Chapter 8 - RICHARD’S SECRET
Richard asked everyone except Nathan, Emily, and Daniel to leave.
Nobody sat down.
Nathan stared at his father.
“Start talking.”
Richard looked older than Emily had ever seen him.
“Marcus contacted me six months ago.”
“Why?”
“He wanted money.”
“How much?”
“Ten million.”
Nathan laughed bitterly.
“And you met him?”
“Yes.”
“You told us he was dangerous.”
“He is.”
“Yet you secretly met him?”
Richard nodded.
“Because he had something I wanted.”
“What?”
“Proof.”
“Of what?”
Richard looked toward Emily.
“Your father’s death.”
Emily froze.
“My father?”
Nathan turned toward her.
Richard continued.
“Emily’s father worked for Caldwell Development.”
Emily shook her head.
“No.”
“My father was an electrician.”
“On one of our construction sites.”
Emily’s heart started pounding.
She knew her father had died in an accident when she was sixteen.
A scaffolding collapse.
That was what her mother had always told her.
Richard looked ashamed.
“The collapse wasn’t an accident.”
Emily stared at him.
“What are you saying?”
“Your father discovered Marcus was using inferior materials and falsifying safety inspections.”
Emily couldn’t breathe.
“He threatened to report it.”
Richard continued.
“Three days later, the scaffolding collapsed.”
Emily backed away.
“You knew?”
“Not then.”
“When?”
“Years later.”
“And you did nothing?”
“I removed Marcus from the company.”
“You protected the company.”
Richard flinched.
Emily’s eyes filled with tears.
“My father died.”
“I know.”
“And you buried it.”
“Yes.”
Nathan looked horrified.
Richard continued.
“That is why Marcus believed I would pay him.”
Emily wiped her tears.
“Did you?”
“No.”
“What did you do?”
“I started gathering evidence.”
Daniel looked at the microSD card.
“Thomas helped you.”
Richard nodded.
“He volunteered.”
Nathan stared at his father.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because the evidence implicated people inside the company.”
“Including you?”
Richard didn’t answer.
That was enough.
Nathan turned away.
Emily felt sick.
Everything she had believed about the Caldwell family was changing.
Vanessa was a liar.
Marcus was a criminal.
Richard had protected secrets.
And her father had died because he tried to tell the truth.
Emily looked at Richard.
“You owe my mother the truth.”
“I know.”
“No.”
Her voice hardened.
“You owe her sixteen years of it.”
Richard lowered his eyes.
Then Daniel interrupted.
“There’s another file.”
He opened an audio recording.
Marcus’s voice filled the room.
“If Richard won’t sell, we use the son.”
Vanessa answered.
“And if Nathan refuses?”
Marcus laughed.
“He won’t refuse you.”
“What about after the wedding?”
“After the wedding, Nathan becomes unnecessary.”
Emily looked at Nathan.
He had gone completely still.
Then Vanessa’s voice continued.
“And Emily?”
Marcus answered.
“She’s like her father.”
A pause.
“She notices too much.”
Emily’s blood went cold.
Marcus continued.
“If necessary, history can repeat itself.”
Nathan slammed his fist into the desk.
“No.”
Richard looked at Daniel.
“Give this to the police.”
Daniel was already reaching for his phone.
Then Emily’s phone rang.
Thomas again.
She answered.
“Thomas?”
A different voice responded.
Marcus.
“Hello, Emily.”
Everyone froze.
Marcus chuckled.
“You found the real card.”
Emily said nothing.
“I need it back.”
“You’re not getting it.”
“I expected you to say that.”
Then Emily heard someone crying.
Thomas.
Marcus spoke again.
“Bring me the card.”
Emily’s hand shook.
“Where?”
“I’ll send instructions.”
“If you hurt him—”
Marcus laughed.
“Your father said almost exactly the same thing.”
Emily stopped breathing.
Marcus lowered his voice.
May you like
“He was brave too.”
Then the line went dead.
