Chapter 6: The Father Who Never Knew
The name sat on the page like a ghost.
*Daniel Cross.*
Emma stared at it.
She waited for recognition.
For a memory.
For something inside her to say, Yes. I know him.
But nothing came.
Only confusion.
Only fear.
"Who is Daniel Cross?""
Her voice sounded distant.
Nobody answered.
Adrian was still staring at the DNA report.
His face had changed.
Not anger.
Not disbelief.
Something deeper.
Like the foundation beneath his entire life had cracked.
Victoria slowly closed the folder.
"Daniel was the man you loved before Adrian.""
Emma looked at her.
"No.""
Victoria's expression softened.
"You don't remember.""
"I would remember loving someone.""
"You remember what you were allowed to remember.""
The words sent a chill through her.
Adrian finally moved.
He picked up the DNA report.
His hands were steady.
But his eyes weren't.
"This is fake.""
Victoria looked at him.
"You know it isn't.""
"You made this.""
"I did not.""
"You lied to me for five years.""
"And you think I would create a lie that would destroy my own son?""
Adrian looked away.
Emma watched him.
The man who seemed impossible to break was suddenly standing in the middle of a storm.
"I need the truth.""
Victoria nodded.
"Then you need to know everything.""
Emma crossed her arms.
"Start with Daniel.""
Victoria took a slow breath.
"Daniel Cross was a journalist.""
The name meant nothing.
But the way she said it did.
"He was investigating the Vale family.""
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"What?""
Victoria continued.
"He discovered things about my company.""
Emma looked at Adrian.
"Your family was involved in something?""
Adrian didn't answer.
Victoria did.
"Not Adrian.""
A pause.
"But his father was.""
The room grew heavier.
"Daniel found evidence of illegal financial dealings. He planned to expose it.""
Emma frowned.
"And me?""
Victoria looked at her.
"You met him because you were helping him.""
The memory came suddenly.
A coffee shop.
A man with dark hair.
A notebook.
A voice saying:
"You deserve to know the truth.""
Emma grabbed the edge of the table.
"I...""
Adrian noticed.
"What?""
She closed her eyes.
"I remember.""
Everyone went still.
Victoria stepped closer.
"What do you remember?""
Emma pressed her fingers against her forehead.
"A man.""
Her voice shook.
"He was always writing.""
Daniel.
The name finally had a face.
"He told me someone was hiding something.""
Adrian looked at her carefully.
"Did he tell you about me?""
"No.""
Emma opened her eyes.
"He told me about your family.""
Victoria's expression changed.
"Exactly.""
Emma looked between them.
"Why don't I remember him?""
Nobody spoke.
And that silence told her everything.
Something had happened.
Something big.
Victoria answered quietly.
"Because Daniel died.""
Emma froze.
"What?""
"He was killed two days before Leo was born.""
The room went silent.
A terrible silence.
Emma shook her head.
"No.""
Victoria looked at her.
"Yes.""
"No.""
Her voice became smaller.
"I would remember that.""
"You don't.""
"Why?""
Victoria didn't answer immediately.
Then:
"Because you were there.""
Emma felt the air leave her lungs.
"What?""
Adrian looked at his mother.
"Stop.""
But Victoria continued.
"You were there when Daniel died.""
Emma backed away.
"No.""
"You witnessed it.""
"No.""
"You were found unconscious afterward.""
Emma's hands started shaking.
The room blurred.
A street.
Rain.
A car door.
Someone shouting.
A flash of headlights.
Then nothing.
"I don't...""
Victoria stepped closer.
"You lost your memory because of the trauma.""
Emma looked at Adrian.
"Did you know?""
He looked devastated.
"No.""
The answer came instantly.
"I swear.""
"Then how did you raise Leo?""
Adrian looked down.
"Because when Daniel died, Leo was still unborn.""
Emma stared.
"Then why did the hospital list you?""
Adrian swallowed.
"Because Daniel named me.""
The words shocked her.
"What?""
"He knew he was in danger.""
Adrian looked at the DNA report.
"Daniel and I were friends.""
Emma stared.
"You knew him?""
"Yes.""
"Then why didn't you tell me?""
Adrian looked at her.
"Because I didn't know you.""
The answer hurt.
But it made sense.
"After Daniel died, my mother told me the baby was mine.""
Emma looked at Victoria.
"And you believed her?""
"I wanted to.""
Adrian's voice broke slightly.
"I had lost my friend. Then I found out he had a child. A child who needed someone.""
His eyes moved toward the stairs where Leo had gone.
"I loved him from the moment I held him.""
Emma's expression softened despite herself.
"But you weren't his father.""
"No.""
Adrian looked at her.
"But I was the only father he knew.""
The honesty hurt.
Because it was true.
Emma looked away.
The impossible situation became painfully clear.
There was no villain in front of her.
Not completely.
There was just a group of people destroyed by someone else's choices.
Then she looked at Victoria.
"You said someone wanted to hide Daniel.""
Victoria nodded.
"Yes.""
"Who?""
Victoria's face became serious.
"I don't know.""
Emma stared.
"You don't know?""
"I know they were powerful.""
"How?""
"Because they erased records.""
Victoria walked to the window.
"They changed hospital files. They moved people. They created a false story.""
Adrian frowned.
"Why?""
Victoria looked back.
"Because Daniel had evidence.""
Emma felt a cold wave move through her.
"The evidence about your family.""
Victoria nodded.
"Yes.""
Adrian looked disturbed.
"Mother.""
"I told you.""
"What?""
"Your father wasn't the only person involved.""
The room went silent.
Emma looked at Adrian.
"You knew your family had secrets?""
He looked away.
"Some.""
"Some?""
Adrian closed his eyes.
"I was young.""
"So everyone just lied?""
Nobody answered.
Because everyone had.
A sound interrupted them.
A small voice.
"Mom?""
Emma turned.
Leo stood at the top of the stairs.
Her heart immediately softened.
"Hey.""
He looked scared.
"Are you leaving?""
The question destroyed her.
"No.""
She walked toward him.
"I’m not leaving.""
"Promise?""
Emma stopped.
Because promises had been broken around this child his entire life.
She couldn't make one carelessly.
So she said:
"I will do everything I can to stay.""
Leo seemed to accept that.
He walked down slowly.
Then he looked at Adrian.
"Dad?""
Adrian turned.
"Yes?""
"Is that why Grandma was angry?""
Everyone froze.
Adrian frowned.
"What do you mean?""
Leo looked at the floor.
"She said if people found out about my real dad, everything would be ruined.""
Emma's blood ran cold.
Adrian stepped closer.
"When did she say that?""
Leo shrugged.
"A long time ago.""
"How long?""
The boy thought.
"Before my birthday.""
Emma looked at Adrian.
"Which birthday?""
Leo answered quietly.
"My fifth.""
A year ago.
Victoria had known.
She had known for a year.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
Leo looked frightened.
"Because Grandma said bad things happen when people know the truth.""
Emma knelt beside him.
"Leo, listen to me.""
He looked at her.
"Secrets hurt people.""
She glanced at Adrian.
"They make people afraid.""
Leo nodded.
Then he whispered:
"Grandma had another secret.""
Adrian went still.
"What secret?""
Leo reached into his pocket.
Slowly.
Carefully.
He pulled out a small folded piece of paper.
"I found this in her room.""
Victoria's face changed.
"What?""
Leo handed it to Emma.
Emma opened it.
Inside was a handwritten note.
Only one sentence.
Her blood ran cold.
Because she recognized the handwriting.
Not Victoria's.
Not Adrian's.
Hers.
*Emma, if you're reading this, it means I failed to keep you safe. Don't trust anyone in the Vale family. Not even the man who raised our son.*
Emma looked up slowly.
Adrian saw the note.
His face went pale.
Because the handwriting belonged to Emma.
But the words...
May you like
Were written five years ago.
And Emma had no memory of writing them.
