Chapter 8 — The Man Who Looked Like Daniel
Daniel stared at Emily.
"What did you say?"
Emily stepped closer to the tablet.
"I said that's not you."
Everyone looked confused.
Victoria crossed her arms.
"Of course it is."
Emily shook her head.
"No."
She pointed at the screen.
"Look at his left hand."
Daniel watched.
The man in the video signed the document.
But his hand position was different.
A small detail.
Something most people would never notice.
Emily continued.
"Daniel has a scar near his thumb. The person in this video doesn't."
Silence.
Daniel looked at his own hand.
The scar was there.
A scar from a childhood accident.
Richard stepped closer.
"She's right."
Victoria's expression changed.
Only slightly.
But enough.
Daniel noticed.
"You knew."
Victoria didn't answer.
"Victoria."
The room waited.
Finally, she smiled.
"Fine."
She looked around.
"You want the truth?"
She walked toward the center of the ballroom.
"The man in the video wasn't Daniel."
Everyone gasped.
"Then who was he?"
Victoria looked at Emily.
"Someone who could become Daniel."
Emily felt cold.
Because she understood.
A fake signature.
A fake video.
A fake transfer.
Victoria hadn't just stolen the company.
She had planned to replace reality.
Daniel looked furious.
"Who was that man?"
Victoria didn't answer.
Instead, another voice came from behind them.
"I was."
Everyone turned.
A man stood near the entrance.
Same height.
Same build.
Same face.
Daniel looked at him like he was looking into a mirror.
The entire room froze.
Emily felt her breath stop.
Because the man standing there...
looked exactly like Daniel.
The stranger smiled.
"Hello, brother."
Daniel stepped backward.
"Brother?"
Richard's face turned pale.
"No..."
The stranger smiled.
"Yes, father."
The word echoed through the ballroom.
Emily looked at Richard.
Then Daniel.
Then the stranger.
A secret hidden for decades had just been exposed.
Richard Hayes had another son.
May you like
A son nobody knew existed.
And Victoria had found him.
