Chapter 7: The Second Betrayal
The name on the photograph felt heavier than the paper itself.
Natalie Brooks.
I stared at it.
Then I looked at Daniel.
Then back at the photograph.
“No.””
The word escaped quietly.
Not because I didn’t believe it.
Because I wanted someone to tell me I was wrong.
Daniel looked like he wanted to speak.
But for the first time in eleven years, I saw something different in his eyes.
Not confidence.
Not control.
Fear.
“Claire…”
I lifted my hand.
“Don’t.””
My voice was calm.
Too calm.
Because inside, everything was breaking apart.
“Natalie was involved?””
Daniel looked away.
That was enough.
I turned toward Rebecca.
“How?””
Rebecca took a slow breath.
“She was an intern at Vantage Meridian when everything happened.””
My eyebrows tightened.
“Seven years ago?””
She nodded.
“She wasn’t the person she is now.””
I looked down at the photograph again.
The Natalie I knew was polished.
Professional.
Always perfectly dressed.
Always saying the right thing.
The woman who stood beside Daniel at the gala.
The woman who was carrying his child.
The woman who had looked at me with guilt in her eyes.
But apparently, guilt had not stopped her before.
“What did she do?””
Rebecca looked at Daniel.
“Ask him.””
I turned.
Daniel didn’t move.
“Daniel.””
He closed his eyes.
“She found me after the accident.””
My stomach tightened.
“After Rebecca fell?””
He nodded.
“Yes.””
“And?””
He swallowed.
“She helped me.””
The room went silent.
I almost laughed.
Because somehow, even after everything, part of me still expected an explanation that would make sense.
“She helped you?””
Daniel looked at me.
“She was scared.””
“So was Rebecca.””
His face changed.
I stepped closer.
“Everyone was scared except the person who was hurt.””
Daniel lowered his head.
“I made mistakes.””
I stared at him.
“Mistakes?””
My voice rose.
“You keep calling everything a mistake.””
The hospital room became quiet.
A nurse passing outside glanced in.
I didn’t care.
“You cheated on me. Mistake.””
“You hid a woman who was alive. Mistake.””
“You lied about your mother. Mistake.””
I held up the photograph.
“And now this?””
Daniel whispered:
“I was trying to survive.””
Rebecca looked away.
I saw the pain on her face.
That sentence had probably hurt her more than anything.
Because for seven years, Daniel had built his life on the idea that he was the victim.
I turned back to Rebecca.
“Why didn’t Natalie tell anyone?””
Rebecca answered quietly.
“Because Daniel convinced her she had no choice.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Rebecca looked at Daniel.
“You told her if she spoke, she would lose everything.””
Daniel said nothing.
“You told her she would be blamed too.””
Still nothing.
“You made her afraid.””
I looked at him.
“Is that true?””
Daniel’s silence was answer enough.
My phone suddenly vibrated.
Everyone looked.
The screen lit up.
Natalie.
For a second, nobody moved.
Then Daniel reached toward me.
“Don’t answer.””
I stared at him.
“Why?””
“Because she’s going to lie.””
The irony almost made me smile.
“Interesting.””
I held up the phone.
“You’re warning me about lies?””
The call continued.
I answered.
“Hello?””
There was silence.
Then Natalie’s voice.
“Claire.””
She sounded like she had been crying.
“I know where you are.””
My body went still.
“How?””
Another pause.
Then:
“Because Daniel called me.””
I looked at him.
His face changed.
“Natalie…”
She continued.
“Claire, please listen to me.””
I walked away from Daniel.
“I’m listening.””
“I know what you found.””
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“Then tell me.””
Her breathing was shaky.
“I didn’t know what Daniel had done.””
I closed my eyes.
Not this again.
Everyone was innocent.
Everyone was unaware.
Everyone had an excuse.
“How convenient.””
“Claire, please.””
“No.””
My voice became colder.
“You knew him seven years ago.””
Silence.
That was all I needed.
“You did, didn’t you?””
Natalie finally spoke.
“Yes.””
The answer hit harder than I expected.
“I was there.””
Rebecca looked at me.
I put the phone on speaker.
Natalie’s voice filled the room.
“I was twenty-three.””
Nobody spoke.
“I was an intern. Daniel was my supervisor.””
Daniel looked away.
“I thought he was brilliant.””
A bitter laugh escaped me.
“Everyone did.””
Natalie continued.
“He found out Rebecca had the files.””
Rebecca closed her eyes.
“And you helped him.””
The silence lasted several seconds.
Then Natalie whispered:
“Yes.””
The room froze.
Daniel turned.
“Natalie.””
She ignored him.
“I helped him delete some records.””
My heart sank.
“You covered up evidence?””
“I was scared.””
“Everyone says that.””
My voice cracked.
“You were scared, so you let someone else suffer?””
Natalie started crying.
“I didn’t know she would survive.””
The sentence made everyone silent.
I felt something cold move through me.
“You didn’t know she would survive?””
Natalie didn’t answer.
I looked at Daniel.
Then Rebecca.
The truth was becoming clearer.
This wasn’t one person’s betrayal.
It was a chain.
One person protecting another.
One lie creating another.
“Why now?”” I asked.
Natalie sniffed.
“Because Daniel was going to do it again.””
Daniel’s face changed.
“What?””
I looked at him.
“What does she mean?””
Natalie’s voice became urgent.
“Claire, you have to leave him.””
I almost laughed.
“Really?””
“I’m serious.””
“You’re telling me this now?””
“I know how it sounds.””
“Yes.””
“I know.””
She took a shaky breath.
“But Daniel isn’t leaving you because of me.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“He’s leaving you because he thinks you know too much.””
The room went silent.
Daniel stepped forward.
“That’s not true.””
Nobody believed him.
Not even him.
Natalie continued.
“Your divorce wasn’t about the baby.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
Daniel’s expression changed.
“Natalie, stop.””
She ignored him.
“He filed because he found out you were asking questions.””
I looked at Daniel.
“Questions?””
Rebecca looked at me.
“About what?””
I remembered.
The past few months.
Daniel coming home and asking strange questions.
My laptop.
My phone.
My conversations.
I thought he was suspicious of me.
I thought he was distant because of the affair.
But maybe…
He had been watching me.
“What questions?”” I whispered.
Natalie answered.
“About his mother.””
The room went silent.
“He knew you were looking into Evelyn.””
I shook my head.
“I wasn’t.””
“Not intentionally.””
Natalie’s voice dropped.
“But Evelyn left clues.””
My eyes moved toward Daniel.
He looked terrified.
“What clues?””
Natalie hesitated.
Then said:
“She left something in your house.””
I frowned.
“My house?””
“Yes.””
“What?””
A long pause.
Then:
“Behind the wall in Daniel’s office.””
Daniel immediately moved.
Too quickly.
Everyone noticed.
“What’s behind the wall?””
He didn’t answer.
I stepped in front of him.
“What’s behind the wall, Daniel?””
His face hardened.
“Claire, don’t do this.””
“Do what?””
“Dig into things you don’t understand.””
I stared at him.
“That’s what you’ve always said.””
A sound came from the hallway.
A doctor entered.
“Rebecca?””
Everyone turned.
The doctor looked concerned.
“We need to talk about the security footage from the night of the accident.””
Daniel froze.
“What security footage?””
The doctor looked at him.
“The footage that was recovered this morning.””
Nobody spoke.
Then the doctor continued.
“It shows someone else was at the scene.””
My heartbeat increased.
Rebecca looked at Daniel.
“I told you.””
The doctor glanced at his tablet.
“The police want to speak with everyone involved.””
Daniel took a step back.
“Everyone?””
The doctor nodded.
“Yes.””
A pause.
“Especially Natalie Brooks.””
I looked at the phone still in my hand.
The call was still connected.
Natalie heard everything.
Then her voice came through one final time.
“Claire…”
I put the phone closer.
“What?””
Her voice shook.
“The person in the footage…”
A pause.
“I wasn’t the only one who helped Daniel.””
My blood ran cold.
“Who else?””
Silence.
Then Natalie whispered:
“Your husband’s biggest supporter.””
I felt the room disappear.
Because I knew exactly who she meant.
The person who had defended Daniel from the beginning.
The person who had always said he deserved success.
The person who had welcomed me into the family.
May you like
Daniel’s father.
Richard Mercer.
