Chapter 13 — What Daniel Really Wanted
Chapter 13 — What Daniel Really Wanted
Daniel didn't sleep that night.
Neither did I.
We sat in opposite corners of my mother's living room while Lily slept upstairs.
For once, Daniel didn't try to explain himself.
He simply stared at the floor.
I placed my father's files on the coffee table.
The recorder.
The trust documents.
The Blackstone records.
The custody strategy.
The DNA report.
And the final note.
Rebecca Samuel.
I pointed at the name.
“Tell me.”
Daniel looked at it.
“I don't know who she is.”
“You do.”
“No.”
“You said Richard was alive.”
“Yes.”
“You said he had been watching me.”
“Yes.”
“You said my father left me a choice.”
“Yes.”
“Now tell me what Daniel Carter actually wanted from me.”
He looked at me.
For several seconds, he didn't answer.
Then he whispered:
“Everything.”
I waited.
“What does that mean?”
“I wanted your trust.”
“I know.”
“I wanted control of the companies.”
“I know.”
“I wanted access to the voting rights.”
“I know.”
“I wanted your father's network.”
I stared at him.
“And me?”
He looked down.
“You.”
My chest tightened.
“What did you want from me?”
He took a breath.
“At first?”
“Yes.”
“Access.”
I nodded.
“And later?”
He looked at me.
“I wanted you to love me.”
I almost laughed.
“You can't separate those things.”
“I know.”
“You approached me because of my father.”
“Yes.”
“You married me because of my inheritance.”
“At first, I thought that was the reason.”
“And later?”
“I fell in love with you.”
I shook my head.
“You expect me to believe that.”
“I don't expect anything.”
“Then why say it?”
“Because it's the truth.”
I stared at him.
For once, he didn't look like a man trying to win.
He looked like a man admitting that he had already lost.
“Tell me about the beginning.”
Daniel rubbed his hands together.
“Richard approached me six months before I met you.”
“Why you?”
“Because I worked in corporate finance.”
“And because you were ambitious.”
“Yes.”
“What did he offer?”
“Money.”
“How much?”
“Enough to make me believe I had finally become someone.”
I looked at him.
“What did he want?”
“Information.”
“About my father?”
“Yes.”
“What kind?”
“Accounts. Contracts. Trusts. Property.”
“And me?”
“Your father had already started restructuring everything around you.”
“So Richard knew I would inherit.”
“Yes.”
“He wanted me married to you.”
“Not exactly.”
“What then?”
“He wanted me close enough to learn how your father was protecting you.”
I stared at him.
“And you agreed.”
“Yes.”
“Without knowing me.”
“Yes.”
“That is disgusting.”
“I know.”
“Did you ever plan to marry me?”
“Not initially.”
My throat tightened.
“What changed?”
“You.”
I looked away.
He continued.
“The first time I saw you, you were arguing with your father about a charity project.”
I remembered it.
I had been furious because my father wanted to cancel a youth program.
“You remember?”
“Yes.”
“What did I say?”
Daniel smiled faintly.
“You told him money wasn't supposed to be a trophy.”
I looked at him.
“I remember.”
“I thought you were reckless.”
“And?”
“Then I realized you were the only person in that room who wasn't afraid of him.”
I said nothing.
“I started falling in love with you.”
“But you kept working for Richard.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I thought I could have both.”
He closed his eyes.
“That was my greatest mistake.”
I stood.
“You don't get to call it a mistake.”
He looked up.
“Why?”
“Because you made choices every day.”
He nodded.
“Yes.”
“You lied every day.”
“Yes.”
“You transferred money every month.”
“Yes.”
“You met Chloe.”
“Yes.”
“You maintained Evelyn's accounts.”
“Yes.”
“You hid Rebecca.”
His face changed.
“I didn't know where she was.”
“You knew enough to look.”
“I was afraid.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because it's true.”
I stepped closer.
“You weren't afraid of losing me.”
He looked at me.
“You were afraid of losing what I represented.”
He didn't deny it.
That was answer enough.
Then I asked the question I had been avoiding.
“What did Richard want from Lily?”
Daniel's face changed immediately.
“Nothing.”
“Don't lie.”
“I swear.”
“The Project Lily folder.”
He went silent.
“You calculated her inheritance before she was born.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Richard wanted to know the value.”
“And?”
“I gave it to him.”
My stomach tightened.
“Why?”
“Because he threatened me.”
“With what?”
“He said if I didn't cooperate, he'd expose everything.”
“You were already exposed.”
“Not then.”
“What did he have?”
Daniel looked at me.
“Proof that I had participated in the Blackstone transfers.”
“And if he exposed you?”
“I'd go to prison.”
I stared at him.
“So you sacrificed my daughter to protect yourself.”
His eyes filled with tears.
“I never intended to hurt her.”
“You made her part of a financial calculation.”
“I know.”
“You calculated what she would be worth.”
“I know.”
“You treated her future like an asset.”
“I know.”
I turned away.
“I hate you for that.”
He whispered:
“I know.”
Then he said something that made me stop.
“Richard never wanted the money.”
I turned.
“What?”
“He wanted control.”
“Of what?”
“People.”
I stared at him.
“He didn't care about the billions?”
“Money was just the measurement.”
“Then what did he want?”
“Influence.”
“How?”
“Blackmail.”
“Against whom?”
“Everyone.”
Daniel's voice dropped.
“Politicians. Executives. Lawyers. Bankers. Judges.”
My stomach tightened.
“And my father?”
“He was the one person Richard couldn't control.”
“So Richard wanted him dead.”
Daniel didn't answer.
I stepped closer.
“Did Richard kill my father?”
Silence.
“Daniel.”
“I don't know.”
“You were there.”
“No.”
“You know something.”
He looked at me.
“I know Richard ordered someone to follow him.”
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
“Did you help?”
He closed his eyes.
“Not directly.”
My heart stopped.
“What does that mean?”
“I gave Richard information.”
“What information?”
“Your father's schedule.”
I stared at him.
“You gave him my father's schedule?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“The week before he died.”
Everything went silent.
“You knew.”
“I didn't know what Richard would do.”
“You gave him the information.”
“Yes.”
“And my father died.”
“Yes.”
I slapped him.
The sound echoed through the room.
Daniel didn't move.
He simply looked at me.
“I deserve that.”
“You helped kill my father.”
“I don't know if I did.”
“You gave the man who wanted him destroyed his schedule.”
“Yes.”
“That is enough.”
He lowered his head.
“I know.”
I walked toward the window.
My hands were shaking.
For years, I had believed my father's death was a tragedy.
An accident.
Bad timing.
Now I understood why Daniel had always been uncomfortable when I mentioned it.
He wasn't grieving.
He was remembering.
I turned around.
“What did Richard promise you?”
“Protection.”
“From what?”
“Your father.”
“My father wasn't going to hurt you.”
“No.”
He paused.
“He was going to expose me.”
I stared at him.
“So you chose Richard.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I thought Richard would win.”
“And did he?”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because your father had already prepared everything.”
“The trust.”
“The voting rights.”
“The accounts.”
“The evidence.”
I nodded.
“My father knew.”
“Yes.”
“He knew what you were doing.”
“Yes.”
“And he still allowed me to marry you?”
“He tried to stop it.”
“But I didn't listen.”
Daniel looked at me.
“No.”
I remembered.
My father had warned me.
He had said Daniel was too ambitious.
Too polished.
Too interested in things that weren't his business.
I had called him overprotective.
I had been wrong.
Daniel reached into his jacket.
He pulled out a small flash drive.
“This is yours.”
I didn't take it.
“What is it?”
“Richard's original Blackstone ledger.”
My heart skipped.
“Where did you get it?”
“From Richard.”
“When?”
“Three years ago.”
“Why didn't you give it to my father?”
“I was going to.”
“You're lying.”
He shook his head.
“I was.”
“Then what happened?”
“Richard found out.”
“And?”
“He told me if I handed it over, you'd die.”
I stared at him.
“He threatened me through you.”
“Yes.”
“So you kept it.”
“Yes.”
“And continued working for him.”
“Yes.”
I finally took the drive.
“What does it contain?”
“Everything.”
“Everything?”
“Every transfer.”
“Every person?”
“Yes.”
“Every payment?”
“Yes.”
I looked at the drive.
“Why give it to me now?”
Daniel's eyes filled with tears.
“Because I can't protect you anymore.”
I frowned.
“From Richard?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Richard knows I gave it to you.”
My blood went cold.
“When?”
“Tonight.”
I looked toward the window.
“Is he coming?”
Daniel nodded.
“He said he'd take it back.”
At that exact moment, the lights went out.
The house went completely dark.
Lily cried upstairs.
I froze.
Daniel stood.
“Stay here.”
“No.”
“Jennifer.”
“You don't give me orders anymore.”
He looked at me.
Then he moved toward the stairs.
I followed.
Lily's crying became louder.
I reached her room first.
She was standing in her crib, frightened by the darkness.
I picked her up.
“Mommy's here.”
Daniel stood in the doorway.
Then we heard something downstairs.
Glass breaking.
Daniel's face changed.
“He's here.”
“Richard?”
“Yes.”
I held Lily tighter.
Daniel moved toward the stairs.
I whispered:
“Don't.”
He stopped.
“Why?”
“Because that's what he wants.”
Daniel looked at me.
“You're right.”
We stayed upstairs.
A few seconds later, footsteps moved through the house.
Slow.
Calm.
Unhurried.
Someone wasn't searching.
They already knew where everything was.
Then a man's voice echoed from below.
“Jennifer.”
I froze.
Richard.
“I know you have the ledger.”
Daniel looked at me.
I held Lily against my chest.
Richard continued.
“Bring it downstairs.”
I didn't move.
“You have five minutes.”
Daniel whispered:
“Don't give it to him.”
Richard laughed.
“Daniel.”
Daniel's face went pale.
“You always were a disappointment.”
I felt something shift in Daniel.
He stepped toward the stairs.
Richard continued.
“And Jennifer?”
I stopped him.
“Don't.”
Richard's voice rose.
“Your father made the same mistake.”
“What mistake?”
“He thought he could hide you.”
I looked at Daniel.
Richard continued:
“He thought he could make you powerful enough to resist me.”
I tightened my grip on Lily.
“He failed.”
I walked toward the stairs.
Daniel grabbed my arm.
“No.”
I looked at him.
“I'm not going downstairs.”
“Good.”
“But I'm not hiding either.”
I pulled out my phone.
Laura was already on the line.
She had heard everything.
Richard's voice echoed again.
“Jennifer.”
I answered.
“Yes?”
Silence.
Then:
“You sound like your father.”
I smiled.
“That should worry you.”
He laughed.
“You don't know what you're dealing with.”
“No.”
I looked at Daniel.
“But I'm learning.”
Richard said:
“Give me the ledger.”
“No.”
“You'll regret that.”
“I've regretted trusting people like you.”
Silence.
Then:
“Do you know what your husband really wanted?”
I looked at Daniel.
“Yes.”
Richard laughed.
“No.”
His voice became colder.
“He wanted to become your father.”
I froze.
“What?”
“Your husband didn't just want your money.”
“He wanted your father's position.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
Richard continued:
“He wanted your family name.”
I looked at Daniel.
He didn't deny it.
“He wanted your father's empire.”
I stared at my husband.
And suddenly everything made sense.
Daniel hadn't wanted to marry into my family.
He had wanted to replace my father.
To become the man who controlled everything.
The man everyone listened to.
The man who owned the room.
The man who held the keys.
But there was one thing he hadn't understood.
My father hadn't left me an empire.
He had left me a choice.
And I had finally chosen.
I stepped toward the stairs.
Daniel whispered:
“Jennifer, what are you doing?”
I looked at him.
“Ending this.”
I held up the flash drive.
Then I smiled.
Not because I wasn't afraid.
But because for the first time, I knew exactly what Daniel had wanted.
May you like
And I knew exactly what I would never give him.
Control.
