Chapter 11 - CAROLINE’S TRUTH
Arthur survived.
The bullet struck his shoulder.
He was arrested before sunrise.
Federal agents seized Project Haven.
Sterling Industries’ stock dropped seventeen percent before markets opened.
Richard didn’t care.
He sat beside Sophie in the hospital.
She was eating pancakes.
Real pancakes.
With strawberries.
Richard watched every bite.
Sophie smiled.
“You keep staring.”
“I like watching you eat.”
“That’s weird, Daddy.”
He laughed for the first time in days.
“Probably.”
Caroline stood in the doorway.
Sophie saw her.
Her fork dropped.
“Mommy?”
Caroline began crying.
Sophie stared at her for several seconds.
Then climbed from the bed.
Caroline knelt.
Sophie ran into her arms.
Richard turned away because he couldn’t watch without breaking.
Later, when Sophie slept, Caroline told him everything.
She had discovered Arthur was alive while researching suspicious company payments.
Arthur threatened Sophie.
Caroline believed disappearing was the only way to protect them while she gathered evidence.
“So you let me think you were dead.”
“I thought it would last weeks.”
“It lasted three years.”
“I was trapped.”
Richard’s anger rose.
“You could have called.”
“He watched everything.”
“Then Vanessa?”
“I trusted her.”
“You trusted the woman who starved our daughter?”
Caroline looked horrified.
“I never told her to hurt Sophie.”
“She did.”
“I know.”
Richard stood.
“I don’t know how to forgive any of this.”
“I’m not asking you to.”
Caroline wiped her tears.
“But there’s something else.”
Richard looked at her.
“What?”
“Vanessa wasn’t working only for me.”
His stomach tightened.
“Who else?”
Caroline reached into her coat and handed him a photograph.
Vanessa stood beside a man Richard recognized instantly.
Sterling Industries chief financial officer.
May you like
Daniel Mercer.
Richard’s best friend of twenty-five years.
