beside you could protect you.””
My throat tightened.
“And you thought leaving me would do that?””
“I thought losing me was better than watching you lose everything.””
I hated that part of me understood him.
I hated that after all these years, he still sounded like the man who used to put my needs before his own.
The door opened.
Daniel stepped inside.
His eyes moved between us.
“What’s happening?””
Neither of us answered.
Daniel looked at me.
“Vanessa, we need to talk.””
“About what?””
He hesitated.
“That message you got.””
I froze.
“How do you know about it?””
Daniel looked uncomfortable.
“I saw it.””
“You saw my phone?””
“No.””
His face tightened.
“Because I got one too.””
The room went silent.
Marcus immediately turned.
“What did it say?””
Daniel reached into his pocket and showed us.
One sentence.
*You should have chosen your partners more carefully, Mr. Brooks.*
Marcus’ expression darkened.
Daniel looked at him.
“Do you know who sent it?””
Marcus didn’t answer.
That was answer enough.
I looked between them.
“What aren’t you telling me?””
Marcus and Daniel exchanged a glance.
And suddenly I understood.
They both knew something.
Something I didn’t.
“Marcus.””
He sighed.
“I was hoping to avoid this.””
“Avoid what?””
He looked at me.
“The reason Daniel was invited to the gala.””
Daniel looked down.
My heart sank.
“What?””
Marcus spoke quietly.
“Daniel wasn’t invited because of his position.””
I looked at Daniel.
“Then why?””
Daniel closed his eyes.
“Vanessa…”
“Why?””
Marcus answered.
“Because your father wanted someone close to you.””
The silence afterward was unbearable.
I looked at Daniel.
“No.””
Daniel immediately stepped forward.
“It’s not what you think.””
“Then explain it.””
He opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
That was all I needed.
I stepped back.
“You knew.””
“Vanessa—”
“You knew.””
Daniel looked devastated.
“I didn’t know at first.””
“At first?””
Marcus picked up the folder from the table.
“We need to leave.””
I looked at him.
“Where?””
“Somewhere private.””
“Why?””
His phone rang again.
He looked at the screen.
Then answered.
“Hello?””
A voice came through.
Marcus listened.
Then his face went completely still.
“What happened?””
A pause.
May you like
Then Marcus looked at me.
“Your mother is in the hospital.””
