Chapter 8: The Betrayal I Never Saw Coming
I thought the courtroom was the end.
I was wrong.
It was only the beginning.
The judge reviewed the documents quietly.
Everyone waited.
Finally, he looked up.
“Mr. Carter, these documents indicate an ownership dispute involving your company.””
My lawyer immediately stood.
“Your Honor, we were unaware of any dispute.””
Neither was I.
“What ownership dispute?””
The judge looked at the papers.
“Someone is claiming partial ownership.””
My eyes moved toward Elise.
She wasn’t surprised.
That was when I knew.
She knew.
After court ended, I confronted her outside.
“What did you do?””
She adjusted her jacket.
“Careful.””
“No.””
My voice was low.
“You tried to take my daughter. Now you’re trying to take my company.””
She smiled sadly.
“You never understood me.””
I stared at her.
“I understood you perfectly.””
She walked closer.
“You think money is everything.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“I think trust is everything.””
For the first time, she looked hurt.
Then she whispered:
“You abandoned me first.””
And she walked away.
That night, Andrew came to my house.
He had a stack of documents.
“This is worse than we thought.””
I looked at him.
“How?””
He opened the file.
“Years ago, when you created the company, Elise signed some documents.””
I frowned.
“Employee documents?””
“No.””
He pointed.
“Spousal agreement.””
I read it.
My stomach dropped.
Hidden inside the paperwork was a clause.
A clause that gave Elise potential financial rights if the company increased significantly during the marriage.
I laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because it was unbelievable.
“She waited ten years?””
Andrew nodded.
“Looks like it.””
The next morning, I received a message.
From an unknown number.
*You need to stop fighting. You don’t know what Elise is capable of.*
I stared at the screen.
Then another message arrived.
*Ask her about the night Lily was born.*
I froze.
The night Lily was born.
What did that have to do with anything?
I called Elise.
She answered immediately.
“Hello?””
“Where were you the night Lily was born?””
Silence.
A long silence.
Then:
“Why are you asking?””
“Because someone told me I need to.””
Her voice changed.
“Who?””
“That doesn’t matter.””
“It matters.””
I closed my eyes.
“Elise, what happened that night?””
She didn’t answer.
Then she whispered:
“Mark…”
“What?””
“I never told you the truth about Lily.””
The world seemed to stop.
“What truth?””
Her breathing became shaky.
And then she said:
“She almost wasn’t ours.””
I couldn’t speak.
“What does that mean?””
Before she answered, the call ended.
I called back.
No answer.
I called again.
Nothing.
Then I received one final message.
Not from Elise.
May you like
From Daniel.
*You need to see the original birth records.*