Chapter 5: The Man Who Thought He Won
Daniel always loved winning.
Even when there was nothing to win.
As a child, according to his mother, he turned every game into a competition.
Every conversation.
Every disagreement.
Every relationship.
He didn’t want happiness.
He wanted victory.
And now he believed he had found it.
I stared at the photo on my phone.
Daniel inside my father’s office.
The one place only a handful of people could access.
“He has help,” I said.
My father nodded.
“I know.””
“Who?””
He didn’t answer.
Because he already knew I had figured it out.
“The person you saw in the documents.””
I felt the betrayal settle deeper.
Not because of Daniel.
Because of the other person.
Someone I trusted.
The next morning, the news exploded.
*CEO REMOVED AFTER SHOCKING BOARDROOM INCIDENT*
The video of Daniel pushing me had spread.
Millions of views.
People who had never met me knew my name.
Some supported me.
Some criticized me.
Some said I should have handled it privately.
I learned something important that day.
People will always have opinions about your pain.
Especially when they weren’t there to experience it.
I sat in my father’s office reviewing documents when my assistant entered.
“Emma?””
I looked up.
“Yes?””
“There’s someone here to see you.””
“Who?””
She hesitated.
“Olivia.””
I almost laughed.
“Send her in.””
Olivia walked inside without the confidence she had worn at the ceremony.
No silver dress.
No perfect smile.
Just exhaustion.
“I need your help.””
I stared at her.
“You came to the wrong person.””
She looked down.
“I know what Daniel did.””
“So do I.””
“No.””
Her voice cracked.
“You don’t know everything.””
That sentence caught my attention.
She placed an envelope on the desk.
“I was supposed to help him.””
I didn’t touch it.
“Explain.””
She swallowed.
“When Daniel became CEO, he promised me a position.””
“You mean after betraying me?””
She flinched.
“Yes.””
“At least you’re honest.””
She looked ashamed.
“I thought he loved me.””
I said nothing.
“He told me you were just a wife. Someone who didn’t understand business.””
My jaw tightened.
“Of course he did.””
“He told me you were powerless.””
I looked at the envelope.
“And now?””
“Now I know he was terrified of you.””
I opened it.
Inside were copies of emails.
Messages between Daniel and the person funding him.
The final page contained a plan.
A plan to remove me completely.
Not just from the company.
From my own family trust.
I read the last sentence twice.
*Once Emma is discredited publicly, the board will have no choice but to transfer control.*
I looked up.
“They were going to destroy my reputation.””
Olivia nodded.
“Yes.””
“Why tell me?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Because I saw what he did to you.””
A long silence.
“I laughed when you fell.””
Her voice broke.
“I don’t know why I did that.””
I closed the folder.
“Because everyone wanted to stand near power.””
She nodded.
“And I thought he was power.””
The honesty surprised me.
Before I could answer, my father entered.
He looked at Olivia.
Then at me.
“Is this the information?””
I nodded.
“Yes.””
He opened the documents.
His expression changed.
Not shock.
Confirmation.
“You were right.””
I looked at him.
“About what?””
He turned a page.
“Daniel wasn’t trying to become CEO.””
He placed the document down.
“He was trying to take control of the entire Bennett family trust.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
Because suddenly the question wasn’t whether Daniel betrayed me.
That answer was obvious.
The question was:
How far was he willing to go?
My father’s phone rang.
He answered.
Listened.
Then slowly looked at me.
“What?””
His voice was quiet.
“Daniel just filed an emergency lawsuit.””
I stood.
“Against who?””
My father looked directly at me.
“Against you.””
The room went silent.
Then he added:
“And he claims he has proof that you manipulated the company from the beginning.””
I stared at the closed door.
The man who pushed me onto the floor in front of five hundred people had found another stage.
May you like
And this time…
He planned to make the whole world watch.
