Chapter 14 - The Night Sophia Died
Patricia told the story slowly.
Thirty years earlier, Sophia had discovered the hidden estate documents.
She wanted to expose their father.
She told Patricia.
Patricia panicked.
George had threatened her.
He said if Sophia went to the authorities, Daniel's father would be arrested too.
Patricia believed him.
So she gave George Sophia's location.
"I thought he wanted to talk to her."
Emily stared.
"But he didn't."
Patricia shook her head.
"He wanted the documents."
"What happened?"
"Sophia refused."
Patricia's voice broke.
"George attacked her."
Emily closed her eyes.
"How did she survive?"
"She didn't."
Silence.
"Then what about me?"
Patricia looked at her.
"You were there."
Emily's eyes opened.
"What?"
"You were a baby."
Patricia nodded.
"Sophia had hidden you."
"Where?"
"With your father."
Emily couldn't speak.
Patricia continued.
"Your father took you and disappeared."
"Why did everyone think I was dead?"
"Because George was looking for you."
Daniel whispered:
"And Emily's father changed her identity."
"Yes."
Emily looked at Victor.
"Then why did you help George?"
Victor sighed.
"I didn't."
"Then why did you disappear?"
"Because your grandfather threatened my family."
Emily stared.
Everyone had been trapped.
Everyone had been afraid.
But none of that erased what had happened.
Emily walked to the window.
She stared outside.
For thirty years, she had believed her life began with her father's love.
Now she knew it had begun with someone else's sacrifice.
She turned.
"What happened to Sophia's documents?"
Victor stood.
"Your father kept them."
"Where?"
Victor smiled faintly.
"Where no one would ever look."
Emily frowned.
"Where?"
Victor pointed toward her.
"With you."
Emily froze.
"What?"
"Your father never hid the evidence in a building."
He tapped his chest.
"He hid it inside your inheritance."
Emily's mind raced.
The trust.
The foundation.
The twelve properties.
The assets.
She suddenly understood.
"The properties aren't just valuable."
Victor nodded.
"They are evidence."
Daniel stepped forward.
"Evidence of what?"
"Who originally owned the land."
Emily opened the trust documents.
A hidden code appeared.
Numbers.
Dates.
Coordinates.
She looked at Victor.
"What is this?"
"The original map."
Emily's heart raced.
"Of what?"
"The real Whitmore estate."
Daniel stared.
"How large?"
Victor smiled.
"Large enough to make everyone in this city afraid."
Suddenly, Victor's phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed.
He ended the call.
"What?"
Victor looked at Emily.
"They found us."
"Who?"
"George."
Emily's eyes widened.
Victor shook his head.
"He's not the only one."
The windows shattered.
Gunfire erupted.
Daniel pulled Emily down.
Patricia screamed.
Victor fell to the floor.
Emily crawled toward him.
"Victor!"
He was bleeding.
He grabbed her wrist.
"Go."
"No."
"Take the documents."
Emily grabbed them.
Daniel pulled her toward the back door.
They ran.
Behind them, the office burned.
And on the sidewalk across the street...
a black car waited.
Inside sat George.
Beside him sat someone Emily recognized.
Patricia's closest friend.
Caroline.
Daniel's sister.
Emily stared in disbelief.
May you like
Caroline smiled.
Then the car disappeared into traffic.
