Chapter 12: The Daughter Who Was Never Lost
Andre didn’t move.
Neither did I.
The warehouse suddenly felt too small.
Too quiet.
Derrick looked between us.
“You should tell him.””
Andre swallowed.
“Marcus…”
My voice was barely audible.
“Tell me what?””
Andre looked down.
That was when I knew.
Whatever came next would change everything.
“You knew.””
He closed his eyes.
“Yes.””
The word destroyed me.
I walked toward him.
“You knew?””
“Yes.””
“For how long?””
“Years.””
I felt numb.
“How many years?””
Andre didn’t answer.
“HOW MANY?””
“Eighteen.””
The anger came instantly.
I grabbed the edge of the table.
“You knew for eighteen years?””
“Yes.””
“And you let me believe—”
“I didn’t know how to tell you.””
“No.””
My voice broke.
“You didn’t want to.””
Andre looked at me.
“That’s not true.””
“Then what is true?””
He took a shaky breath.
“Jada is your daughter.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
“She’s yours.””
I stared.
“But Derrick said—”
“Derrick doesn’t know everything.””
The room went silent.
I looked at Derrick.
His expression changed.
A small sign of uncertainty.
Andre continued.
“When Camille was pregnant, there was confusion.””
“What confusion?””
“She and Derrick were together briefly.””
I looked away.
I didn’t want details.
“I know.””
Andre nodded.
“But when Jada was born, Camille already knew.””
“Knew what?””
“That you were her father.””
I frowned.
“Then why hide everything?””
“Because your mother threatened her.””
My stomach tightened.
“What?””
Andre looked at the wall of photographs.
“Your mother knew Camille had evidence against her.””
“What evidence?””
“Proof of the financial crimes.””
I felt dizzy.
“So my mother used Jada?””
Andre nodded.
“She threatened to expose Camille’s past if she told you anything.””
“And everyone just stayed silent?””
Andre looked at me.
“Yes.””
The answer was painful.
Because it was true.
Everyone had chosen silence.
Everyone had believed they were protecting someone.
And everyone had created a bigger wound.
Derrick stepped forward.
“I was lied to too.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
He laughed sadly.
“I spent eighteen years believing I lost my daughter.””
Andre looked at him.
“You never acted like a father.””
Derrick’s expression hardened.
“You don’t know what happened.””
“No.””
Andre stepped closer.
“But I know what you did after.””
The tension between them felt like a storm.
I raised my hand.
“Enough.””
Both men stopped.
I looked at Derrick.
“You said Jada wasn’t your daughter.””
“She isn’t.””
“Then why come back?””
He looked toward the floor.
“Because I found out the truth.””
“What truth?””
His voice softened.
“That she was never the thing I lost.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“She was the thing I was given a chance to know.””
For the first time, Derrick didn’t look like a villain.
He looked like a man who had spent years regretting his choices.
My phone rang.
Camille.
I answered.
“Marcus?””
Her voice was shaking.
“Where are you?””
“Warehouse 17.””
Silence.
Then:
“You found the files.””
“Yes.””
A long pause.
“Then you found the letter.””
“Yes.””
Another pause.
“Marcus, listen to me.””
“What?””
Her voice broke.
“I need you to know something before anyone else tells you.””
I waited.
“The accident wasn’t because of your company.””
I closed my eyes.
“Then what was it?””
She whispered:
“It was because of me.””
The world stopped again.
I couldn’t speak.
Derrick looked at me.
Andre looked at me.
“Camille,” I whispered.
“I never wanted you to find out this way.””
My heart pounded.
“What did you do?””
She cried softly.
“I was the one who asked Thomas to bring you to the warehouse.””
I froze.
“Why?””
“Because I was trying to save you.””
“That doesn’t make sense.””
“I thought I could fix everything.””
“Camille…”
Then she said the words I never expected.
“I knew someone was planning to kill you.””
Silence.
“And I knew exactly who.””
I gripped the phone.
“Who?””
Her answer came quietly.
The answer that changed everything.
“Your father’s killer.””
I looked around the warehouse.
At the photos.
The documents.
The secrets.
May you like
And then Camille whispered:
“Marcus… the person who tried to destroy our family has been living with us this entire time.””