Chapter 9: The Secret Daniel Was Afraid to Tell
Alexander stared at Daniel's message.
For several seconds, he didn't move.
Then he read it aloud.
"There's something you don't know about your marriage.""
I looked at Friedrich.
He slowly closed his briefcase.
"That doesn't sound good.""
Alexander called Daniel.
No answer.
He called again.
Still nothing.
Then he typed a message.
Tell me what you know.
Daniel replied almost immediately.
Not over text. Tomorrow. 9 a.m. The old engineering office.
Alexander looked at me.
"I have to go.""
I shook my head.
"Not alone.""
"Mom, I need answers.""
"And you need to stay safe while getting them.""
He sighed.
"Daniel has been my friend for years.""
"So were you and Bianca happy when you first married?""
He looked at me.
I continued.
"People don't always recognize danger when it comes wearing a familiar face.""
Alexander sat down.
Friedrich suggested arranging the meeting in a public place and bringing a solicitor if the conversation involved financial documents.
Alexander agreed.
After Friedrich left, my son remained at my apartment.
I made tea.
Neither of us drank much.
At around ten, Alexander finally spoke.
"Mom, do you think Bianca ever loved me?""
I looked at him.
It was the kind of question no mother wants to hear.
"I don't know, darling.""
He stared into his cup.
"She used to tell me I was the only person who understood her.""
"Perhaps she believed that.""
"She said her father had treated her badly. She said she wanted a different life.""
I listened.
He continued.
"Whenever she asked me for help, I gave it. When she wanted a bigger house, I agreed. When she wanted to help her parents, I supported her.""
He shook his head.
"How did it become this?""
I reached across the table.
"Sometimes people confuse being loved with being needed. And sometimes they use the kindness of someone who loves them.""
He looked down.
"I should have noticed.""
"Yes," I said gently.
"But noticing now is better than refusing to see it forever.""
He nodded.
Before going to bed, he called his bank and reported the suspected unauthorized loan applications.
The bank instructed him not to acknowledge any disputed debt and arranged an appointment with its fraud team.
The following morning, I accompanied him to the engineering office.
It was a small building on the edge of the industrial district.
Daniel was waiting outside.
He looked as though he hadn't slept.
"Alex.""
Alexander stopped several feet away.
"Talk.""
Daniel glanced at me.
"Can we do this privately?""
"No," Alexander replied.
Daniel rubbed his face.
"All right.""
We entered the building and sat in a small meeting room.
Daniel closed the door.
Then he placed a thick folder on the table.
"I need you to understand that I didn't know everything.""
Alexander didn't touch the folder.
"Start at the beginning.""
Daniel took a breath.
"About eighteen months ago, Bianca contacted me. She said Ewald was having business difficulties and needed a temporary loan.""
"Why did she contact you?""
"Because I had connections with a private lending broker.""
Alexander leaned forward.
"And you used my name?""
"Not at first.""
"Then when?""
Daniel opened the folder.
Inside were copies of financial applications, emails, and company registrations.
He pointed to a document.
"This was the first arrangement. Ewald's company needed €40,000. Bianca said you had agreed to help.""
"I hadn't.""
"I know that now.""
Alexander stared at him.
"Did you receive money?""
Daniel nodded.
"Ten thousand euros.""
The room became silent.
I looked at him.
"Why?""
He lowered his eyes.
"I was told it was a consulting fee.""
"And you didn't ask questions?""
"I did. Bianca told me Alexander knew everything.""
My son laughed bitterly.
"Convenient.""
Daniel accepted the accusation.
"I know.""
He turned another page.
"Then, about six months ago, things became more complicated. Ewald couldn't repay the first loan. Bianca said the family needed another arrangement.""
"That's when you created DK Solutions?""
Daniel nodded.
Alexander leaned back.
"Using my salary details.""
"Yes.""
"Without my permission.""
"Yes.""
"How much did you make?""
Daniel hesitated.
"Twenty-three thousand euros in total.""
Alexander stood.
I thought he might hit him.
Instead, he walked to the window and stared outside.
"You're telling me you stole from me, helped my wife take my mother's property, and collected twenty-three thousand euros?""
Daniel's voice cracked.
"I know how it sounds.""
"It sounds exactly like what happened.""
Daniel opened another folder.
"There's something worse.""
He removed a printed email.
The sender was Bianca.
The subject line read: After the Property Transfer.
I read the first paragraph.
Bianca had written that once the apartment was sold, the proceeds would be divided between Ewald's creditors and a private investment account.
But it was the final paragraph that made my blood run cold.
Alexander must not be allowed to interfere. If he starts asking questions, we will use the separation agreement. He signed it when we bought the house.
I looked at my son.
"What separation agreement?""
Alexander shook his head.
"We never signed a separation agreement.""
Daniel pointed to the next page.
It contained a document with Alexander's name.
There was a clause stating that certain financial liabilities would become his responsibility if the marriage ended under specific circumstances.
Alexander read it slowly.
"What's this?""
Daniel looked uncomfortable.
"Bianca told me you signed it before the wedding.""
"I didn't.""
Daniel nodded.
"Then you need to know something.""
He removed a second document.
This one contained a list of bank accounts and property interests.
At the bottom was a note:
In the event of divorce, Alexander remains liable for all outstanding guarantees connected to the Weber family businesses.
I felt my hands go cold.
"Daniel, why are you showing us this now?""
He looked at me.
"Because Bianca told me yesterday that the plan was moving to the next stage.""
"What next stage?""
Daniel swallowed.
"She was going to file for divorce.""
Alexander stared at him.
"She's leaving me?""
"Not exactly.""
Daniel slid another sheet across the table.
It was a draft legal notice.
Bianca intended to claim that Alexander had concealed debts and misrepresented his financial position during their marriage.
She would argue that he was responsible for the outstanding loans.
Alexander slowly sat down.
"She planned to make me responsible for her father's debts and then leave me?""
Daniel nodded.
"That's what I understood.""
I looked at the draft.
The document was dated the previous week.
My son stared at the paper for a long time.
Then he asked a question that nobody in the room wanted to answer.
"How long have you known?""
Daniel looked down.
"Three months.""
Alexander's face hardened.
"Three months?""
"I was trying to get out of it.""
"You had three months to tell me.""
"I was afraid.""
"Of what?""
Daniel finally looked up.
"Of Ewald.""
He opened his phone and showed us a message.
It was from Ewald.
If you tell Alexander anything, your part in the financial applications will become public. You know what that means for your business.
Daniel had been threatened.
But that didn't excuse what he had done.
Alexander pushed the folder away.
"You should have come to me.""
"I know.""
"You're not my friend anymore.""
Daniel lowered his head.
"I understand.""
We left the office without another word.
Outside, Alexander stopped beside the car.
He looked exhausted.
I put my hand on his shoulder.
"One step at a time.""
He nodded.
Then his phone rang.
Bianca.
He answered.
"Hello?""
Her voice was sharp.
"Where are you?""
"Why?""
"Your father is furious. Daniel has been spreading lies.""
Alexander looked at me.
"Daniel told me about the divorce papers.""
Silence.
Then Bianca said:
"So he finally betrayed us.""
Alexander closed his eyes.
"Us?""
"Don't be stupid. We can still fix this.""
"Did you plan to make me responsible for your father's debts?""
She laughed nervously.
"That's not what the papers mean.""
"Did you plan to divorce me afterward?""
Her voice changed.
"Alexander, listen to me. You need to come home.""
"Why?""
"Because your mother has been manipulating you, and I have proof.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"What proof?"" Alexander asked.
Bianca lowered her voice.
"Proof that your mother has been hiding something much bigger than money.""
Then she added:
"Something your father left behind. Something that could change everything you think you know about him.""
Alexander looked at me.
I couldn't speak.
Because Bianca had just mentioned Karl.
My husband had been dead for six years.
And there was only one secret he had ever asked me never to reveal.
May you like
A secret I had believed was buried with him.
*Until that phone call.*
