Chapter 10: The Truth Chloe Never Told Me
The phone felt heavier than it should have.
A small piece of glass and metal.
Yet somehow it carried the weight of my entire life.
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
Everyone waited for me to speak.
But I couldn’t.
Because the voice on the other end belonged to the man who had been hiding behind every secret.
Richard Vale.
The man who had been watching.
Manipulating.
Waiting.
“Why are you calling me?”” I asked.
My voice sounded calmer than I felt.
Richard laughed softly.
“Because you deserve to know the truth.””
I looked around the room.
At Daniel.
At Chloe.
At my mother.
At the people who had all kept pieces of my life from me.
“Funny,” I said.
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
“Because everyone has been lying to you.””
My eyes moved to Chloe.
She looked down.
Richard continued.
“Your sister knows more than she admitted.””
Chloe’s face changed.
“Don’t listen to him.””
Richard laughed.
“There she is.””
The way he said it made my stomach turn.
Like he knew her.
Like he had been watching her for years.
“Chloe,” I whispered.
She looked at me.
“Is he telling the truth?””
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
That silence hurt.
More than any answer.
“Chloe.””
Her eyes filled.
“Yes.””
Everyone froze.
Daniel stared at her.
“What do you mean, yes?””
She ignored him.
“I knew about Richard.””
My heart sank.
“How?””
She looked toward the window.
“Because he found me first.””
The room became silent.
“Found you?””
Chloe nodded slowly.
“Six months ago.””
I felt cold.
“Six months?””
“Yes.””
“What did he want?””
She swallowed.
“Information.””
“About what?””
“You.””
The answer felt like a punch.
“Me?””
“Yes.””
I stepped back.
“Why?””
“Because Richard knew you were getting married.””
I looked at Daniel.
Then back at her.
“And you didn’t tell me?””
Her tears fell.
“I tried.””
“When?””
“Many times.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
My voice cracked.
“No, you didn’t.””
She looked at me.
“I did.””
“Then why did you destroy my dress?””
She closed her eyes.
“Because I needed to stop the wedding.””
The words echoed.
Everyone stared.
“I didn’t know how else.””
I laughed bitterly.
“You could have told me.””
“I tried.””
“When?””
Her voice broke.
“The first time I told you Daniel was acting strange.””
I remembered.
Three months earlier.
Chloe had casually mentioned that Daniel seemed distant.
I had accused her of being jealous.
The memory hurt.
“The second time I tried,” she continued, “you told me I was trying to ruin your happiness.””
I looked away.
Because she was right.
But she wasn’t innocent.
“You still lied.””
“Yes.””
“You still met Daniel.””
“Yes.””
“You still hurt me.””
“Yes.””
She wiped her face.
“I know.””
Richard’s voice interrupted.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?””
Everyone turned toward the phone.
“What?”” I asked.
“Watching people destroy each other while I barely have to do anything.””
My grip tightened.
“You manipulated Chloe.””
“I gave her a choice.””
“No.””
I looked at Chloe.
“She was vulnerable.””
Richard laughed.
“Everyone is vulnerable. You just have to find the right wound.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“Why are you doing this?””
Richard went quiet.
Then:
“Because your father took something from me.””
Daniel frowned.
“My father?””
“Yes.””
I looked at Daniel.
Richard continued.
“Your father betrayed me.””
My mother shook her head.
“That’s a lie.””
Richard ignored her.
“Your father and Emma’s father destroyed my reputation.””
“You ruined their lives,” my mother said.
A pause.
Then Richard laughed.
“You still believe that story?””
My stomach tightened.
“What story?””
Richard answered:
“The story your father wanted you to believe.””
I looked at the old photograph.
The three men.
The business.
The secrets.
“What are you saying?””
“I’m saying your father wasn’t innocent.””
My mother stood.
“Don’t.””
But Richard continued.
“Emma, your father made choices that hurt people.””
I looked at my mother.
She looked terrified.
“Mom?””
She didn’t answer.
That was enough.
“There’s more,” Richard said.
My heart pounded.
“What?””
“The letters Daniel wrote you.””
Daniel looked up.
“What about them?””
Richard’s voice became colder.
“They weren’t the only letters hidden from you.””
My blood froze.
“What does that mean?””
“It means someone else was writing to you too.””
The room went silent.
“Who?””
Richard laughed.
“Your real father.””
I frowned.
“My real father?””
My mother covered her mouth.
“No.””
I turned.
“What does he mean?””
Nobody answered.
Then Chloe whispered:
“Emma…”
Her voice shook.
“There’s something you don’t know.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
She stepped closer.
“Your father wasn’t the man you thought he was.””
The room blurred.
I couldn’t understand.
My entire life was becoming a stranger.
Richard spoke again.
“Come to the old Vale warehouse.””
My mother immediately said:
“No.””
Richard ignored her.
“Come alone.””
I stared at the phone.
“Why?””
“Because if you don’t…”
A pause.
“You’ll never know who you really are.””
The call ended.
I stood there frozen.
Then Daniel spoke.
“You’re not going.””
I looked at him.
“You don’t get to decide that.””
“I’m trying to protect you.””
The words almost made me laugh.
“Protect me?””
“Yes.””
“Like you protected me when you kissed my sister?””
His face fell.
No answer.
I turned toward Chloe.
For the first time all day, I didn’t see my enemy.
I saw someone who had been drowning too.
But I still couldn’t forgive her.
Not yet.
I looked at the address Richard had sent.
The old warehouse.
The place where everything began.
May you like
And somehow…
I knew that was where everything would end.