Chapter 12 - The Person Behind the Trust
Daniel arrived at Emma's office at noon.
Security tried to stop him.
Emma allowed him inside.
He entered alone.
He looked exhausted.
"I know."
Emma remained seated.
"Know what?"
"About the trust."
Emma said nothing.
Daniel looked at her.
"I didn't know about everything."
"But you knew enough."
He sat.
"My father told me there was an arrangement."
"When?"
"Before he died."
Emma stared at him.
"What arrangement?"
"That our marriage would protect both families."
Emma's expression hardened.
"That isn't an answer."
Daniel looked down.
"I was supposed to keep the family stable."
"By marrying me?"
"I loved you."
Emma's eyes narrowed.
"Did you?"
Daniel looked at her.
"Yes."
She waited.
He continued.
"At first, I didn't understand why my father wanted me to get close to you."
Emma's breath caught.
"At first?"
Daniel nodded.
"Then I met you."
His voice became quiet.
"And everything changed."
Emma looked away.
She didn't want sympathy.
She wanted truth.
"Why did you keep the debt secret?"
"Because Mom told me."
"Why?"
"She said if you knew, you'd leave."
Emma laughed bitterly.
"She was right."
Daniel flinched.
"There's more."
"There always is."
Daniel reached into his jacket.
He placed a small envelope on the table.
"My father left this for you."
Emma stared at it.
"Why didn't you give it to me?"
"Because Mom told me never to."
Emma opened it.
Inside was one sentence.
The person who controls the trust is not the beneficiary.
Emma looked up.
Daniel whispered:
"I don't know what it means."
Emma looked at the handwriting.
It wasn't Richard's.
It was her father's.
Then another page slipped from the envelope.
Emma picked it up.
Her face changed.
Daniel asked:
"What?"
She didn't answer.
The page contained a photograph.
Emma.
Daniel.
Vivian.
And another woman.
Emma stared at the woman.
She recognized her.
She had seen her once.
At her wedding.
Standing far in the background.
The woman from the phone call.
Daniel looked at the photograph.
"Who is that?"
Emma whispered:
"I don't know."
May you like
The woman had been holding a child.
A child who looked remarkably like Daniel.
