Chapter 5 - The Father's Confession
Daniel's father stepped into the light.
He wasn't alone.
Samuel Voss stood behind him.
Reed was alive.
The bullet had struck his vest.
He raised his gun.
“Drop yours.”
Samuel complied.
Daniel stared at his father.
“How could you?”
His father looked tired.
“I did what I had to do.”
“You tried to kill me.”
“I tried to save this family.”
“You destroyed it.”
His father shook his head.
“You don't understand what happens when people lose power.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“Power?”
“You think money protects you?”
“No.”
Daniel stepped forward.
“People do.”
His father stared at Lily.
“She is the problem.”
Daniel moved in front of her.
“You will never touch her.”
His father smiled.
“You sound like your grandfather.”
Daniel froze.
“What does that mean?”
“He believed people mattered more than the company.”
Daniel's father confessed everything.
The Whitmore empire had been built on secrets.
His grandfather had started the corruption.
His father had inherited it.
Instead of stopping it, he expanded it.
When Daniel's mother discovered the truth, she threatened to leave.
She died in a car accident.
Daniel had always believed it was an accident.
It wasn't.
His father admitted ordering the crash.
Daniel nearly collapsed.
“You killed Mom.”
“I made a mistake.”
“A mistake?”
Daniel's voice broke.
“You murdered her.”
His father looked away.
Emma was crying.
Lily was hiding against her mother.
Victoria entered the room.
Her hands were cuffed.
She looked at Daniel.
“I'm sorry.”
He looked at her.
“I know.”
She cried.
“I never wanted you dead.”
“I know.”
“I love you.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
That was the hardest part.
He still loved her.
But love couldn't erase what she had done.
“You should have trusted me.”
“I was afraid.”
“So was I.”
His father suddenly grabbed Samuel's weapon.
Everything happened at once.
He fired.
Samuel tackled him.
The gun skidded across the floor.
Reed arrested Samuel.
Daniel's father was handcuffed.
But before they took him away, he looked at Daniel.
“You'll lose everything.”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
His father frowned.
“I've already decided.”
“Decided what?”
Daniel removed his wedding ring.
“The company ends with me.”
His father laughed.
“You can't destroy the Whitmore empire.”
Daniel looked toward Lily.
“I don't need an empire.”
He turned away.
May you like
“I need a life.”
For the first time, his father had no answer.
