Chapter 7: The Enemy Sitting at the Table
The words didn’t just shock me.
They changed the shape of everything.
“Someone inside your family.””
Daniel’s voice echoed through the courtyard.
Nobody moved.
Not even the security guards.
Because everyone understood what he meant.
The enemy wasn’t outside.
Not completely.
They had been close.
Close enough to know my habits.
Close enough to know my marriage.
Close enough to know my father’s secrets.
Close enough to sit beside me at dinner.
My eyes slowly moved across the people standing around me.
Eleanor.
Chloe.
Daniel.
People who had shared meals with me.
People who had smiled at me.
People who had told me I was lucky to be accepted into their family.
My father stepped forward.
“Name.””
Daniel looked at him.
“I don’t know.””
My father’s expression hardened.
“Then start explaining.””
Daniel nodded.
“When Blackridge contacted me, they didn’t tell me who hired them.””
“Of course they didn’t.””
“They said they were investigating a potential security risk.””
My father looked at me.
“And they used my daughter as the target.””
Daniel swallowed.
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Daniel looked down.
“Because someone believed Anna wasn’t who she claimed to be.””
A bitter laugh escaped me.
“I wasn’t who I claimed to be?””
I looked at Daniel.
“I never lied about who I was.””
His eyes filled with regret.
“I know.””
“No.””
My voice became sharper.
“You don’t.””
I stepped closer.
“You knew my father was rich. You knew my family had influence. You knew there were things about me you weren’t telling me.””
I touched my torn dress.
“And you still stood there while your family treated me like garbage.””
Daniel looked away.
Because he knew he had no defense.
My father turned back to him.
“You said someone inside my family hired Blackridge.””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
Daniel hesitated.
That hesitation made my heart sink.
Because hesitation meant he knew more.
“Daniel.””
He closed his eyes.
“Your uncle.””
The world went quiet.
I stared at my father.
“My uncle?””
My father didn’t move.
But his face changed.
A name.
A memory.
A betrayal.
All at once.
“Which uncle?””
Daniel looked at him.
“Thomas Hayes.””
My father stepped back.
For the first time that night, I saw something break through his control.
Not anger.
Pain.
“No.””
The word was almost a whisper.
I looked between them.
“Who is Thomas Hayes?””
My father didn’t answer.
I waited.
Finally, he said:
“My younger brother.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“You never told me about him.””
My father looked at me.
“Because there was nothing to tell.””
“That’s not true.””
His silence answered.
I looked at Daniel.
“How did you find him?””
Daniel took a breath.
“Blackridge sent me a file.””
“What kind of file?””
“Financial records.””
My father’s assistant immediately stepped forward.
“Mr. Hayes, we checked. The files are real.””
My father looked at him.
“You verified this?””
“Yes.””
He handed over a tablet.
My father read silently.
The longer he looked, the darker his expression became.
“What is it?”” I asked.
He didn’t answer.
His assistant did.
“Transfers.””
“From where?””
“From accounts connected to Blackridge.””
“To who?””
The assistant hesitated.
Then:
“Thomas Hayes.””
A wave of whispers moved through the guests.
My father closed his eyes.
I had never seen him look defeated before.
Not once.
“Dad.””
He looked at me.
“I thought he was gone.””
“What does that mean?””
My father stared into the distance.
“After your mother died, Thomas disappeared.””
“Why?””
“Because I discovered he was involved.””
The courtyard became silent again.
“Involved in what?””
My father’s voice became quieter.
“The betrayal.””
My heart pounded.
“You knew?””
“Yes.””
“And you didn’t tell me?””
His eyes filled with regret.
“I wanted you to have a normal life.””
I almost laughed.
A normal life.
That was the one thing nobody had given me.
Not my father.
Not Daniel.
Not the people who claimed to love me.
Everyone had been protecting me with lies.
And somehow, the lies hurt more than the danger.
“I deserved the truth.””
My father nodded.
“You’re right.””
The simple admission surprised me.
He didn’t defend himself.
He didn’t explain.
He just accepted it.
And somehow, that made my anger more complicated.
Because my father had failed me.
But he had also spent my entire life trying to save me.
Daniel stepped forward.
“There’s more.””
Everyone looked at him.
My father’s expression hardened.
“What more?””
Daniel looked uncomfortable.
“The reason they tested Anna.””
“Explain.””
“They wanted to know if she had access to the Hayes family archive.””
My father froze.
I noticed.
“What archive?””
Nobody answered.
My stomach tightened.
“Dad.””
He looked at me.
“Your mother left something behind.””
The words felt familiar.
Another secret.
Another locked door.
“What?””
“A file.””
“What kind of file?””
My father looked at Daniel.
Then back at me.
“The one thing Thomas never found.””
I swallowed.
“And what is inside?””
My father’s face became serious.
“Proof.””
“Proof of what?””
“That the person who betrayed your mother is still alive.””
The air disappeared from my lungs.
I looked around.
The guests.
The security.
The people watching.
Someone who hurt my mother.
Someone who had been hiding for decades.
Someone who was still out there.
Daniel looked at me.
“They thought you had the file.””
“But I don’t.””
“I know.””
“Then why did they come after me?””
Daniel’s face changed.
Because he knew.
“Because they weren’t trying to find the file.””
My father turned.
“Then what?””
Daniel looked at me.
“They were trying to confirm whether Anna remembered.””
I frowned.
“Remember what?””
Nobody spoke.
Then my father said quietly:
“Your childhood.””
I felt cold.
“My childhood?””
He nodded.
“There are things you forgot.””
I stared at him.
“Things I forgot?””
“When you were three years old, after your mother died, you were involved in an accident.””
I frowned.
“I don’t remember.””
“I know.””
“Why?””
My father looked devastated.
“Because we made sure you didn’t.””
The words hit me.
“What?””
“We had specialists help you.””
I stepped back.
“You erased my memories?””
“No.””
His voice broke.
“We helped you survive them.””
A silence.
I felt dizzy.
“What happened?””
My father looked at the ground.
Then he said:
“The night your mother died wasn’t the only night someone came for you.””
My heartbeat increased.
“What happened?””
Before he could answer, one of the security guards rushed toward us.
“Mr. Hayes.””
My father turned.
“What?””
The guard looked pale.
“We found the photograph.””
My father frowned.
“You already had it.””
“No.””
The guard shook his head.
“We found another one.””
Everyone went still.
“Where?””
The guard looked toward the house.
“In Anna’s old bedroom.””
I felt confused.
“My old bedroom?””
My father’s face changed.
“Impossible.””
The guard continued:
“The photo was hidden behind the wall.””
A chill moved through me.
“Behind the wall?””
“Yes.””
The guard handed him a small evidence bag.
Inside was another photograph.
My father took it.
Then immediately dropped it.
I had never seen him react like that.
“Dad?””
He couldn’t speak.
I picked it up.
The picture was old.
Very old.
And it showed a little girl.
Me.
Standing outside a house.
Holding someone’s hand.
I looked closer.
My breath caught.
Because I recognized the person beside me.
Not from memory.
From tonight.
From the faces surrounding me.
The woman standing next to little me was not my mother.
It was Eleanor Whitmore.
Daniel’s mother.
My hand started shaking.
“No.””
Daniel looked at the photograph.
His face turned white.
“Anna…”
I looked at Eleanor.
She was frozen.
Not surprised.
Not confused.
Caught.
My father’s voice was barely audible.
“Eleanor.””
Everyone turned.
He stared at her.
“How long have you known my daughter?””
Eleanor said nothing.
My father stepped forward.
“Answer me.””
Still nothing.
Then, slowly, Eleanor smiled.
Not the polite smile she used at parties.
Not the elegant smile she used to hide cruelty.
A different one.
A smile that made my skin crawl.
“I wondered how long it would take.””
My father went still.
“What?””
Eleanor looked directly at me.
And said the words that shattered everything I thought I knew.
“Your father told you your mother died protecting you.””
A pause.
“But he never told you who your mother was protecting you from.””
May you like
She looked at my father.
“She was protecting you from him.””
