Chapter 9 — The Billion Dollar Betrayal
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For twenty-two years...
Everyone told me Daniel Cross disappeared.
They said he ran away.
They said he abandoned his family.
They said he couldn't handle losing everything.
They lied.
Because the truth was worse.
Daniel Cross didn't leave.
He was forced to disappear.
The lawyer placed a small recorder on the table.
"Your grandfather recorded this one week before his death."
I pressed play.
A weak old voice filled the room.
"Emily..."
My breath stopped.
"My granddaughter."
The voice belonged to Thomas Bennett.
"The truth is finally reaching you."
Everyone listened.
Even Richard.
Especially Richard.
"I made mistakes."
A bitter smile crossed my face.
Mistakes.
That was the word powerful people used when they destroyed lives.
"I believed power was everything."
Thomas continued.
"I believed money could fix any problem."
The recording paused.
Then:
"I was wrong."
The next words changed everything.
"I didn't steal Daniel Cross' company."
"I stole it from Emily."
Silence.
My heart dropped.
The entire empire.
The research.
The patents.
The money.
All of it.
It was mine.
Thomas had transferred everything illegally.
Then he created a fake story where Richard became the public owner.
But why?
The lawyer answered.
"Because your grandfather discovered something."
"What?"
"He discovered your research ability."
I frowned.
"My research?"
The lawyer nodded.
"He knew you inherited Daniel's intelligence."
"He believed you would become more powerful than anyone in the family."
Daniel looked away.
Pain crossed his face.
"So they tried to control her."
"Exactly."
My mother whispered:
"She was never supposed to know."
I turned toward her.
"No."
"You were never supposed to let me know."
She looked down.
Because it was true.
Then Ethan walked in.
His face was different.
No arrogance.
No smile.
Just regret.
"Emily..."
I looked at him.
"What do you want?"
He swallowed.
"I need to tell you something."
I said nothing.
He continued.
"Mom made me submit the fraud accusation."
My jaw tightened.
"I know."
"No."
He shook his head.
"You don't."
He placed a folder on the table.
"I changed the evidence."
Everyone froze.
"What?"
Ethan looked at me.
"I knew they were lying."
"Then why did you help them?"
His eyes filled.
"Because I thought they loved me."
That sentence was the saddest thing I had heard.
Because Ethan wasn't innocent.
But he wasn't free either.
Then the door opened.
A group of federal investigators entered.
One officer stepped forward.
"Richard Bennett."
"Claire Bennett."
"You are under investigation for fraud, conspiracy, and corporate theft."
My father looked at me.
Not angry.
Not hateful.
Just broken.
But before he was taken away...
He whispered:
"Emily."
"You don't know the worst part yet."
I stared at him.
"What worst part?"
He looked at Daniel.
May you like
Then at me.
"Your real father isn't the only person they tried to erase."
