Chapter 7: The Enemy Behind the Enemy
The next morning, I met Avery at a quiet café outside the city.
I chose the location because I wanted witnesses.
That was the kind of woman I had become.
The old Margaret would have trusted first.
The new Margaret asked questions.
Avery slid a folder across the table.
“Daniel and Sabrina have been connected for almost a year.””
I opened it.
Photos.
Messages.
Meetings.
“Why didn’t he reveal this before?””
“Because he was waiting.””
“For what?””
Avery looked at me.
“For the right moment.””
I hated those words.
Because the right moment usually meant someone had been calculating.
“Tell me everything.””
Avery pointed at the first document.
“Daniel left your company after the information breach.””
I remembered.
Barely.
A young employee.
A mistake.
A problem handled quickly.
“What did he steal?””
“Financial projections.””
“That’s it?””
“No.””
He looked serious.
“He also accessed private files about your estate planning.””
My hands went cold.
“So he knew about the inheritance?””
“Yes.””
“And Sabrina?””
“Possibly.””
I looked out the window.
The world continued like nothing had changed.
Cars moved.
People walked.
Someone laughed outside.
Meanwhile, my entire understanding of the past year was collapsing.
“Why would Sabrina work with someone who hated me?””
Avery answered:
“Maybe because she didn’t know he hated you.””
That made sense.
Sabrina thought she was using Daniel.
But maybe Daniel was using her.
That afternoon, I received another message.
This time from Daniel.
“We need to talk.””
I stared at it.
Then replied:
“Where?””
He chose a hotel lobby.
Public.
Smart.
When I arrived, he was already waiting.
He looked nervous.
Good.
For once, someone else was uncomfortable.
“You know,” I said, sitting down, “I used to think you were the only honest person in this entire mess.””
Daniel looked down.
“I know.””
“No.””
My voice hardened.
“You don’t.””
He swallowed.
“I made mistakes.””
“You stole from my company.””
“I was young.””
“You knew Sabrina before the wedding.””
“Yes.””
“You let me believe you were helping me.””
His silence answered.
I leaned forward.
“Why?””
Daniel finally looked at me.
“Because Sabrina betrayed me first.””
I waited.
“She promised me a partnership.””
“With what?””
“The company she thought she would control after marrying Michael.””
I felt sick.
Daniel continued.
“She told me once she had access to your assets, she would create her own investment group.””
“So you were angry.””
“Yes.””
“And you exposed her.””
“Yes.””
I shook my head.
“You didn’t save me.””
“No.””
His honesty surprised me.
“I saved myself.””
At least he admitted it.
“What do you want?””
He looked ashamed.
“I want forgiveness.””
I almost smiled.
“That’s expensive.””
“I know.””
“You don’t get forgiveness because you regret getting caught.””
His face fell.
“I know.””
I stood.
“Then prove you’re different.””
“How?””
“Tell the truth publicly.””
Daniel looked alarmed.
“About everything?””
“Yes.””
“That could destroy my career.””
I stared at him.
“Now you understand what fear feels like.””
I walked away.
But before I reached the door, he said something.
Something that made me stop.
“Margaret.””
I turned.
“There’s one thing Sabrina never told you.””
“What?””
He hesitated.
“She didn’t choose Michael because of your money.””
I frowned.
“Then why?””
Daniel looked directly at me.
“She chose him because of you.””
I felt a chill.
“What does that mean?””
“She knew you were the kind of mother who would forgive anything.””
The words followed me home.
Because they were true.
For years, I had believed Sabrina’s cruelty was about money.
But maybe money was only the weapon.
The real target had always been my weakness.
My love for my son.
That night, Michael came to my house.
He looked worried.
“There’s something else.””
I opened the door wider.
“What?””
He handed me his phone.
“I found an email Sabrina deleted.””
I read it.
The sender wasn’t Sabrina.
It was someone else.
Someone I knew.
Someone who had attended the wedding.
My heart stopped.
Because the message began:
“Everything is going exactly as planned.””
And the name at the bottom was:
May you like
“Richard Carter.””
My husband’s name.
