Chapter 7: The Person My Father Trusted
“Was someone inside your father’s company.””
Rachel’s words felt heavier than anything I had heard before.
Because Vanessa was one thing.
A stepmother who lied.
A person who manipulated.
A person who wanted control.
But someone inside my father’s company?
That meant someone had access.
Someone had helped.
Someone had watched.
My father looked at Rachel.
“Who?””
Rachel hesitated.
That hesitation scared me more than the answer.
“Rachel,” my father said.
“Who helped her?””
She looked down.
“I don’t know if I should say without proof.””
My father stepped closer.
“You came into my house. You told my daughter my wife has been lying for years. You showed us documents. You told us someone helped her.””
His voice lowered.
“Now tell us who.””
Rachel swallowed.
“The person’s name is Marcus Reed.””
I watched my father’s expression change.
Not confusion.
Recognition.
“No.””
The word came out quietly.
Rachel nodded.
“Yes.””
My father took a step back.
“Marcus has worked for me for twelve years.””
“I know.””
“He’s my financial director.””
“I know.””
“He handles company accounts.””
Rachel didn’t answer.
She didn’t have to.
My father already understood.
I looked between them.
“What does that mean?””
Nobody spoke.
“Dad?””
He looked at me.
“It means he had access to things he shouldn’t have.””
My stomach tightened.
“The bank transfer?””
My father’s eyes moved toward the papers on the desk.
“Possibly.””
“The documents?””
“Possibly.””
“The fake authorization?””
His silence answered.
I felt sick.
For years, my father had trusted the people closest to him.
His wife.
His employee.
The people he believed would protect his family.
And both had been taking pieces of our lives without us knowing.
My father called Marcus that afternoon.
Not angrily.
Not accusingly.
He asked him to come to the office.
I wanted to go with him.
He refused at first.
“Ava, you shouldn’t have to deal with this.””
I looked at him.
“I’ve already been dealing with this.””
That stopped him.
Because he knew I was right.
Finally, he nodded.
“You stay close to me.””
So we went together.
The company building was familiar.
I had visited many times as a child.
I remembered running through the lobby while my father laughed and told employees I was his “tiny boss.””
Back then, everyone smiled.
Everyone seemed safe.
Now every face looked different.
As we entered the office, employees greeted my father.
“Morning, Daniel.””
“Good to see you back.””
“Hope everything’s okay.””
My father smiled politely.
But I could tell his mind was somewhere else.
At the elevator, he leaned toward me.
“Whatever happens, stay calm.””
I nodded.
But inside, I was terrified.
Marcus was already waiting.
He stood when we entered.
A tall man in his fifties.
Gray suit.
Perfect tie.
Confident smile.
The kind of person who looked trustworthy immediately.
Which made me understand why my father trusted him.
“Daniel,” Marcus said.
“You sounded serious on the phone.””
My father closed the office door.
“I found some documents.””
Marcus looked at him.
“What kind?””
My father placed the authorization papers on the desk.
Marcus glanced down.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
A flicker.
Recognition.
“You know what these are,” my father said.
Marcus looked up.
“I’m not sure what you mean.””
“Don’t lie to me.””
The room went quiet.
Marcus slowly sat down.
“Daniel.””
“No.””
My father placed another document down.
“The bank transfer.””
Marcus’s face changed.
“What transfer?””
“The one made from my family account.””
Marcus sighed.
“I think you’re confused.””
My father laughed once.
Again, no humor.
“That’s exactly what Vanessa said.””
Marcus stopped.
I watched his expression carefully.
“You spoke to Vanessa,” my father said.
Marcus didn’t answer.
That was enough.
The confrontation became something I never expected.
Not shouting.
Not chaos.
Something colder.
A room full of people who knew the truth was coming out.
“How long?”” my father asked.
Marcus looked at him.
“How long what?””
“How long have you been helping her?””
Marcus leaned back.
“You’re making assumptions.””
“Am I?””
“Yes.””
My father walked toward the desk.
“I trusted you.””
Marcus’s expression softened.
“Daniel—”
“No.””
My father shook his head.
“I trusted you with my company.””
“I protected your company.””
“Did you?””
Marcus looked away.
Just for a moment.
And I saw guilt.
My father saw it too.
“What did Vanessa promise you?””
Marcus’s jaw tightened.
“She didn’t promise me anything.””
“Then why?””
Silence.
Finally, Marcus spoke.
“Because you don’t understand what Vanessa was trying to do.””
I stepped forward.
“Then explain.””
Marcus looked at me.
For a second, his expression almost looked sympathetic.
Then it disappeared.
“She believed you were making a mistake.””
My eyebrows pulled together.
“A mistake?””
“Leaving home. Going away. Changing everything.””
“That wasn’t her decision.””
Marcus looked at my father.
“She thought you were losing control of your family.””
My father stared at him.
“She wanted control.””
Marcus didn’t deny it.
My father placed his hands on the desk.
“What happened to the money?””
Marcus looked down.
“I can’t tell you.””
“Why?””
“Because I’m not the only person involved.””
The room went silent.
My heart started racing.
“What does that mean?””
Marcus looked at me.
“It means Vanessa had help.””
“From who?””
He didn’t answer.
My father stepped forward.
“Marcus.””
The man looked exhausted.
Like he had been carrying the secret too long.
“There was someone else.””
“Who?””
Marcus opened his mouth.
Then the office door suddenly opened.
A security guard stood there.
“Mr. Johnson?””
My father turned.
“What is it?””
The guard looked uncomfortable.
“We found someone trying to access your private files.””
My father froze.
“Who?””
The guard looked at a tablet.
“A woman.””
My heart dropped.
“Vanessa?””
The guard hesitated.
“No.””
That answer made everything worse.
“Who was it?””
The guard looked at me.
Then at my father.
“Your daughter.””
I felt the blood leave my face.
“What?””
My father looked confused.
“That’s impossible.””
The guard showed him the security footage.
A woman entering the building.
A woman using an employee badge.
A woman walking toward the private archive room.
My father stared at the screen.
Because he recognized her.
Not from the office.
Not from his company.
From our home.
From my childhood.
From every family event.
From every memory I thought was safe.
My father whispered:
“No…”
I looked at the screen.
The woman turned toward the camera.
And I saw her face.
My heart stopped.
It wasn’t Vanessa.
It wasn’t Rachel.
It was someone I had never expected.
Someone who had been mentioned only once.
Someone connected to my mother.
My father’s face went pale.
“Ava…”
I looked at him.
“Who is she?””
He didn’t answer immediately.
Then he whispered:
“That’s your mother’s sister.””
The room went silent.
My aunt.
The woman I never knew existed.
The woman my mother had warned about.
And on the security footage, she was standing in my father’s archive room.
Searching through files.
Searching for something.
My father grabbed his phone.
A new message had arrived.
From the same unknown number.
One sentence.
*You’re looking in the wrong direction.*
May you like
Then another message appeared.
*The person who destroyed your family is not the one you think.*
