Chapter 3: The Enemy in Plain Sight
All eyes turned to the man.
“It was covered up,” he said, voice low. “The Hawthornes were about to expose a financial empire built on fraud… one that reached into powerful families.”
Daniel’s gaze hardened. “Which families?”
The man hesitated… then looked directly at Sophia’s parents sitting in the front row.
The ballroom erupted into whispers.
Sophia’s father stood abruptly. “This is absurd!”
But the cracks had already formed.
Daniel stepped back slowly, realization dawning. “Your family… knew.”
Sophia shook her head violently. “No—no, that’s not true!”
But her silence betrayed her.
“I didn’t know!” she cried. “I swear, Daniel, I didn’t!”
Daniel’s voice was calm… too calm.
“But you showed me who you are.”
May you like
His eyes drifted to the elderly woman—his mother.
“And that’s something I can’t ignore.
