Chapter 12 — The Second Betrayal
Emily stared at the blinking light.
A terrible feeling entered her chest.
Something was wrong.
Everyone was so focused on Richard's confession...
they didn't notice Alexander's real purpose.
He wasn't exposing the truth.
He was collecting evidence.
Emily stepped forward.
"Stop."
Everyone looked at her.
Alexander smiled.
"What?"
Emily pointed at the device.
"You're recording all of us."
The smile disappeared.
Only for a second.
But it was enough.
Daniel noticed.
"Why?"
Alexander didn't answer.
Emily continued.
"Because you need everyone to admit something."
Richard looked confused.
Alexander's eyes narrowed.
"You don't know what you're talking about."
Emily shook her head.
"No."
She looked at Victoria.
"You're both doing the same thing."
Victoria frowned.
"What?"
"You don't trust each other."
The room became silent.
Emily looked between them.
"You think Victoria brought Alexander into this because she trusted him?"
She laughed softly.
"No."
She looked at Alexander.
"And you think she will let you keep the company after helping her?"
Nobody moved.
Because the truth was obvious.
Their alliance was built on revenge.
Not loyalty.
Alexander stared at Victoria.
Victoria stared back.
And for the first time...
they looked like enemies.
Daniel stepped closer.
"You two were planning to betray each other."
Victoria said nothing.
Alexander smiled.
"Smart girl."
Emily felt a chill.
Because she hated that answer.
"You knew."
Alexander nodded.
"I knew she would turn on me."
"Then why help her?"
Alexander looked at Daniel.
"Because I needed access."
Richard looked at him.
"Access to what?"
Alexander reached into his jacket.
He pulled out a folder.
"This."
He threw it onto the table.
Daniel opened it.
Then froze.
Inside were documents.
Old documents.
Birth records.
DNA results.
And one final paper.
A legal inheritance agreement.
Daniel read it.
His face changed.
Emily stepped closer.
"What is it?"
Daniel looked up.
His voice was barely audible.
"Alexander isn't my brother."
Everyone froze.
Alexander smiled.
"Finally."
Daniel looked at him.
"You're my father."
The entire ballroom went silent.
Richard's face turned white.
Victoria took a step back.
Because even she didn't know this.
Alexander looked at Richard.
"You thought you buried my mother."
He smiled.
"You thought you buried me."
Then he looked at Daniel.
"But you were wrong."
Emily felt the entire world shift.
The man who came to destroy the Hayes family...
was actually part of it.
And the biggest secret of all...
was not about money.
It was about blood.
Then the ballroom doors opened.
Police officers walked inside.
Everyone turned.
The officer looked directly at Victoria.
"Victoria Hayes?"
She froze.
"Yes?"
The officer pulled out handcuffs.
"You are under arrest."
Victoria stared.
"For what?"
The officer answered:
"For the murder of Thomas Carter."
Emily's blood ran cold.
Because her father had not died from an accident.
He had been killed.
May you like
And the woman standing in the wedding dress...
had been there.
