Chapter 7: The Identity Hidden From Me
Nobody touched the keyboard.
Nobody moved toward the screen.
The email remained open.
A few simple words.
*You finally found the truth.*
And underneath:
*Now find out what Maya Reed really is.*
I stared at the message.
Not because it threatened me.
Because it sounded like the sender knew me.
Not the intern version.
Not the daughter searching for answers.
The real me.
A cold feeling moved through my chest.
“Who sent that?””
My voice was quiet.
Nobody answered.
Richard looked at the screen like he had seen a ghost.
Daniel looked worse.
Like he had been expecting this moment for years.
That terrified me more than anything.
“Dad.””
He looked at me.
“What?””
“You knew this would happen.””
His silence was enough.
I laughed once.
A painful sound.
“Of course you did.””
“Maya—”
“No.””
I stepped away.
“Everyone keeps telling me they’re protecting me.””
I looked around the room.
“My father.””
“Richard.””
“Elena.””
“Everyone.””
My eyes stopped on Daniel.
“But somehow every person who protects me also knows something about me that I don’t.””
Nobody argued.
Because they couldn’t.
Daniel lowered his head.
“You deserve the truth.””
I looked at him.
“I’ve been waiting seven years.””
He nodded.
“I know.””
“No.””
My voice cracked.
“You don’t know.””
I pointed toward the screen.
“You knew I was connected to this company.””
“Yes.””
“You knew I had ownership rights.””
“Yes.””
“You knew someone might come after me.””
“Yes.””
“Then why did you let me walk into Whitmore Global as an intern?””
Daniel closed his eyes.
Because he finally understood the question.
Not why he disappeared.
Not why he hid.
Why he let me step into danger.
“I didn’t.””
I froze.
“What?””
“I didn’t know you would come here.””
I stared at him.
“Then why did Elena have instructions?””
Silence.
That was Elena’s turn.
She stepped forward.
“Because I did.””
Everyone looked at her.
I felt my anger shift.
“You?””
Elena nodded.
“Your father asked me to watch over you.””
“Watch over me?””
“Yes.””
“By letting me work in the same building where people were trying to destroy him?””
Her face tightened.
“I didn’t know who was involved.””
“You’re lying.””
“No.””
Her answer was immediate.
“I knew there were dangerous people inside the company.””
She looked at Richard.
“I just didn’t know how far it went.””
I folded my arms.
“Then why let me continue?””
Elena looked at me.
“Because your father left one final instruction.””
“What?””
Her voice softened.
“He said if you ever discovered the truth on your own, you were ready.””
I almost smiled.
“That sounds exactly like him.””
Daniel looked away.
Because he knew it was true.
My father had always believed knowledge mattered.
Even when knowledge hurt.
Especially then.
The conference room door suddenly opened.
Marcus walked in quickly.
“We have a problem.””
Richard looked at him.
“What now?””
Marcus held up his phone.
“The merger documents have been leaked.””
Everyone froze.
“What?””
“The press has them.””
Richard grabbed the phone.
His eyes moved quickly.
“Impossible.””
Marcus shook his head.
“They were released twenty minutes ago.””
Daniel stepped closer.
“By who?””
Marcus hesitated.
“That’s the problem.””
He looked at me.
“They were released from your account.””
My stomach dropped.
“What?””
Marcus showed me the screen.
A file transfer.
My employee ID.
My login.
My name.
Maya Reed.
“No.””
I took the phone.
“That’s not possible.””
Richard looked at me carefully.
“Maya.””
“I didn’t send this.””
Nobody spoke.
And that silence hurt.
Because for a moment, I saw it.
The suspicion.
Even from people who claimed to trust me.
I placed the phone down.
“Someone used my credentials.””
Marcus nodded.
“That’s what it looks like.””
Daniel’s expression darkened.
“They’re framing her.””
Elena looked at the screen.
“No.””
Everyone turned.
“What?””
She pointed at the timestamp.
“This happened before tonight.””
I frowned.
“How?””
“Someone planned this before Maya stopped the merger.””
A chill moved through me.
This wasn’t a reaction.
It was preparation.
Someone knew I would find the documents.
Someone knew I would act.
Someone wanted me to look guilty.
Richard looked at me.
“Maya, we need to move.””
“Where?””
“Somewhere secure.””
I almost laughed.
“Secure?””
I looked around the room.
“The company that hid my father for seven years?””
Nobody responded.
Because I was right.
Richard took a breath.
“Then somewhere outside the company.””
Before I could answer, my phone rang.
Everyone looked at it.
Unknown number.
I picked up.
“Hello?””
Silence.
Then a voice.
A familiar voice.
A voice I hadn’t heard in years.
My breath stopped.
“Maya.””
I couldn’t speak.
Because I knew that voice.
But it was impossible.
“Who is this?””
A pause.
Then:
“You sound like your mother.””
My entire body went still.
Nobody in the room moved.
Because my mother was another missing piece of my life.
She died when I was young.
At least, that was what I was told.
“Who are you?””
The voice continued.
“I’m someone who knows why your father hid the truth.””
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“Where are you?””
A quiet laugh.
“You still ask questions the same way he did.””
“Answer me.””
The voice became serious.
“Maya, listen carefully.””
I waited.
“Do not trust Daniel Reed.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
“He didn’t disappear to protect you.””
I looked at my father.
His face had changed.
He knew the voice.
“You don’t know what he did.””
I stepped away.
“Who are you?””
The person on the phone ignored me.
“The company is not your inheritance.””
A pause.
“It’s your prison.””
The call ended.
I stared at the phone.
Nobody spoke.
Then Daniel quietly said:
“Who was it?””
I looked at him.
“You know.””
His expression changed.
Slowly.
Painfully.
“Yes.””
“Who?””
He looked at Richard.
Then Elena.
Then me.
And whispered:
“Your mother.””
The room disappeared.
I heard nothing.
Not the city.
Not the people.
Not even my own breathing.
“My mother is dead.””
Daniel looked destroyed.
“I thought she was.””
My voice became a whisper.
“What does that mean?””
He didn’t answer.
And that was the answer.
My entire life had been built on missing people.
My father disappeared.
My mother died.
My family was gone.
But now both of them were alive.
And both of them had secrets.
Elena walked toward the window.
“There is something you need to understand.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
She turned around.
“The person controlling Whitmore Global isn’t trying to take the company.””
She paused.
“They’re trying to take you.””
A notification appeared on my phone.
A new message.
From the same unknown number.
One sentence.
*Ask your father why he chose you over your mother.*
I looked at Daniel.
His face had gone completely pale.
Because he knew exactly what it meant.
May you like
And for the first time since he returned…
My father looked afraid of me finding the truth.
