Chapter 5: The Enemy Inside My Own Family

I spent the entire night staring at that photograph.

My father.

Standing beside Victoria Harrington.

Both of them looking serious.

Both of them hiding something.

The next morning, I confronted him.

“Who is she?””

My father looked at the photo.

For the first time in my life, I saw hesitation in his eyes.

“Where did you get this?””

“That’s not an answer.””

He sat down slowly.

“There are things I wanted to protect you from.””

I felt my heart sink.

“Like Ethan protected me?””

His face tightened.

“No.””

“Then tell me.””

Silence filled the room.

Finally, my father said:

“Years ago, before you ever met Ethan, the Harrington family tried to destroy us.””

I listened.

“But your mother and I stopped them.””

“Then why were you standing with Victoria?””

My father looked away.

“Because she came to me.””

“Why?””

His answer froze me.

“Because she knew the truth about Ethan’s birth.””

I stared at him.

“What?””

My father opened a drawer and removed another folder.

“I didn’t want you involved.””

Inside were old records.

Names.

Dates.

Documents.

A secret hidden for decades.

My hands trembled.

“What am I looking at?””

My father whispered:

“The Harrington family built their empire on a lie.””

Before I could ask another question, my phone rang.

It was Ethan.

I almost ignored it.

But something in me told me to answer.

His voice was shaking.

“Your father was right about one thing.””

“What?””

“My family is hiding something.””

I stood still.

“What are you talking about?””

A long pause.

Then Ethan whispered:

“They never wanted you because of your father’s business.””

My grip tightened around the phone.

“Then why?””

His next words changed everything.

“They wanted you because your mother left behind something that belonged to the Harrington family.””

The call suddenly ended.

And on my father’s desk, beneath the old documents, I noticed one name written across a page.

My mother’s name.

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