Chapter 3 - THE WOMAN WHO MARRIED INTO THE FAMILY FOR A REASONDaniel watched the video again.
And again.
And again.
Each time, he hoped he had misunderstood.
That David was exaggerating.
That Sarah was innocent.
That there was another explanation.
But every time the same thing happened.
The same fear in his son’s eyes.
The same sentence.
“She isn’t who she says she is.”
Those words destroyed the last piece of trust Daniel had left.
Because David was not someone who accused people easily.
His son believed in giving people chances.
Even when they didn’t deserve them.
So if David had recorded that message…
it meant he was already desperate.
The detective entered the room.
His name was Marcus Hill.
He placed a folder on the table.
“Mr. Carter.”
Daniel looked up.
“What did you find?”
Marcus opened the file.
“Your son’s death was not caused by natural heart failure.”
Daniel felt his chest tighten.
“Then what caused it?”
The detective hesitated.
“A substance was found in his system.”
Daniel stared.
“What kind?”
“A sedative.”
Silence.
“He was given something that affected his heart.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
The funeral.
The coffin.
The flowers.
The speeches.
All of it.
A lie.
Someone had tried to turn his son’s murder into a tragedy.
And someone almost succeeded.
“Who had access to him?”
Daniel asked.
Marcus looked at the file.
“Three people.”
“Who?”
“His wife, Sarah.”
Daniel already knew.
“The family doctor, Thomas Reed.”
He frowned.
“And?”
Marcus looked directly at him.
“Your business partner.”
Daniel froze.
“My business partner?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
The detective placed another document down.
Victor Lang.
Daniel stared.
Victor had been his closest friend for fifteen years.
The man who helped build his company.
The man who stood beside him when David was born.
The man who cried at the funeral.
Another person pretending.
Daniel leaned back.
The pain inside him changed.
At first, it was grief.
Then confusion.
Now…
it was anger.
A cold, controlled anger.
The kind that made him stop trusting emotions.
Because emotions had almost destroyed him.
That evening, Daniel returned home.
Sarah was waiting.
The same house.
The same furniture.
The same place where she had pretended to be a grieving wife.
She looked exhausted.
“Daniel…”
He did not answer.
She stepped closer.
“I know this looks bad.”
He smiled slightly.
“Does it?”
She stopped.
“You think I hurt David.”
Daniel looked at her.
“I think you know more than you told me.”
Sarah’s eyes filled with tears.
“I loved him.”
Daniel stared.
“Then why did he record a video saying he was afraid of you?”
Her face changed.
Only for a second.
But Daniel saw it.
Fear.
Sarah sat down.
“I can explain.”
Daniel almost laughed.
Everyone had an explanation.
Everyone except David.
David was dead.
He could not defend himself.
“I’m listening.”
Sarah looked down.
Then whispered:
“David found something.”
“What?”
“He found information about my family.”
Daniel frowned.
“Your family?”
Sarah nodded.
“My father had financial problems.”
“How bad?”
She looked away.
“Millions.”
Daniel understood.
A motive.
But not enough.
“What does that have to do with David?”
Sarah’s voice became smaller.
“David discovered my father was connected to Victor.”
Daniel froze.
“What?”
Sarah continued:
“They were planning something.”
“Planning what?”
She looked at him.
“To take control of Carter Industries.”
Daniel said nothing.
Because suddenly everything connected.
David’s death.
The missing money.
Victor.
Sarah.
The doctor.
It was not one crime.
It was a plan.
A family plan.
But Sarah was not finished.
“There is something else.”
Daniel looked at her.
“What?”
She whispered:
“My father is not dead.”
The room became silent.
Daniel stared.
“Your father died five years ago.”
“That’s what everyone thinks.”
A cold feeling moved through him.
“Who is he?”
Sarah looked terrified.
“Richard Vale.”
Daniel froze.
Because he knew that name.
Everyone in the business world knew that name.
Richard Vale.
The man who lost everything after a massive financial scandal.
The man who blamed Daniel’s company.
The man who disappeared.
Daniel stood.
“Sarah.”
She looked at him.
“Did you marry David because of my family?”
Tears filled her eyes.
And she did not answer.
That was the answer.
The next morning, Daniel made his first move.
He froze all company accounts connected to Victor.
He removed him from every board meeting.
He contacted investigators.
And he did something nobody expected.
He announced publicly:
“I know who tried to kill my son.”
The media exploded.
Everyone wanted answers.
Especially Sarah.
Because Daniel had not accused her.
Not yet.
He wanted something bigger.
He wanted everyone involved.
That night, Daniel received a package.
No sender.
Inside was a notebook.
David’s handwriting.
The first page contained one sentence:
Dad, if you found this, I failed. But don’t trust Sarah. She is not the person I feared most.
Daniel turned the page.
And froze.
The next name written there was:
VICTOR LANG.
Then another:
GRANDPA.
Daniel stopped.
Because David had written one final warning:
The person controlling them all is someone inside our family.
Daniel closed the notebook.
Because now he understood.
Sarah was not the end of the mystery.
Victor was not the end.
They were only pieces.
Someone else was moving them.
And Daniel was about to find out who.
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Mình sẽ viết tiếp liền mạch CHAPTER 4 → CHAPTER 10, giữ đúng hướng trả thù gia đình mạnh, nhiều cú twist, nhịp nhanh, lật mặt liên tục.
Vì giới hạn độ dài mỗi tin nhắn, mình sẽ chia thành nhiều phần liên tiếp cho tới hết Chapter 10, không hỏi lại giữa chừng.
