Chapter 4 — Daniel’s First Betrayal
Chapter 4 — Daniel’s First Betrayal
The doors locked with a metallic click.
One after another.
The sound traveled through the mansion like a warning.
Margot stood in the nursery, one hand pressed protectively against her stomach.
Daniel was beside her.
Vance had his weapon raised.
Charles was staring at the dark corridor.
Nobody spoke.
Then the emergency lights flickered on.
Red.
Cold.
Unforgiving.
Margot looked at Daniel.
“Did you know?”
Daniel didn't answer.
“Did you know Walter Landry was my father?”
His silence was enough.
Margot's expression changed.
“You knew.”
Daniel finally looked at her.
“I suspected.”
“That's not what I asked.”
“I found out six months ago.”
Margot felt something crack inside her.
“Six months.”
“Yes.”
“You knew who my father was while I was carrying your child.”
“I wasn't sure.”
“You had DNA records.”
“Yes.”
“You had access to your father's files.”
“Yes.”
“And you said nothing.”
Daniel stepped toward her.
“I was trying to protect you.”
Margot laughed bitterly.
“Everyone keeps saying that.”
“Because it's true.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You were protecting yourself.”
Daniel's eyes filled with pain.
“I was afraid.”
“Of what?”
“My father.”
Margot stared at him.
“Then you should have told me.”
“I couldn't.”
“You could.”
“I thought if I stayed quiet, I could control him.”
Margot looked toward the locked door.
“And how did that work?”
Daniel had no answer.
A loudspeaker crackled overhead.
Everyone looked up.
A man's voice filled the nursery.
“Daniel.”
Daniel went rigid.
Walter.
Margot's stomach tightened.
“Father?”
A low laugh answered.
“You finally brought her to the room.”
Daniel stepped toward the speaker.
“Where is my mother?”
“Safe.”
“Let me speak to her.”
“Not yet.”
Margot moved closer.
“Walter.”
The voice went silent.
Then:
“Margot.”
She felt a chill.
“You know who I am.”
“I've always known.”
“Why did you lie?”
“You were safer believing I was dead.”
Margot's voice trembled.
“You didn't even know me.”
“I knew enough.”
“You watched me.”
“Yes.”
“You tried to control my life.”
“I tried to control the circumstances around it.”
“You tried to kill my daughter.”
“No.”
Walter's voice became strangely calm.
“I tried to prevent a war.”
Margot stared at the speaker.
“What war?”
Silence.
Then Walter said:
“The one your grandfather started.”
Charles stepped forward.
“Stop hiding behind walls, Walter.”
A pause.
Then Walter laughed.
“You're still alive.”
“So are you.”
“I wondered which of us would survive.”
Charles looked at Margot.
“He's afraid.”
Walter's voice sharpened.
“Of you?”
“No.”
Charles looked directly at the speaker.
“Of her.”
Margot frowned.
“Why would he be afraid of me?”
Charles didn't answer.
Daniel did.
“Because you have something he needs.”
“What?”
“The inheritance.”
Margot shook her head.
“I don't understand.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“Your grandmother created a trust.”
“For me?”
“For your child.”
Margot stared.
“When?”
“Before you were born.”
“And what does it contain?”
Daniel looked toward Charles.
“Everything.”
The emergency lights flickered.
Vance examined the control panel.
“Someone has disabled the main security system.”
Charles nodded.
“Walter.”
“Can he control the whole mansion remotely?”
“He designed part of it.”
Vance looked at Daniel.
“And you?”
Daniel shook his head.
“My father never trusted me with access.”
Charles smiled bitterly.
“Yet you still helped him.”
Daniel looked at him.
“What are you talking about?”
“The first betrayal.”
Daniel froze.
Margot turned.
“What first betrayal?”
Charles stared at Daniel.
“Tell her.”
Daniel's face went pale.
“Grandfather—”
“Tell her what you did.”
Margot's voice became quiet.
“Daniel?”
He looked at her.
“I made a mistake.”
“What mistake?”
“I gave your medical records to my father.”
The room went silent.
Margot stared.
“When?”
“Before the pregnancy.”
“Why?”
“I thought he wanted to help.”
Margot's expression hardened.
“Help with what?”
Daniel swallowed.
“With your health.”
“You gave my private medical records to Walter.”
“Yes.”
“Without my permission.”
“Yes.”
“And that's how they knew about my pregnancy?”
Daniel looked down.
“Yes.”
Margot took a step backward.
Her eyes filled with tears.
“You gave them the information they needed.”
“I didn't know what they would do.”
“But you gave it to them.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
Margot's voice broke.
“You always say that.”
Daniel remembered that day.
Six months earlier.
His father had called him into his office.
Daniel had been angry.
His relationship with Margot was already deteriorating.
Priscilla had been pressuring him.
And Walter had offered what sounded like a solution.
“Let me speak to her doctor,” Walter had said.
“Why?”
“Because your wife has a medical condition.”
Daniel had frowned.
“What condition?”
“That's what I'm trying to determine.”
Daniel had trusted him.
That was the mistake.
He had handed over a sealed medical file.
He had believed his father would review it and return it.
Instead, Walter had copied everything.
Blood tests.
Hormone levels.
Medical history.
Pregnancy indicators.
And one note from Margot's doctor:
Possible pregnancy. Confirmation pending.
That was the beginning.
The moment Walter learned there might be an heir.
The moment the surveillance began.
The moment Margot's life became a target.
Margot stared at Daniel.
“You knew before I told you.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
“You knew I was pregnant before I told you.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did you act surprised?”
“I wanted to tell you.”
“But you didn't.”
“No.”
“You watched me tell you.”
Daniel's voice broke.
“I was ashamed.”
Margot looked away.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Charles said:
“That's why I never trusted him.”
Daniel turned.
“You don't know me.”
“I know exactly what you did.”
“I made one mistake.”
Charles's voice hardened.
“No.”
He pointed toward Margot.
“You made a choice.”
Daniel lowered his eyes.
And Margot realized something painful.
Charles was right.
The loudspeaker crackled again.
Walter spoke.
“Daniel.”
Daniel looked up.
“Father.”
“Bring Margot to the study.”
“No.”
“You don't understand.”
“I said no.”
“You want your mother alive?”
Daniel's face tightened.
“Don't threaten her.”
“Then bring Margot.”
“No.”
“Daniel.”
Walter's voice became colder.
“You owe me.”
Daniel's fists clenched.
“I don't owe you anything.”
“You owe me your life.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“You destroyed it.”
“I made you.”
“You controlled me.”
“I protected you.”
“You ruined everyone around me.”
Walter was silent.
Then:
“Perhaps.”
Margot looked at Daniel.
“Don't go.”
Daniel nodded.
“I won't.”
The speaker went silent.
Seconds passed.
Then a scream echoed through the mansion.
Priscilla.
“DANIEL!”
Daniel's face changed.
“Mom.”
Margot grabbed his arm.
“Don't.”
“My mother—”
“That's what he wants.”
“I know.”
“Then don't give him what he wants.”
Daniel looked at her.
For the first time, Margot saw him choose.
Not his father.
Not his mother.
Her.
A gunshot sounded upstairs.
Then another.
Vance immediately moved toward the door.
“We need to relocate.”
Charles nodded.
“There is another passage.”
Margot looked at him.
“Where?”
“Behind the fireplace.”
They moved quickly.
Charles opened a hidden panel.
A narrow corridor appeared.
Vance went first.
Margot followed.
Daniel stayed behind her.
They entered the passage.
The door closed.
Seconds later, footsteps thundered through the nursery.
Someone had arrived.
The corridor was narrow.
Dark.
Cold.
Margot could hear Daniel breathing behind her.
Then his hand touched her shoulder.
She turned.
“What?”
He looked at her.
“I am sorry.”
She stared at him.
“Sorry isn't enough.”
“I know.”
“You betrayed me.”
“I know.”
“You helped them.”
“I know.”
“And I don't know if I can ever forgive you.”
Daniel swallowed.
“I don't expect you to.”
Margot looked at him.
“Then what do you expect?”
He answered honestly.
“Nothing.”
She turned away.
They continued walking.
After several minutes, they reached another door.
Charles opened it.
They emerged into an abandoned wine cellar.
Vance looked around.
“We're beneath the east wing.”
Charles nodded.
“There's an exit.”
Margot followed them.
Then she stopped.
A small object lay on the floor.
Her wedding ring.
She stared.
She hadn't lost it.
She was still wearing it.
Except this one was identical.
A replica.
Beside it was a note.
You should have left him when you had the chance.
Margot picked it up.
Daniel looked at her.
“What is it?”
She handed him the note.
His face became pale.
“I've seen this handwriting.”
“Whose?”
Daniel hesitated.
“Priscilla.”
They rushed back toward the mansion.
But before they could reach the main hallway, Vance stopped.
“Listen.”
Voices.
Two people.
A man and a woman.
Vance raised his hand.
They moved closer.
Priscilla was speaking.
“You promised he wouldn't find out.”
Walter answered.
“He already knows.”
“Then kill him.”
Margot froze.
Daniel looked at her.
Priscilla continued.
“Daniel has become a liability.”
Walter laughed.
“He always was.”
Daniel's face changed.
He stepped toward the doorway.
Margot grabbed him.
“No.”
“But she—”
“Wait.”
Priscilla continued.
“And Margot?”
“She is the priority.”
“What about the baby?”
A pause.
Walter answered:
“The baby must survive.”
Margot's heart stopped.
Priscilla whispered:
“And Margot?”
“She doesn't matter.”
Daniel's face went white.
Margot felt strangely calm.
The words hurt.
But they also clarified everything.
She whispered:
“Now I know.”
They backed away.
But a floorboard creaked.
The voices stopped.
Vance signaled them to move.
They ran.
A door slammed behind them.
Someone shouted.
“STOP!”
They raced through the corridor.
Daniel grabbed Margot's hand.
“Faster.”
“I am.”
“You're pregnant.”
“I know.”
They reached the exterior door.
Vance kicked it open.
Cold night air rushed inside.
They escaped into the garden.
Police officers surrounded them.
“Down!”
Vance shouted:
“It's us!”
Margot collapsed against a tree.
Her breathing became heavy.
Daniel knelt beside her.
“Are you okay?”
She nodded.
“My daughter.”
A police officer called for medical assistance.
Then Margot saw something.
Across the garden.
At the edge of the trees.
A woman stood watching them.
White coat.
Dark hair.
Completely still.
Margot recognized her.
She had seen that woman before.
In the photographs.
In the archive.
Always standing somewhere in the background.
Watching.
Margot whispered:
“Who is that?”
Charles turned.
His face went pale.
“No.”
“Who?”
He stared at the woman.
“That's impossible.”
The woman smiled.
Then slowly lifted her hand.
She waved.
Margot's heart stopped.
Charles whispered:
“Your mother.”
Evelyn Wren.
Alive.
Watching.
And standing less than a hundred feet away.
Margot took one step forward.
“Mom?”
The woman turned.
Then she ran.
Vance shouted:
“Stop!”
Officers chased her into the trees.
Margot stood frozen.
Her mother had been alive.
All these years.
Watching.
Waiting.
Hiding.
But before the officers could catch her, Evelyn disappeared.
Only one thing remained.
A small envelope.
It had fallen onto the grass.
Margot picked it up.
Her name was written on the front.
Margot.
Inside was a single sentence.
I didn't leave you to protect myself. I left because your father promised to kill you if I stayed.
Margot's hands trembled.
Then she turned the page.
There was another sentence.
And Daniel was the one who told him where to find you.
Margot slowly looked toward her husband.
Daniel stood several feet away.
He had seen the letter.
He knew.
His face collapsed.
“No…”
Margot stared at him.
“You told Walter where I was.”
Daniel shook his head.
“I didn't.”
The letter slipped from her fingers.
“You just said you didn't.”
“I didn't know.”
“You knew enough.”
“Margot, please.”
She stepped backward.
“You were the first betrayal.”
Daniel's eyes filled with tears.
“What?”
She pointed toward the letter.
“You didn't just betray me tonight.”
Her voice became colder.
“You betrayed me before I ever knew you were supposed to protect me.”
Daniel couldn't speak.
Behind them, police lights flashed across the mansion.
The empire of the Landrys was beginning to collapse.
But Margot finally understood that the most dangerous enemy wasn't Priscilla.
It wasn't Walter.
It wasn't even the hidden organization controlling the family.
It was the man she had once trusted enough to marry.
Daniel.
The first person who had opened the door.
And as Margot turned away from him, her phone vibrated.
One new message.
From an unknown number.
You have only discovered the first betrayal.
Then another message arrived.
Ask Daniel what happened the night your mother disappeared.
Margot stared at the screen.
Daniel saw her expression.
May you like
And for the first time—
he looked truly terrified.
