**CHAPTER 8 THE FATHER WHO CHOSE POWER**
The hearing ended after six hours.
But the damage was already done.
The world had heard his voice.
The world had seen the evidence.
The world no longer saw Richard Whitmore as the perfect billionaire.
They saw a man protecting his empire at any cost.
That evening, I returned to my hotel.
I expected relief.
I expected victory.
Instead, I felt empty.
Because destroying my father’s reputation did not erase the years I spent wanting his approval.
A knock came at the door.
I immediately reached for the security weapon beside me.
Then I heard the voice.
“Celeste.”
I froze.
Alexander.
I opened the door.
He stood there alone.
No lawyers.
No assistants.
No father beside him.
Just my brother.
“What do you want?”
He looked tired.
Older.
For the first time, he didn’t look like the prince of the Whitmore empire.
He looked like someone who had lost something.
“I need to tell you the truth.”
I said nothing.
He entered slowly.
“When you left, father told everyone you abandoned the family.”
I stared at him.
“He said you were unstable.”
My hands tightened.
“He told people you couldn’t handle responsibility.”
I laughed quietly.
“Of course he did.”
Alexander looked down.
“But that wasn’t the real reason.”
The room became colder.
“What was?”
He took a deep breath.
“Because you found out about the contracts before you joined the Navy.”
I froze.
“What?”
“You were sixteen.”
His voice became quiet.
“You found documents in father’s office.”
Memories returned.
A young girl.
A locked drawer.
Papers she didn’t understand.
A father who became furious when he found out she had seen them.
“You remember.”
I looked away.
I remembered.
That night.
My father screaming.
Telling me never to touch his things again.
Telling me children who asked too many questions caused problems.
I thought it was because I invaded his privacy.
But now...
I understood.
“You knew?”
Alexander didn’t answer.
That was enough.
“You knew.”
His silence was a confession.
I stepped back.
“You knew everything.”
“I was scared.”
I looked at him.
“You were scared?”
My voice shook.
“People almost died.”
“I know.”
“No.”
I pointed at him.
“You don’t know.”
My eyes burned.
“You were scared of losing money.”
I stepped closer.
“I was scared of losing people.”
Alexander looked away.
And for the first time...
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I saw regret.
Real regret.
