Chapter 6 - THE NIGHT EVERYTHING CHANGED
Arthur had spent his entire life believing he abandoned Isabella.
Now he discovered something worse.
Someone had made him abandon her.
He sat alone in his office.
The same office where he had built his empire.
The same place where thirty years earlier, Victoria had walked in and changed his life forever.
A memory returned.
A young Arthur.
A young Isabella.
A promise.
“I don’t care if I lose everything.”
“I choose you.”
Isabella smiled.
“You mean that?”
“Yes.”
Then the phone call.
The threat.
The voice telling him Isabella and the baby would suffer if he refused.
Arthur opened his eyes.
He had buried that night for decades.
But now the truth was returning.
Daniel entered.
“Sir.”
Arthur looked up.
“Find everything about Isabella Torres.”
Daniel nodded.
“And Victoria?”
Arthur became silent.
Then he said:
“Everything.”
That evening, Arthur went to Maya’s apartment.
She was waiting.
She had the letter in her hand.
“You knew.”
Arthur stopped.
“What?”
“You knew something happened.”
He looked at the letter.
“Where did you get that?”
“My mother wrote it.”
Arthur walked closer.
“What did she say?”
Maya stared at him.
“That Victoria threatened her.”
Arthur froze.
“No.”
Maya’s eyes filled with anger.
“You still defend her?”
“No.”
Arthur shook his head.
“I’m not defending her.”
“Then tell me the truth.”
Arthur looked away.
For thirty years, he had protected the Sterling name.
Protected his company.
Protected his reputation.
But now he realized the thing he protected most…
was the lie.
“I received a phone call.”
Maya waited.
“Someone told me if I stayed with Isabella…”
“They would destroy her.”
“And you believed them?”
Arthur looked at her.
“I was twenty-two.”
“That’s not an excuse.”
“No.”
“It’s not.”
Arthur nodded.
“I was afraid.”
Maya whispered:
“My whole life changed because you were afraid.”
Arthur had no answer.
Then suddenly…
a loud crash came from outside.
Both turned.
The window shattered.
Maya screamed.
Arthur pulled her down.
Glass fell across the floor.
A second later, they heard footsteps running away.
Daniel rushed inside moments later.
“Are you both okay?”
Arthur looked toward the broken window.
On the floor was a small envelope.
Maya picked it up.
Arthur grabbed her hand.
“Don’t.”
But she opened it.
Inside was one sentence.
Written in black ink.
YOU SHOULD HAVE LEFT THE PAST BURIED.
Maya looked at Arthur.
Someone was watching them.
Someone knew the truth.
May you like
And someone was willing to do anything…
to keep it hidden.
